At the beginning of this year, I was under a lot of stress and found it really difficult to cope with and relieve. I tried so many self-care things like yoga, taking baths, meditation; they helped a lot but not enough to clear my mind the way I wanted. I always wanted to journal but never actually started it, but one day in my IIN health coaching course I listened to a lecture about journaling and the lecturer called it morning pages. I loved listening to the lecture and almost felt like it was a sign that journaling might help me calm down a lot. So I found my notebook and the next morning got up and started writing whatever came to my mind first.
I expected to have a lot of trouble finding things to write about, but it was quite the opposite. I ended up filling around 5 pages with everything and anything that I felt like writing about. It felt great to have that creative outlet and also to put all the thoughts that were jumbling up my mind down on paper. The next few weeks I wrote in my journal every morning and sometimes at night and I noticed a drastic difference in my mood, creativity, and stress levels. Everything that went on in my head was released on paper.
Not only was I writing randomly venting about my day or noting what about my life, I was grateful for, but I feel like I started manifesting things in my journal. I know everyone has their opinions about whether manifestation is actually real or not, but a few of those things I was manifesting started happening. I found journaling to be an excellent way to work through issues in a safe, judgment-free zone.
After I realized how many positive benefits journaling brought into my life, I looked up if these benefits were commonly reported, and they were. According to Intermountain, Healthcare journaling provides 5 major health benefits:
1. Reduces stress ("15 to 20 minutes a day three to five times over the course of a four-month period was enough to lower blood pressure and improve liver functionality.")
2. Improves immune function (It strengthens immune cells and has been shown to combat certain diseases and help the process of healing.)
3. Keeps memory sharp
4. Boosts mood
5. Strengthens emotional functions (People who journal become more in tune with their health by connecting with inner needs and desires. It also evokes mindfulness and provides a greater sense of self-confidence and self-identity.