With these tumultuous last few weeks of the semester, it’s normal to feel all sorts of emotions, from hopelessness to anger to disappointment. However, it is important to prioritize one’s well-being by channeling all these emotions through a positive outlet that encourages relaxation and success. One outlet that I have found to be particularly productive is the tried-and-true method of journaling.
I’ve always had problems being consistent with many activities, whether it’s exercising or reading. Still, I’ve always found myself returning to those activities and having at least some form of productivity with them. However, when it comes to journaling, I find myself writing maybe once or twice when I first start, then never writing again, and continuing to repeat the cycle once I get my hands on a new notebook. It probably explains the piles of empty or scribbled journals stowed away in a box inside my childhood bedroom’s closet.
Even so, with the increasing stress and anxiety of the last few weeks, I felt that I wasn’t healthily managing my emotions, nor was I letting myself understand what exactly I was feeling. This is why, when I looked into ways that would help me do just that, I remembered that journaling was an incredible way to do so.
According to the University of Saint Augustine’s School for Health Sciences, journaling comes with a plethora of benefits. They state that journalism improves mental health; writing out your thoughts can allow you to better understand your internal conflicts, properly address them, and brainstorm beneficial solutions. More so, they explain that it can boost your emotional intelligence, enhance your critical thinking skills, and even heighten your academic performance. I believe one of the most important benefits of journaling is that it allows you to develop self-confidence.
Journaling helps us organize our thoughts, which can reduce our anxieties about managing our emotions. It provides us with a productive outlet where we can channel our feelings, which can help us feel more secure. More importantly, journaling can be used to write positive affirmations about ourselves and appreciate the parts we feel most insecure about.
Journaling is a great creative outlet, where one can truly convey their most private thoughts and feelings in whichever way they see fit. You can write as if you were still a kid writing in your diary, you could pretend you’re writing a novel, or you could even scrapbook and express your thoughts through a more hands-on approach. It’s also a perfect fall activity for when you’re bundled up with a seasonal beverage, or sitting in a park and writing surrounded by the fall foliage. The art of journaling is one for everyone, where you can decide how, why, and even where to do it.
So let’s get out there and journal!
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