8 Ways journaling can powerfully change your life

Lim Han

29 May 2017

1/8
Boosts your IQ
Can you get smarter just by writing about your day? Oh, you’d be surprised. Journaling allows you to practise your vocabulary and push the boundaries of your language capacity as you source for new words and expressions. Studies have shown that writing, as part of honing your language skills, has a strong correlation with intelligence. So, if you want to improve your language while becoming smarter, journaling is a no-brainer route to take.
2/8
Unlocks creativity
As your diary is yours to keep, it’s only natural that you’re going to write whatever you want. And, believe it or not, the act of freely expressing yourself is actually a key medium through which your creative juices can flow. Writing whatever comes to your mind loosens up your expressive muscles and may expose ideas and thoughts you never knew you had. Who knows, you may even be able develop these ideas and turn them into something spectacular!
3/8
Raises self-awareness
Journaling provides you with the pit-stop you need to take a moment and reflect on yourself and your surroundings. Through writing about your daily life and the emotions and people that come with it, you may start to discover profound truths about yourself or others that you’ve completely overlooked in the hustle of life. For instance, it may dawn upon you that there’s a certain trait of yourself that you need to change or a particular toxic relationship you need to rid your life of.
4/8
Relieves stress
Sure, screaming into pillows and punching walls are great ways of releasing pent-up frustration and anxiety. But, if you don’t have any pillows with you or a wall nearby, your pen and notebook are pretty great substitutes. Translating all your worries and burdens into words on paper prevents you from bottling them all up and harbouring them within you, which could cause greater stress and pressure.
5/8
Encourages discipline
We’ll be honest – you’re not going to feel like journaling every day. Some days, you’re going to want to just chill on the couch or marathon your favourite television series. That’s why forming the habit of journaling truly takes determination and will definitely train your discipline. Your improved discipline will surely manifest itself in other aspects of your life, such as your work and household responsibilities.
6/8
Helps you achieve your goals
No, we’re not just talking about focusing on your goals, we actually mean it when we say “achieve”. When you journal, it’s only natural that your dreams and ambitions will find their way onto the paper. Now, when they’ve escaped from the mental realm and leaked into physical reality, it’s b . Plus, you can use your journal to motivate yourself and track your progress.
7/8
Organises your thoughts
Don’t you ever have those days when your mind is a turbulent mess of random thoughts and feelings bouncing off the inner walls of your mind? Declutter your mind by pouring them all out onto your journal, where you’ll be able to see a clearer picture of your thoughts. It’s way easier to make sense of what you’re feeling when you’re seeing them in their physical form face-to-face.
8/8
Improves problem-solving skills
When we’re posed with a knotty problem, we often tackle it from a left-brained, analytical point of view. But sometimes, this isn’t enough, and we need the help of our right counterpart. Writing, thereby, activates the right side of our brain and allows us to tap on our creativity and intuition that may have been needed to solve the problem.

Behold, the power of the pen. Change the way you think, one journal entry at a time!

Anyone who’s kept a diary or journal before will know that it usually doesn’t last for long. Sure, it starts off on a great note, with you spending an hour in therapeutic solitude every few nights, where it’s just you in the company of your diary, writing about every last detail of your day. But soon, either life’s commitments take over and fill up every nook and cranny of your schedule, or you simply get sick of penning down the daily happenings. And, with that, your journal takes a backseat.

Yes, we don’t deny it, keeping up a journal takes determination and willpower, but the results are totally worth it. Believe it or not, journaling actually entails a abundance of life-changing benefits. From broadening your mental capacity to strengthening your emotional intelligence, you’ll be surprised to see how the different aspects of your life can improve thanks to journaling. We’ve compiled a list of 8 ways journaling can seriously turn your life around!

Don’t believe us? Try it for yourself. After all, all you need is some paper and a pen.

Lim Han

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