Journaling is something I have really gotten into since I started college. I have always had journals but I rarely ever wrote in them. Now that it is part of my everyday life, I have truly begun to understand the benefits and the reasons why I am always ready to open up one of my many journals and just write. With life being crazy and stressful, being able to find an escape and a way to share your feelings and thoughts such as with a journal is crucial.

1. Self-Confidence

I have realized that being able to illustrate the good moments and unforgettable memories is very important for your mental health. When everything feels as though it is going wrong in life, it is so nice to be able to look back at the pages when there was countless writing about the good times in life. Journaling your emotions will help you understand yourself, and make you see that you do not need to impress anybody but yourself. Goal writing, drawing, and achievement expression are all ways to journal and feel good about yourself afterwards.

2. Creativity Boost

When I journal, I usually add in a drawing of some kind, decorative tape, or different writing fonts. I like to make each page a different color with a different affect depending on my mood or what I am writing about. It is very easy to get creative journaling ideas, and Pinterest is there for you always. But try to make something your own and write or draw without thinking. Journaling first thing in the morning will get your creative juices flowing all day, which is great for school and work!

3. Emotional Intelligence

Being able to understand and manage the emotions of yourself and others is improved once journaling becomes a part of your daily life. Once these skills are improved, you'll be able to understand what others are experiencing better. There will be difficult moments in life where we won't be able to understand ourselves, and being able to look back on what we have said before will help us get in tune with what we are feeling.

4. Achieving Goals

Even though the emotional side of journaling is crazy important, so is the materialistic side. Bullet journals are great to have for holding yourself accountable for the goals that you set for yourself. We all know how important it is for us to have goals, whether they are yearly or monthly. So with that being said, write them down, revisit them, and make a note about how they are going each week. Make charts and do whatever helps for you personally in your journal.

5. Relaxation

When I am feeling incredibly stressed out, I open my journal and write about whatever I need off my mind. Journaling is a healthy way to get back to feeling good when everything seems to be taking a toll. Pro tip: Journal outside. The benefits of relaxation will be doubled!

6. Learning

It is proven that writing is one of the main ways to stretch an IQ. This is because when writing, we are constantly wanting to grow our vocabulary and trying new ways to put sentences together. I also learn a lot about the bible when I journal my daily devotions. When journaling, you are able to learn about yourself and the world, so learning is grown in all aspects.

7. Physical Health

Studies have shown that journaling improves your physical health just as much as it does your mental health. Proven benefits include less doctor visits, a stronger immune system, and improvements in chronic illnesses, such as asthma. So my big question is why wouldn't one journal after hearing this?

Journals are fairly cheap and you only need to take an hour out of your day for such benefits. Even if it is just weekly, you will begin to notice these changes just as I have.