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A brand new listener asked, “Apart from the obvious (recording your thoughts) what does journal-writing actually do for you?”
Each and every single episode of this podcast provides at least one unique answer to this, but Mari and I thought it would be nice to take this opportunity to share OUR favorite benefits.
At the conclusion of the 30-Day Digital Journaling Challenge, we asked the 1,400+ participants to share what benefits they experienced by keeping an electronic journal. If you’d like to see those results, please add yourself to our mailing list here, and take the Challenge yourself!
In the book, 101 Reasons To Write a Journal, the author devotes an entire chapter to eight main benefits he received personally from journal-writing over 20 years. Here are the chapters:
1. Self-Improvement (Reasons 1-28)
2. Creativity (Reasons 29-36)
3. Family (Reasons 37-49)
4. Writing (Reasons 50-62)
5. Problem-Solving (Reasons 63-71)
6. Spirituality (Reasons 72-82)
7. Daily Life (Reasons 83-91)
8. Logging (Reasons 92-101)
Fuel the dialogue: What benefits have YOU received from keeping a journal? Post your response at the bottom of this webpage, in the comments section.
You may also reply with your own journaling questions to be featured on a future episode of JournalTalk. Or, pick up the telephone and leave a voicemail with your question at 1-805-751-6280 (only normal toll charges may apply). If your question is featured, we will send you a thank-you gift for sharing your voice! (JournalTalk Q&A, Episode #16, November 18, 2014)
Credits:
Audio Editing: Netrix Marketing
Music: Pond5.com
Voiceover: Thomas Gerrard
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To Listen: Click on the “play” button > below.
I believe it depends on purpose of writing. As with me I lost my mother, my long term relationship and my job just in the past 14 month. My journal in now is to not look at the past but to see where the past has brought me and where my future will take me.
Thanks, Rita. You offer sage advice, and I agree that journaling is a way to more fully engage in the present, and not getting stuck in the past. Thanks for your comment. I’m very sorry to hear about your losses. You seem to be able to keep a strong faith in the future, and I applaud you.
Because of a family member plagiarizing my work I burned all my writings and all of the journals I had written. This one act is something I have regretted especially since I have become an adult. I lost all that time.
The act of my writings be stolen also brought on probably the longest writer’s block in history. This happened when I was a teenager, and it has taken until I am now in my 40’s to start writing again.
IMHO you never want to destroy your journals they are a way to connect to who you were and who much you have changed and grown.
Wow, Chris! I’m so sorry to hear about your experience. I completely agree that journals are a way to bridge the past and future, and I’d never want to throw mine away either. I’m especially impressed that you still feel this way even though you have been through TWO very traumatic “injuries” with your private writings. It reminds me of another question in this series, “How Can I Restart My Journaling After Trust Has Been Broken” (http://www.write4life.us/restart-journaling-after-broken-trust). Thanks for your comment and for keeping the faith in journal-writing!
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