The number one reason is that you can monitor your growth.

Sometimes we tend to get lost in the day to day and not really take the time to reflect on what direction we’re headed based on our recent actions. When you journal you really get to know yourself on another level. And when you know just who you are you reach that point where you really just have to laugh to yourself when people try to tell you who you are, or who they think you are. Because, you know exactly who you are and you stand firmly in that, leaving thoughts and opinions of others on you as irrelevant. Praise nor criticism sways you.

I know a lot of quotes and sayings disagree, but logically speaking (not idealistically) the best prediction of future behavior is past behavior. Its psychologically proven! (I know, cliche phrase).

I think people think of journals as sappy and superfluous. And I admit, I have my sappy moments, but I mostly appreciate my recent journaling because I can monitor my progression and planning toward my career goals, personal growth, and writing down my thoughts and opinions on circumstances and situations. The best feeling comes when you go back and read what you’ve written, its very insightful, like you’re consciously learning about yourself— or better; like you’re reading about yourself from a narrators perspective. At least thats how I felt going through some of my old entries, I was like “Oh yeah, I forgot I felt that way about that” or “Yess, I need to hurry up and get on that”. Here’s a list just to back up what I’ve been saying.

1. You’re Evolving. I’ve noticed in my life that at any given moment I can revert back to an old way of thinking based on something that happens that confirms that previous thought process. Example: I used to say that I don’t believe in being stupid, just lazy. When I got lazy and didn’t do well on an assignment I’d think that maybe the topic just wasn’t for me (I don’t wanna say I thought I was stupid…but I thought I was stupid lol) but then when I actually took my time to learn the material I really felt like nobody could tell me nothing. So anyway, these experiences really shape your personality and the kind of person you grow into. Its good to hold yourself accountable to certain expectations. I’m definitely not saying box yourself up as being one you, we’re all multifaceted individuals. What I’m saying is: be the kind of person you’d meet and want to hang out with, and admire. Be the kind of person you’d want to be like.

2. Empty the Clutter in your Head. You know those days when your mind is just racing? Literally you can’t even focus on thinking about one thing at a time, everything in your head is just all over the place. Ending your day with an entry in a journal can really put things into perspective for you. Like what was the theme of that day, why was your mind all over the place, what caused that. Its such a freeing experience, like a weight has been lifted off of your shoulders because you force yourself to write down things that you would never admit to yourself and definitely not to anyone else. It holds your inner thoughts until you’re ready to face them.

3. It Bridges time Gaps. A week, a month, a year. It can pass by— quickly— and once you go back to look at what you’ve written you get a better sense of who you are and how you’ve changed. You get to decide if you like what you’ve become based on what you once were, and what you are basing this off of is as accurate as it gets, your own writing. All this by looking at the tone, the mood, and the feel of what you’ve written. Its also a good laugh, looking back on my journal I kept in 9th grade I honestly just laugh with embarrassment at some of the things I thought were important.

4. Write Down Goals and Monitor Progress. Its widely know that journaling is one of those things that successful people do. I mean, It’s so important to commit your goals to paper (or a computer/phone screen) it really puts a magnifying glass to them, draws out a path for you to follow, and ultimately makes them feel closer. Sometimes getting caught up and carried away with our lives we forget of past successes and become irritable and downtrodden, but looking back on what you’ve written reminds you of what you’ve accomplished, that you’re actually headed somewhere.

5. Spiritual Growth. This is a big one for me. Sometimes I’ll just read a scripture and its just so relevant that I have a thousand and one scenarios piling into my head. Journaling really helps me decipher the word that I have read and how it relates to my life. For example, I could read Proverbs 26:15 which says, “A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.” Reading this will make me start thinking about my future, and how I need to deposit now so I can withdraw later, pay now so I can play later. It reminds me how I need to keep my eyes on God so that my path can be clearer. In the sluggard I see someone who starts something but is too lazy to finish it, and that amount of laziness is just embarrassing. I tell myself I don’t want that to be me. And a week later when I look back on what I’ve written, I’m reminded that the grind don’t stop.

Apps that I recommend:

Evernote (I use this)

Diaro

Pad & Quill

iDo Notepad