Last Updated on July 11, 2025 by Kate Darktea
If you’re wondering if it’s worth the time and effort to keep a journal, my answer is a heartfelt yes. And I say with the perspective of keeping one, on and off, for over 35 years.
There may be one or two reasons why you want to keep a journal. However, once you being writing you’ll find it will have a positive impact on your life in many areas, from reducing stress, to building self awareness journaling to increasing creativity. The benefits you get yet from benefits may be a pleasant surprise.
In this post, you’ll discover some of the benefits of keeping a journal, along with simple tips and actions to help you start, or return to your journal if you’ve had a break.
Quick list of benefits
If you’re short on time, here are some great reasons to start journaling, it:
- Reduces stress and anxiety
- Supports emotional healing
- Deepens self-understanding
- Fuels creativity and focus
- Boosts goal setting and progress tracking
- Simplifies your life
- Strengthens relationships
- Encourages gratitude
- Empowers personal growth
- Aids reflection and problem-solving
- Nurtures writing skills and self-expression
- Creates a safe, personal space
- Preserves your life story
- Supports learning
I’ll explore each of these in more depth below, with 💡 tips and ✍ actions (such as writing prompts) after I’ve shared why I started a journaling habit.
Why do I keep a journal?
I started my first journal in 1989. I was inspired by the book The Diary of a Teenage Health Freak*, and if I wanted to a publish a diary, I had to start writing one!
It simply became something I did through my school years, without much thought. Until 1998 when Amazon recommended a journal writing book. This was a whole new world to me which guided me away from writing about events and thoughts about the day to exploring who I am.
Unfortunately, I got too caught up in trying different techniques and prompts and got overwhelmed. Developing a rigid process to follow was definitely the wrong way to journal. I was so focused on how I was journaling that I forgot why I was keeping one.
I’m now much more flexible. My journal is a tool that supports my mental health and wellness. A large part of this is reflection, as I’m more aware of my behaviour, thoughts and emotions. I don’t have a dedicated journaling time, instead I write a journal entry when I feel the need to clear my head or capture thoughts. I have also noticed that when I keep writing more frequently, my life tends to be in a ‘good’ or productive phase; although I haven’t yet worked out whether the writing or feeling good comes first.
Benefits of journaling
Reduces Stress and Anxiety
Writing your thoughts helps release the mental pressure of carrying them around, can help you untangle worries and express emotions.
💡 Don’t worry about grammar or spelling—just write what’s on your mind.
✍ Try a 5-minute “worry dump” at the end of the day. Set a timer and write nonstop whatever comes up.
“Reflective writing … can aid in reducing your stress levels … a means of ‘offloading’, which can aid in reducing your stress levels.”
The Reflective Journal by Barbara Bassot
Supports Emotional Healing
By recognising your emotions through your writing, you create a bridge between what you’re feeling and how you heal. Over time, this practice helps you process pain, validate your experiences, and move forward with compassion.
💡 Be as honest, even when it feels uncomfortable. Healing often begins with truth.
✍ Write a letter (you won’t send) to someone or something that hurt you.
Diaries can be wonderfully important for us when we write them, allowing us to sort through and process our emotions. The diaries can be even more insightful when we look at them years later.”
Journaling Basics – Journal Writing for Beginners by Lisa Shea
Deepens Self-Understanding
By rereading your entries, you may notice things you missed, such as patterns in your mood or behaviours. This increased self-awareness will help you make better decisions in future.
💡 Ask yourself open-ended questions like “Why did I react that way?” or “What do I really need right now?”
✍ At the end of each day use the journal prompt “What did I learn about myself today?”
“Journaling puts you in touch with yourself.”
The Ultimate Guide to Journaling by Hannan Briame
Fuels Creativity and Focus
Your journal is a judgement-free space where you can write wildly, dream freely, or brainstorm ideas without fear of criticism. You can use your journal to reconnect you to your imagination and inspiration.
💡 Use journaling as a warm-up before creative work or as a way to get unstuck when you’re blocked.
✍ Do a 10-minute free-write using a prompt like “What would I create if I knew I couldn’t fail?”
