Every morning before I go to class I open up my "Morning Mindset" journal. I pick a word of the day and I write how I am feeling, why each day is going to be exciting, what I am grateful for, what I did for my growth the day before and what didn't work, and finally, my goals for the day. Next, I open up "Her Goals Journal," where I continue to write down my goals for the day. I dive further into detail as I explain why the goal is important to me and how I am going to get it done. Sure, this all might sound kind of pointless or like a waste of time, but trust me, it's not. When I first started using my journals, I did it as a way to collect my thoughts and goals in an organized way, all while being able to hold myself accountable. Of course, that was beneficial, but I've since learned that journaling has a lot more positive attributes.

To start off, journaling can help anyone deal with their feelings in a productive and healthy way. Rather than holding everything in, writing about it allows people to let their emotions out privately, yet efficiently. It's a creative outlet that gives people the chance to express things that may be difficult or uncomfortable for them. Journaling gives people an opportunity to take these emotions and feelings and explore them further. It allows people a chance to reflect on their days and to see both the positive and negative sides of things. Going through and determining the positives and negatives can also assist people in establishing the pros and cons of something, which can help create organized and systematic decision-making skills. By writing, people can gain insight into their own thoughts, motives, and decisions, as well as those of other people. Finally, journaling can also be an excellent aid in enhancing writing, reading, and even communication skills, all of which are very important for day-to-day life.

All of the above is just a short summary of the many benefits of journaling. If you're interested in learning more about the positives of writing and journaling, here is a list of 83 benefits, specifically ones that help with depression, anxiety, and stress management. Making a habit out of journaling can really be helpful, no matter where you are in your life. You don't have to do it every single day, even just a couple times a week is useful.

Here are the journals that I use every day, as shown above in the cover photo:

"Morning Mindset" by Alexandra Kozma

"Change your morning. Change your life." This journal provides the same writing prompts every day: "Word of the Day," "How am I feeling right now?" "Today is going to be exciting because..." "I am feeling grateful for..." "What did I do for my growth yesterday?" "What didn't work yesterday?" and finally, "My goals for today...".

"Start Where You Are" by Alexandra Kozma

"A journal for self-exploration." This journal combines writing prompts with quotes, graphics, and even includes some coloring pages. Here is an example of one of the prompts: "Think of something that is currently troubling and write about it here. Don't try to solve it; just focus on getting your thoughts out of your head and onto paper."

"Her Goals Journal" by the Eccolo Dayna Lee Collection

This journal also provides the same prompts on every page: you start by writing your goal(s), then has you ask yourself "Why is this important to me?" "What do I need to do to achieve my goal?" "When is my deadline?" and finally, it provides you with a box to check off when you complete your goal.

"One Question a Day: A Five-Year Journal" by Aimee Chase

"A personal time capsule of questions and answers." This journal has lines for five years underneath a set of 365 questions. The questions vary from "What is the last dream you remember?" to "If you were an animal, what animal would you be?" then to "Who are the people in your life who really understand you?" This journal allows you to keep track of where you are in your life throughout five years, it's great for reflecting.