Journaling has always been a part of my life. Over the past year and a half, I have devoted more time to this practice. I even started this blog in the hopes that it would be beneficial to others because of the difference journaling has made in my own life. I have reaped the benefits of taking the time of pouring out my thoughts, feelings, hopes, fears, disappointments, heartaches, goals, and reflections through this outlet.
One of my favorite parts of journaling is looking back at what I have written months or even years ago, and seeing the growth and healing that has taken place between a particular journal entry to the present day. It is also encouraging to go back and look at goals I listed knowing they have now come to pass- goals I did not think were initially possible. Most importantly, journaling has helped me on my personal journey of fulfilling the seven dimensions of wellness in my life.
Because journaling has added to my overall well-being and personal growth, I hope by sharing some of the golden nuggets I have learned along the way, you will learn how journaling can improve your own life. Perhaps, you will even be convinced to add this to your self-care routine or at least devote more time to this practice.
While there are numerous benefits of journaling, I have chosen three to discuss that I have personally experienced and greatly benefited from throughout the past year and a half. I am confident that if journaling becomes a part of your self-care practice, you will also experience these benefits too.
1.) Journaling Helped My Feelings to Stop Running the Show
I have a lot of feelings. These feelings can easily turn into a “cloud of scribbles.” You know, like the ones above Charlie Brown’s head when he gets flustered after Lucy takes the football away right when he is about to kick it. This was particularly true if someone said something that did not sit right with me during my work day or if I was replaying in my head a mistake I had made in the past. I was easily rattled by my feelings, even if it was something externally that had poked them in the first place. Many times, it was so overwhelming that I would surrender a tremendous amount of time to them. They had the power to ruin my whole day, sometimes even longer. Unfortunately, you can never get back lost time.
Journaling has been a tool that I utilize to self-soothe. Writing down my feelings has helped me process and navigate through them. Ultimately, it is a way to give myself permission to hold space for them. I always end up feeling better because I made myself do the hard work of feeling my feelings all the way through, despite how uncomfortable they may be.
Journaling is also a fantastic reminder that your feelings are just feelings. Feelings change. Feelings stop. Feelings begin again. Feelings are also indicators of needs that are either being met or not being met. When you are brave enough to feel through uncomfortable or even painful feelings, your feelings lose their power over you. Your external environment, which can be an aid in initiating these uncomfortable or painful feelings, also tends to lose its power over you too. Your feelings begin working for you instead of the other way around.
2.) Journaling Helped Me Learn to Trust Myself
This benefit of journaling has made a big difference in my life. It has always been characteristic of me to easily see and understand all sides, opinions, or advice of a circumstance or an idea. This does not mean I always agree, it just means I understand how someone would have arrived at their stance. I always want to hear others out.
Because of this, it became effortless for the opinions and guidance of others to drown out my own personal views on a matter. It would get to the point to where I would end up not trusting or valuing my own personal thoughts. I would end up second guessing myself or feel like I did not have the authority to speak on my personal views. I would usually go silent because internally I was struggling with trusting myself and externally I was wishing others would be quiet long enough so I could hear myself again.
Through the years, I have learned that just because someone speaks loudly and passionately on a topic or they could pass as a professional debater or they have more years of experience, does not mean they are actually right. They could be really, really wrong. However, because it was nearly effortless to stamp out my own personal thoughts and second guess myself, it was just easier to let them keep talking and giving their “guidance” and opinions.
When I began journaling more, I realized just how detrimental this had been. Journaling helped me unravel a lot of that “guidance” and opinions from others. In doing so, I was able to rediscover my own thoughts and opinions. As time passed, I started trusting myself again.
3.) Journaling has Aided in Obtaining My Overall Wellness
As I started trusting myself again, I began experiencing self-acceptance. Because journaling helped me on my journey of rediscovering my sense of self, being authentic and living with intention became goals for my personal development and overall well-being. As I have cultivated this relationship with my personal self through journaling, I am more confident in myself.
Because of this newfound confidence, I have been able to successfully embark on my journey towards the seven dimensions of wellness. These seven dimensions are spiritual, physical, emotional, career/financial, intellectual, environmental, and social. Most of these dimensions of wellness in my life have been positively impacted by my journaling practice. Furthermore, I can partially attribute the overall wellness I currently experience to journaling.
Final Thoughts
I am thankful I made journaling a bigger part of my self-care practice a year and a half ago. It has created a positive change in my life and helped me as I embarked on my overall wellness journey and personal development. I hope the three benefits I have experienced from journaling inspires you to go grab some paper and a writing utensil so that you can begin to journal and experience these benefits too!
References
Lemle Beckner, V. (2020). The Key Skill We Rarely Learn: How to Feel Your Feelings. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/harnessing-principles-change/202010/the-key-skill-we-rarely-learn-how-feel-your-feelings
Seven Dimensions of Wellness | Grand Rapids Community College. (2021). GRCC Grand Rapids Community College. https://www.grcc.edu/faculty-staff/human-resources/professional-development/wellness/seven-dimensions-wellness
