Journaling Everyday Will Make You Unrecognizable In a Year

Journal Your Way To Unrecognizable Growth

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I used to get appalled reading old journals. I would open up an entry from several years before and feel a sense of panic as I realized I was complaining about the same old things. I would cringe at the level of stagnation and lack of self-awareness. But looking back, it makes sense. I needed to be more consistent in my journaling habits. Furthermore, I was using it more as a brain dump than for anything purposeful.

Journaling can be transformative, but it depends largely on your motivation for writing. If you aren’t approaching it with a specific goal in mind, well, you aren’t going to accomplish that specific goal.

Let’s dive into some best practices for journaling and how you can make the most of it. But first let’s take a look at the bigger question, “Why is journaling even important?”

Benefits of Journaling

Improves Mental Health — Journaling has been shown to combat depression and anxiety. Often times we are carrying subconscious limiting beliefs or counterproductive thoughts. Journaling helps us bring those thoughts to the surface so we can examine and act on them. One study in particular showed that journaling was “associated with less depressive symptoms and anxiety after 1 month and greater resilience after the first and second month.”

Reduces Stress — Research has shown that journaling can help reduce stress. By journaling about stressful situations we have an opportunity to analyze and examine the events, as well as our responding thoughts and emotions, all in greater detail. By putting your thoughts and feelings on paper, you can release the emotional burden and gain a sense of control over your emotions. If you’re not sure about what’s causing you stress, journaling can also provide a window into your day that allows you to spot patterns.

Improves Emotional Intelligence — Journaling can clearly help you gain insight into your own emotions, but it also helps with gaining insight into other people’s emotions. This heightened emotional intelligence can lead to better relationships and a deeper understanding of those close to you.

Increases Creativity — Journaling is a great way to mull over a specific problem, brainstorm, problem-solve, or generate new ideas. By tapping into your thoughts you can build and flex your creative muscles.

Helps You Set Goals and Grow — I saved this one for last because in my opinion, it’s an important one and the main focus of this article. Journaling doesn’t have to just be about venting, it can be used as a tool for personal development. Let’s take a look at how journaling can be used for personal growth.

A Window Into Your Own Mind

At its core, journaling is about self-reflection and introspection. It’s a way to connect with yourself and gain clarity into your thoughts and emotions.

But beyond self-awareness, journaling can also be a great way to shape the direction of your life.

When you understand yourself more deeply, you find insight into what you truly want in life, and what will increase your happiness. From there, you are able to take the necessary steps to achieve your goals and track your progress.

I used to journal as a way to vent. I would write about my day but wouldn’t take the time to spot patterns or reflect on what I could improve.

I’m not saying that’s necessarily bad. If you want to use journaling more as a way to reduce stress I think that’s a fine tactic to take. But if you want to use journaling as a method for personal development, it’s helpful to provide yourself with some more structure.

Here are a few ideas that could be helpful for your daily journal practice:

Reflect on your day:

What went well?

• What was a highlight of your day and why?
• What is something you accomplished?
• What is something you did better than the day before?
• Who did you interact with that led to increased happiness or motivation?

What could have been better?

• What was a thought or experience that bothered you? How can you prevent it from happening tomorrow?
• What is something you want to do better tomorrow?
• What tweaks to your habits or routine could help you achieve your goals?
• Did you interact with someone that led to negative thoughts or anxiety? What steps can you take to prevent this tomorrow?

Reflect on your self-talk:

• Are there any limiting beliefs that are holding you back?
• What is something you said to yourself that was unkind? What could you have said to yourself instead?
• What is something you said to yourself that was positive or kind? How can you increase the frequency of these type of statements tomorrow?

Reflect on your values and goals:

• What truly matters to you in life?
• What are your core values and beliefs?
• Do the previous two questions provide insight into what you want to pursue or actions you want to take?
• What are your short term goals?
• What are your long term goals?
• What steps can you take to move closer to your goals?

Track, Track, Track

While the act of journaling can be helpful in itself, the effects will be exponentially more helpful if you can track your answers over time. Routinely go through your previous entries and take note of any progress or patterns that have been occuring over time. Can you see changes over the past week? month? year? By setting time aside to review, you’ll be able to see how far you’ve come and determine where you want to go next.

Final Thoughts

If you are able to build a consistent daily journaling habit you’ll be amazed at the amount of progress you’ll make in a year. And as an added bonus, you’ll have a complete log of how you made it happen.

Try not to spend too much time polishing. Your journal doesn’t have to be free of grammer or spelling errors. It’s more important to get the high value content in then to spend time worrying about the format.

As a final note, this is just for you. Try to be as honest and open with yourself as possible. You don’t need to worry about impressing yourself or hiding details. This is purely for your benefit and the more transparent you are, the more you’ll be able to grow.

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