Surprising Benefits of Journaling
Photo by Dorie Palmer.
With the massive amount of things going on in the world, a new special episode of Parks and Recreation, the yearly remembrance of ‘Star Wars Day’, and a new season of Riverdale coming to Netflix, it's easy to be overwhelmed. If you are looking for a way to let off steam, focus your thoughts, improve communication skills, and more, think about writing in a journal.
Awareness of mental health is on the rise. It is important to be mindful of your emotions and feelings. When people are stressed or overwhelmed, your thoughts may become scattered and drag them down in the dumps. Writing down what you are thinking can help you sort through your feelings and help feel more stable. Psychology Today found in a study with young adults that writing daily about positive experiences had improved sleep, determination, and energy. Overall, journaling can improve your emotional intelligence.
For those of you who feel the need to be ‘productive’, writing consistently will make your writing better. Writing, even in a journal, will improve your prose and style regardless of the quality of the work. Additionally, according to a study at the University of Victoria, writing has a direct correlation with one’s IQ. Not only can journaling improve emotional intelligence, but it can also improve communication and writing skills.
Finally, we are living through a major historical event, something that will be remembered and written down by historians, scholars, and AP students alike. The human mind is a wacky place and memories can be transitive in nature. Writing down experiences and memories can preserve a snippet in time for when you are older.
If you are new to journaling, it may be difficult to know where to start. Some people like to write down lists. For example: “Things that made me laugh today;” “The Jonas Brothers Ranked and Why;” or “Different Acronyms for ‘LOL.”You could also use a stream of consciousness technique and just write whatever you are thinking at the moment, including “I don't know what to write.” Another recommendation is that you write one thing that makes you happy or that you are grateful for in order to receive those listed above gratitude perks.
Consider journaling during your quarantine to reap the many benefits. For more reading, “Here Are The 50 Best Journaling Prompts You Will Ever Read Or Need” by Jeremy Goldberg on Thought Catalog.
