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What benefits does journaling give?
Journal keeps the past intact.
It is a living record of your life and memories.
Its true power emerges years—or even decades—later, where you pass it down as a testament to the younger generation. A proof that you and I existed.
And do you remember the feeling when you see your drawings, diary, or your exam paper from your 3rd grade? It’s funny, but definitely nostalgic.
We capture how the world looked and felt in our time through words instead of photos. That we were alive, and that memory will keep on living in the marks of our ink.
Personally, I write now as a keepsake to my future family and grandchildren. Yep, I’m thinking that far ahead.
Just like the song says, “One day, you’ll leave this world behind, so live a life you will remember.” And so I’m doing it now.
This personal documentation I do for myself shall be alive and well in the hands of the future generation. I want to make sure of that.
It anchors you to the present.
Not only does it stores the past; journaling anchors you to the present.
As I reach adulthood, it scared me how quick life speeds by.
I aged without my notice. I’m still hungover about the last Christmas, and yet Christmas is already around the corner again.
I’m young in the eyes of the elderly, but also feels OLD, especially with my knees struggling. Life’s happens in a blink of an eye!
With this, I had to document my life, so at least, I can savor my every day.
Moreover, journaling is a creative outlet. My therapy.
How our mind churns when we write down our thoughts never fails to transport us to another dimension. And as I use my highlighters, the colored pages satisfy my soul.
It lists your hopes for the future.
Writing down your goals increases your chance to succeed. Multiple researches support that.
We picture our dreams in your mind. But sometimes reality doesn’t match the daydream.
But by listing them down, we have a greater tendency to remember them, just like a fridge note reminds us of our daily tasks. Or like how we took notes of your teachers’ lessons for them to review before the exams.
The vivid image becomes more concrete and detailed, and gives us a chance to test and scale our actions.
Writing helps us recalibrate the intangible dreams inside our head.
Truly, journaling has helped me grow my perspective a lot. I have two blogs and they’re my digital journal, alongside my notebooks.
Here and there, I had to constantly rethink my words and goals. Readers like you might reach this point, so the more I journal or publish stories, there’s no other way but to grow mentally and emotionally.
How I Journal for Self-Reflection
1. Diary
Here, I write the highlights of my day. It’s very short but also very detailed. For example, I’d journal quick updates like, “February X, YYY: My sister bought pizza from her first paycheck!”
Sometimes, it’s a bit longer. Like the night we rolled into Manila at 2 AM for my grandmother’s birthday and mom got angry with us for traveling in the wee hours, my first Zumba class and what I wore that day, who I met, and even how my long‑distance boyfriend and I opened gifts over a video call.
It’s an escape from the mundane everyday routine. This helps me realize that such snapshots prove how beautiful and random life can be.
2. Devotions
I pick up a Bible verse, a quote, or a line from a motivational speaker and sit on it for twenty minutes in my room.
- Why was this verse or quote put out in the world?
- Does it mirror what I’m facing today?
- How does this apply in my life, or would I apply it at all?
Bible verses are often packed with hidden wisdom, which always amazes me. Some quotes teach you lessons you never saw coming. But others—well, not every advice is beneficial, that’s for sure, and you discover that with experience, along with a moment of intense self-reflection.
As you watch your mind like a movie and analyze the possible lessons , you also transform the deepest parts of your cognition. Your mentality and perspectives. You start to believe differently than you used to, simply because you start to insert better ways to live your life and break down unhelpful habits you were not aware of.
3. Big‑Picture Concepts
I write down concepts. The pages are filled with “how-tos” and “why-should-Is.”
For example, years ago, I used to believe I don’t need any new friends. I’m an introvert, I’m used to being alone anyway.
Or, why do I have to serve in a church? What value does it give me?
As I realize how wrong I was, or when concepts click, I write them down in my journal. It’s like an article, but written on my notebook.
Over time, flipping back through these pages shows me exactly how my thinking has evolved.
I’d chuckle a little to see my progress — from a closed-off, “it’s all about me” young gal, to someone who learned to love life and be more selfless.
It was an adventure.
Starting a journal tracks your life. You’re perspectives transform, and the best thing is, you got to record that.
It’s not late to start a new journal! Let’s do this! 🙂
Check Out These Cute Journals:
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