3 Ways Journaling Can Improve Your Life

My mom handed me my first “diary” when I was 5. It was pink and came with a little silver lock (which I promptly set aside because keeping track of a tiny key is WAY too much responsibility for a 5-year-old…).

In the early 90s, I always had a book in my hand. Writing was a natural next step.

Once my fascination with the sparkly gel pens and the pretty pink book waned, I remember becoming obsessed with writing things down. I carried the diary EVERYWHERE. Mostly, my entries sounded like this:

Dear Diary,

Tim pulled my hair today. It hurt. I don’t like him.

Emily

Or like this:

Dear Diary,

Kayla came to visit! Mom was sleeping. We had hot chocolate and tried making whipped cream in my room. It didn’t work.

Emily

I don’t know exactly when I made the transition, but I stopped writing in my “diary” and started “journaling”. Instead of simply documenting my day, I began exploring more through writing. First it started by writing how what happened each day made me feel. In doing this, journaling helped me know myself early in life. I understood what I liked and the things that made me tick. I’d say this is the #1 benefit of journaling. When you know yourself, you tend to be a better decision-maker, a more productive person, and, in the end, a human at peace.

Then, I started describing what I observed – mostly with people. What did their expressions, mannerisms, their habits mean? It became second nature to be highly aware and intuitive. The ability to read and understand people comes in handy navigating job interviews, tense personal interactions, relationships, etc.

The creative use of journaling came later for me – it hones ones’ writing skills, one of the top requirements for a professional career. First came the short stories. Then the poems. Soon, I had accumulated enough pieces for a book (soon to be published on Amazon). Coherently learning to express personal thoughts translates into refined creative writing.

IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE PERFECT. Journaling is a work-in-progress. It’s doodles. It unfinished pieces. It’s the feeling of release you get from yoga or lifting weights without the pain LOL.

My absolute favorite journals are Moleskine. With both soft and hardcover options, lined and unlined quality pages, an array of sizes, and a plethora of colors to choose from, they’re unmatched! Pick one up for yourself here! OR, with the holidays approaching, gift one of these beauties to a child you know. In an age of technology, this might be the most unique gift they receive!

Now, on to the fashion…

The long, red, COZY flannel below is by Free People. It’s the best cover up to wear alone or layer over anything from a tank top to turtleneck. You can check out their latest Fall collection here! The bag is Kate Spade, and the shoes are Coach. Talk about a fashion blend!