I’ve always believed that journaling benefits us more than it’s being given credit for.
As a super busy multi-hyphenated millennial woman and mother, my days can get overwhelming easily.
Journaling has always been something I prioritize. It helps me keep sane especially during full days.
So today I’ll share with you some tips on how I do journaling and how it has benefited me over the years.
What does journaling do to the brain?
I run so many things at once. While I enjoy the challenge, there are times when I too get overwhelmed.
Journaling has helped me keep my cool and focus on what needs to be done. It also keeps me from taking in too much.
Daily journaling has tons of benefits for the brain and your well-being.
Researcher and Psychologist James Pennebaker say journaling daily can strengthen the immune system.
Journaling is said to increase the body’s production of T-lymphocytes. It is also said to relieve symptoms of stress-related ailments like asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.
It also increases your brain activity.
Writing in a journal activates both the left and right brain. It removes mental blocks and allows you to increase your intuition, creativity, and resilience.
What are the benefits of journaling?
Studies have shown that writing down your thoughts can help you process it better. It’s also a great way to relieve stress and promote relaxation.
Writing every day is like unloading your troubles into paper without the judgment.
This is important since most of us have been cooped up for almost half a year. Journaling can manage anxiety levels and cope with depression.
In my experience, I treat journaling as a form of meditation. It has become a healing method where I can keep track of my thoughts and feelings.
Meditative journaling is good for the soul, especially for women like me who juggle work, business, personal growth, and a family all at once.
So here are seven benefits of meditative journaling to multi-hyphenated moms like me.
Mindful writing helps learn and start new things
Believe it or not, I enjoy learning and starting new things. I love reading books and listening to business podcasts and talks.
Some love to go get massages, others like to eat out. While I enjoy all of these things, I find learning new things more relaxing.
And yes, even my husband teases me about it. My stress reliever is still related to work!
Journaling keeps track of the new things I learn. Keeping a journal lets me track the goals I set and the progress I make.
Writing helps me process discoveries about the tasks and myself.
And that’s what’s exciting to me. I like testing my limits. And I also like the challenge of rediscovering who I become when I try something new.
Meditative journaling helps me become more in tune with my feelings
As a working mom, it can be easy to forget my thoughts and feelings.
I try my best not to be anxious, but some days get to you.
Journaling lets me address those feelings through expressive writing. The more I talk about why I’m feeling anxious, the better I feel about it.
It also helps me process my thoughts without fear of judgment. The freedom I feel when I write about my feelings is comforting.
Mindful journaling helps me remember important things
Mommy brain is real, I tell you!
I try my best to keep track of all the things I need to do. But sometimes, you can’t help but forget a few things here and there.
Journaling helps keep my memory sharp. This is one of the best benefits I get from keeping a journal every day.
Writing things down keeps me grounded and reminds me of the special things that happened in the day.
It’s also nice to keep a record of my wins, no matter how small it is. And it also gives me the time to reflect and decide which life lessons are worth keeping.
Journaling keeps you in the present
The best way to live your life is to live in the present.
The past makes you feel guilty and the future makes you worry about what’s to come.
But when you live in the now, you get the chance to stop and smell the flowers. You get the time to appreciate all that’s happening and savor the moment.
Keeping a journal is like making sure you give thanks to the time you’re given. And because we only have one life, it helps you feel more grateful for the opportunities.
Journaling is self-healing and increasing your self-worth
The best benefit of journaling is the time you spend with yourself in reflection.
Everyone goes through trauma. And it takes a lifetime to heal from old pains and change old habits.
Journaling can help in rewiring your thoughts and healing your inner child. And when you do, you build your confidence and self-worth.
Expressive writing is therapeutic.
Writing about your pain can help release anxiety. Written words have the power to make you aware of the things you deny.
Once you become aware of these things, it becomes easier to understand and then eventually change these behaviors.
Writing in a journal keeps you aligned with your goals
People who write their goals down in their journal increases the likelihood of their success.
Writing your goals vividly have 1.2 to 1.4 times more successful than those who don’t.
Two things happen when you write your goals in your journal.
One, it helps you create external storage for your thoughts so you can go back and get them any time.
Two, you encode it in your system. Encoding is the biological process that happens in your brain when you’re analyzing information.
Writing improves your brain’s encoding process and it also rewires your brain to recall and remember it.
Journaling introduces you to a deeper sense of self-care
If you’ve been following me for a while, you’d know that I’m all about self-care.
And for me, self-care is more than skin-deep. It’s all about keeping a balance between your mind, body, and soul.
A lot of things go into our stream of consciousness. And negative thoughts can enter into our minds throughout the day.
When you write in a journal, it’s like deep cleaning your thoughts and removing unnecessary gunk one by one.
A journal can also keep your sanity during hard times like today. It can help you keep track of emotions and symptoms of anxiety and depression.
It’s not always easy to get help. But when you write about what’s going on, it lets you see alarming patterns in your behavior.
The benefits of journaling aren’t only for women. We should also push journaling for men.
The health benefits are enough reasons for everyone to write in journals.
The only thing you need to do is start writing.
How to Write a Journal
The good thing about journals besides its health benefits? Anyone can get started right away.
You can write in bullets, doodles, scraps, and cutouts. And there’s no right or wrong way to do it.
As for me, I’ve been a BDJ girl for as long as I could remember.
Belle de Jour Power Planners have helped me navigate my life as a multi-hyphenated mom with ease and grace.
This year’s planner has proven to be one of the most essential.
Since we’ve been locked up in our homes for so long, it’s easy to feel anxious about uncertainty. And keeping a journal close to me helped me keep my sanity in check.
That and keeping connected with friends and colleagues online.
This year has been a challenge of balancing fear and anxiety over the uncertainties of a global pandemic.
Some are even saying buying a planner has been a waste.
But despite everything that happened, we cannot deny that it has been a great time to be still and reflect.
It gave us the time we needed to pause and get to know ourselves, to journey deep into our being where all is well.
Now, more than ever is the time to reaffirm our beliefs, rebuild our resilience, and journey into the unknown.
And it helps to know that you got what it takes to survive and thrive despite uncertain times.
With that said, Viviamo is releasing its 2021 Belle de Jour product line which inspires you to “Grow with the Earth”.
The 2021 BDJ planner features monthly narratives and worksheets to help you stay focused. It also helps you reconnect with yourself and stay motivated for your 2021 goals.
The Navi Planner helps you find your true north with inspiration from the world’s most beautiful lighthouses. Like seafarers who spend their darkest nights in the sea, the Navi Planner will help you find the light in the darkest times.
It’s also a reminder that you’re always where you’re supposed to be.
The 2021 Everything is Possible are for those who feel stuck in a rut. It will help you experience the much-needed breakthroughs you’ve been yearning for.
Want to create a positive change within yourself? The FOCUS 2021 journal is the best one for you.
Each page of the journal is decorated with the icosahedron, a three-dimensional figure that is made of 20 triangle-shaped sides. This structure is believed to represent change and the movement and flow it creates.
The icosahedron is said to help channel your chakra to balance your emotions, to help you generate and heal.
Not a fan of bigger planners? Viviamo also came up with medium and mini planners you can take with you anywhere.
And there’s also the Dare to be Grateful cards that can give you instant inspiration whenever you need it.
Want to get yours?
Check out their full collection here: https://crazyaboutpaper.com/collections/planners
Conclusion
There are tons of journaling benefits you can enjoy to take away stress and the so-called mom guilt.
And Viviamo planners and journals are the easiest way to get started.
How did journaling help you during the pandemic? Share your takeaways below.
