A journal page I wrote but overwritten by a mandala which I did as well. Image credits: Jean Beltran-Figues via bitLanders.com
Greetings!
I am off today with a new blog which is really something close to my heart and to my mind - journaling or diary making. While I have been thinking of blogging about this for quiet some time, it has been delayed and delayed until other things had occupied my mind and I was not able to write about it until today after watching Game of Thrones episode two of the seventh season. Something in that episode made me want to write a second blog for today, I wrote one early today and submitted it for review but there's an urge for me to write again and so I am compelled to.
Going back, journaling is one of my favorite thing to do together with lettering and somehow, scrapbooking. It is actually very similar to scrapbooking in some sense and I enjoy both a lot. Though they have different mediums because I have already switched to the digital scrapbooks while for journaling, I stick to the traditional manual writing and others.
Because I am fond of writing journal entries although there are multiple times where I couldn't write on some days, I give myself permission to miss some days but it is indeed better to keep one on a day to day basis.
Why am I writing about these reasons why you should as well keep a journal? There are many benefits and advantages to this though and I would try to enumerate some which are also making sense for me.
What is a Journal?
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Journal is already part of this earth's history. Most significant people before had been keeping a notebook or a book with their story in it, their own hand writing fills the entire page of a notebook and it helps them in different ways.
A journal as per psychcentral.com is as follows:
Journaling (or keeping letters or diaries) is an ancient tradition, one that dates back to at least 10th century Japan. Successful people throughout history have kept journals. Presidents have maintained them for posterity; other famous figures for their own purposes. Oscar Wilde, 19th century playwright, said: “I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read on the train.”
Information reference: psychcentral.com
Why You Should Keep a Journal:
I know that when we were growing up, we were greatly encouraged to make our own diaries. As a child, it was my elementary teacher who had told the entire room to try to make a letter to ourselves in a daily basis and read it after few months or years back, this will make you bring back memories that can either fire up happiness or sadness into your life.
So today, let me give you some of the reasons why I am keeping a journal to myself and why you should as well.
1. It helps you remember events and special happenings in your life.
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This is true and it is also true that our brain isn't that very good to keep a record of all the things that had occurred in our lives. In fact as per studies, when a human being dies, he had only used up around 10 % only of the entire brain.
This however signifies that the brain needs help to be able to recall such cases. A journal definitely can assist to that. For example, if on a specific day you had given something to this person and you noted it down on your journal, after years and upon reading your journal, you will be reminded that it was on this day that you have done this. In case you have not noted it, the memory stays or it might not stay but the information still is available in your journal except if you had lost your journals.
2. It keeps you busy when bored and entertains you when doing nothing.
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Whether you are writing an entry to your journal or just simply reading some of the old entries, this will definitely keep you company. Reading your own handwriting and reminiscing memories will give a smile to your face, I am sure about it because that's how I feel whenever I do the same.
Also, during travels, keeping a notebook and a pen at hand will make you busy. Without knowing, you have already made your time productive because of the writings you have inputted into your book.
3. It helps you know yourself.
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Upon constant writing about yourself and the people around you, you'll learn something about yourself as well as to those close ones near to you. You will figure out what makes you happy and sad or angry and you'll also learn to overcome your challenges in that part of your life.
Mistakes are also realized and learnt from all these entries. You then have the chance to correct your wrong perception and be better in terms of solving your own issues and problems in life.
4. It can help you cope up with stress.
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Stress has been one of the top causes of sickness and worse, death. Stress with work, surrounding and our lives in general is taking a toll on our health. However, when one gets himself involved with writing about their anger, their experiences in a day to day life, it lessens the intensity of this feeling.
Most psychiatrists would often advise their patients to write on a journal their life in their everyday living. I recall a movie One Liter of Tears where the doctor had asked the patient to write whatever she is feeling everyday and every time she encounters anything abnormal to her. Out of the notebook, the patient had somehow release the pain and stress she was experiencing from the hardships she had undergone.
5. It develops the creativity in you.
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Journaling is a free style type of diary. You can add anything to it, from just plain writings to adding letterings, bolding importing words or adding some accessories to it like stickers, ribbons, tapes such as Washi tapes which has kawaii designs and more.
This type of practice - adding items you randomly like will enhance the creativity which has been sleeping inside of you. Starting to add a sticker and arrange them to your preference will greatly affect the art in you.
Journals don't need to be strict. You can for yourself add whatever you want to add into it. In fact, it is like the scrapbooking where you can just add layers of items according to your taste and just be yourself.
6. It helps you become successful.
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Most successful people keep a record or a journal of their lives. In their journal lies the ideas they have written, the mistakes they have taken and the correct decisions made throughout the years.
This is one of the reasons why after their lifetime, when another person creates a biography of him or her, it is way way easier with the help of the person's journal. Their habits are also revealed in it.
In their journals, people with visions have been reading these so to remind them of their goals and to ensure that they are on track to their dreams and aspirations. With constant reminder, they are also able to constantly work forward for their dreams.
How to Keep a Journal?
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With the technology that we have now, there are several ways on keeping a journal. There are the traditional notebooks and pens. There are available special papers out there in book stores and office supplies which you can compile in a folder or special space.
I actually prefer keeping myself a notebook which is why the book stores are my bestfriend. I can stay all day long in a book shop so I can check every single notebook design available.
Then, let's not forget as well that there are also mobile and web applications which can be used for keeping your entries. Just go to your mobile app store, search for the key word - Journal and you'll get a bunch of them which are also capable of data synchronization to different platforms!
How to Maintain?
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While Journaling can be tedious to other people, it is merely a matter of creating a habit. To make sure that you can make it into a habit, you do the 30 day challenge where in you take a whole month target that you are able to write consecutively on these days, for sure you'll get your journal habits!
However, it is indeed a great challenge to do this but you can always give yourself permission to miss some days. Journaling is a fun way of recording your life. At the end of time when your hands are not anymore able to write, you pray that you still have eyes that can see so you can read on these events of your life and smile while you reminisce whatever memory you got there.
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Indeed, in life, people may change, time may change and things will disappear. But what we have in our memories will live forever. So keep those memories up through your journals.
- Jean beltran-Figues
In line with this, please do not forget to participate in the Querlo chatbot below about having a healthy life which includes your mental health:
Yours truly,
Jean Beltran-Figues
