The power of journaling on your mind and wellbeing

There’s a reason we made your Story of My Life Journal a physical book for journaling and not an app (and, trust us, the latter would have been FAR cheaper) – it’s better for you.

Let’s start with journaling

Journaling – particularly when done regularly and objectively – helps build competency in areas such as emotional self-awareness, self-actualisation, optimism, gratitude, empathy, assertiveness, and problem solving.

There is even research suggesting that deep, honest, self-disclosure journaling can reduce the negative experience of trauma, and improve the body’s immune system (source).

Further research has found practicing journaling can reduce the symptom severity of asthma and rheumatoid arthritis (source).

Journaling’s impact on wellbeing comes through a refined focus, be that on emotional experiences, desired goals, potential outcomes that are realistic and within reach, and that which we have and are grateful for (as opposed to the mind’s oft-habitual state of focusing on what we’ve lost or don’t have).

Jotting down our thoughts can also have a profound affect on experiences of depression and anxiety, which is why psychologists often suggest journaling as a tool and strategy for certain clients.

The impact on depression and anxiety stems from a process known as affect labelling, which is basically an articulation of an emotional experience through describing what a person is feeling (the emotion), why they’re feeling it (the trigger), and what the story is that’s driving that emotional response (the story).

The daily check-in pages of your Story of My Life Journal include this process of articulating feelings, which has been shown to reduce the intensity and duration of negative emotions.

Now, to handwriting

However, the true power of journaling on your brain and wellbeing comes to the fore when it is combined with handwriting.

Handwriting activates the brain’s Reticular Activating System (RAS), which is responsible for prioritising that which requires immediate focus and filters everything else out.

That means increased focus on the goals and self-reflection you deem important, and increased learning capabilities and memory retention for that which is important.

Writing stimulates and activates parts of the brain your digital device doesn’t, providing a far richer experience that helps you produce genuine results.

So, the next time you’re feeling down or anxious, looking for clarity, or attempting to work your way through an issue, try grabbing a pen and some paper and start journaling.

It’s been proven to change your life.