Recently, I had this interesting conversation with @glecerioberto about journaling. In his reply, he mentioned that he prefers good ol’ journaling with a pen and paper. Like him, I love journaling, both digital and the good ol one. I often journal before bed but in the past, it was before I started my day. This conversation led me to the times when I was at the co-working space in Bali. Almost everyday, I saw at least a few people with a journal and a pen in their hand, scribbling something. When I asked some people that I know, they told me that they were journaling. According to them, journaling helps them reflect and make decisions for the future. And I couldn’t agree more.

I’ve been journaling since I was in elementary school but it was more like a dear diary kind of thing. As I grow older, it is filled with my hope, wishes, and the struggle that I am going through. So, I sort of had an account of how my life was in the past. It helps me reflect as well as to if I am progressing or regressing.

When I was in university, I adored Tim Ferris as much as I loved Gary Vee. Tim Ferriss habit was something that I tried to mimic and implement in my life. He was into journaling as well and has this famous journal called the five minutes journaling a la tim ferris. At some point, I also heard him and learned a term called monkey mind. So basically, in his journal he included things that he’s grateful about, what would make the day great etc. For more you can watch it in this video How Tim Ferriss does the Five Minute Journal. In short, his journal ideas are something that I implemented in my life for quite a while. However, after I got used to journaling, I had my own ways to journal.

Nowadays, I just write whatever I had in mind but also include the things I am most grateful about.By doing this it actually lifts my mood and makes me positive about my day. On days when I feel crappy about my lack of accomplishment, knowing that I am grateful for something as simple as breathing creates a huge difference in my day.

Journaling also helps me track my accomplishments and manifest my dreams. For some reason, I’d like to believe there’s something called the law of attraction. It's woo-woo stuff to my logical and rational mind but I keep seeing things that I wish to have become reality. Even last year alone, 5 out 10 things I wanted have become a reality. Perhaps by writing it down, we are also telling the universe about it? I don’t know. Have you ever had such an experience?

Journaling is also common among those who are successful. I don’t know why but I’ve met people that I consider successful in my life who do journals. Though it’s not as extensive as many others, at least they keep some sort of note about their life, and mundane things that they do not talk about in public. In my opinion, perhaps this relates to venting out frustration so that once they go out there, they can make more rational and sound decisions as they left the emotional side in their private journal.

Journaling also helps me cope with my struggles. As I found tremendous help from journaling and how it healed me. I told my mom to do the same. I’ve been seeing her more grounded and more accepting ever since she journal her thoughts and write about her “Why(s)”. Sometimes I find some scribbles laying around my working table and it melts my heart. Overtime, I can see her progress towards healing which was wholesome to witness.

Journaling is a great way to find ideas too. If you are a content creator, blogger, writer, sometimes by journaling we have a tangible way to recount the things that may be interesting for others. I carry my journal everywhere with me and I like to write keywords of my travel experiences or even my day. These keywords sometimes help me formulate what I want to write in my blog especially when I am running out of ideas. Do you use journaling as a way to store ideas too?

With all the tremendous benefits of journaling, no wonder that even high performers advocate doing that. I saw the benefits myself and I think if you haven’t started, you’ve got to feel the magic from journaling. Let me know in the comment section about your journaling experience!