Writing a diary might seem a bit of cliché these days but actually it might help you more than you think. And don’t think it’s just for the teenage girls to hide their youthful secrets! Putting your thoughts and feelings on a paper can benefit you in many ways no matter what age you are. In fact, keeping a journal can actually help you become a better writer and boost your creativity.
Here are 6 benefits to keeping a journal:
- DEVELOPS CREATIVITY. One advantage of writing a diary is that there is no obligation to stick to one particular topic. You have complete freedom in exactly what and how you want to write. This is how journaling allows you to express yourself through writing without limits and this is exactly what you need in order to improve your creativity. You can even add art, photos, illustrations and stickers to express yourself further. Developing your creativity is essential for good writing, so make the most of it.
- TRACKS YOUR GROWTH. You can always look at your earlier entries and see how far you have progressed. It takes time to master any activity and writing is no exception. So, keeping track of your progress can help you understand how much and how fast you are improving. That’s important for any writer!
- IMPROVES YOUR WRITING. How well you write depends on many factors and writing regularly is definitely one of those. It doesn’t matter if it’s not perfect, you’re just writing for yourself. Practice is the key to success in any field, so the more you write, the better you’ll become. And remember to look back now and then to see how far you’ve come. This is why reason #2 is important.
- RECORDS YOUR IDEAS. The greatest ideas can come at any time so saving them in your journal might be of great use in the future. Sometimes the best ideas come when you’re not able to act on them, so why not keep a diary on you? By having somewhere to jot down thoughts as they occur, you can find and organize them when you need them most. It can also serve as a way to re-inspire you via your previous ideas when you are feeling creatively moribund.
- HELPS TO RELAX. Sometimes life can be very intense, and we don’t always want to talk to others. However, holding too much in is rarely a good idea. For this reason, writing down your thoughts, worries and fears can be a great release when you’re not feeling up to venting to someone else. Getting your emotions down on paper can be a real load off, as well as affording you the opportunity to read it over and reflect when the chaos dies down.
- COLLECTS MEMORIES. Isn’t it nice sometimes just to sit down, make a cup of coffee or tea and look at old photos? There are special moments which are recorded in those pictures allowing you to relive them again and again. A lot of the time, we might forget some of those wonderful memories until we stumble upon the picture taken at that time when we’re flicking through our photo albums. So why not immortalize those special moments in your writing? This would also allow you to look back at your previous goals, what have you achieved and what dreams are still waiting to come true.
These are just a few reasons for why you should consider keeping a diary. Why not try asking yourself a few questions that might will help you to start:
- What did you learn today?
- What do you want to accomplish?
- How are you feeling?
- How can you improve?
Just remember that as soon as you start writing, you will start to feel the benefits.
Don’t hold yourself back any longer and start that diary!