“Writing helps me get my thoughts in order; it helps me explore feelings and beliefs; and it opens up worlds for me that I wouldn’t otherwise see.”
The Ultimate Guide to Journaling by Hannah Briame
Boosts Goal Setting and Progress Tracking
Journals can be a powerful tool to help you find big dreams, and also breaking goals into small, manageable steps. You might be surprised how much you accomplish when you start to write down your intentions, track your progress, and reflect on setbacks.
💡 Don’t just track the outcome. Use journaling to explore why you want to achieve the goal, knowing this will keep you motivated when you feel stuck.
✍ Once a week, list your top three goals and one step you’ll take toward each.
“It may help to write down in your reflective journal every day what you have achieved, what positive feedback you received from others, and what progress you have made in anything. … you get into the habit of focusing on maximising your strengths rather than being constantly critical of weaknesses.”
Closer by Peter Charleston
Simplifies Your Life
Journaling can help you slow down and sort through the thoughts in your head. It is completely flexible so you can use any method that helps you declutter your mind, such as list, brain dump, mind map or reflection.
💡 If you feel overwhelmed, write down everything that’s demanding your time or energy, then circle what matters right now.
✍ Try a weekly “mental declutter” session where you list out everything you’re juggling.
“Write down anything that is playing on your mind – be that a to-do list, random thoughts or ‘what if’-type worries. Writing them down acknowledges them and, if done regularly, they are less likely to pop into your head.”
Preparing for the perimenopause and menopause by Louise Newson
Strengthens Relationships
By gaining greater self awareness, you’ll engage more thoughtfully in your relationships. Journaling provides a place where you can manage conflicts ahead of time, prepare for challenging discussions, as well as expressing thanks and understanding toward others.
💡 Write about people you care about with curiosity and compassion, not judgment.
✍ Journal about one relationship you want to nurture and one small act you could do this week.
“You may recognise certain patterns in your relationships or in your own behaviour.”
Manifest: Dive Deeper by Roxie Nafousi
Encourages Gratitude
When you write about the good in your life—whether it’s your morning coffee or a friend’s kindness—you train your mind to see what’s going well. Gratitude journaling is linked to increased happiness and resilience, even during difficult times.
💡 Keep a gratitude journal where you focus on small things, not just big moments.
✍ Journal about one relationship you want to nurture and one small act you could do this week.
“Writing about all the positive stuff leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy, and you can look back on the good times in years to come with a glowing nostalgia.”
The Ultimate Guide to Journaling by Hannah Braime
Empowers Personal Growth
Journaling invites you to be curious about yourself by giving you a safe place to dream, take risks, and be honest. As you explore your thoughts, learn from setbacks and celebrate wins, you’ll gain confidence to create the life you want.
💡 Write about beliefs, habits, thoughts and feelings that no longer serve you. Letting go of outdated versions of yourself is a powerful way to grow.
✍ Each week, write one thing you did that you’re proud of and one area you want to grow in.
“Making time to reflect can be a key factor in changing how we view ourselves, our lives and our work.”
The Reflective Journal by Barbara Bassot
Aids Reflection and Problem-Solving
When you’re stuck on a decision or feeling overwhelmed, writing can help you see a situation more clearly. By reflecting on different perspectives, you can weigh options, identify patterns, and explore possible solutions.
💡 Pretend you’re writing to your future self, or giving advice to a friend.
✍ Write about a current challenge, and then list as many possible solutions as you can think of, no matter how wild.
“Writing often leads to a significantly deeper level of reflection than thinking alone, as it slows our thought processes down. It is impossible to write about something without thinking about what you are writing at the same time.”
The Reflective Journal by Barbara Bassot
Nurtures Writing Skills and Self-Expression
When you journal, you are building a writing style, no matter your preferred style. And the more you write the more your unique voice will come develop, and will start carrying over into other activities such as emails and converations.
💡 Explore your voice by experimenting with different styles e.g. lists, letters, poems.
✍ Take an old journal entry and rewrite it in a different style or a different person’s perspectives.
“Writing involves thinking about what you are writing as you are writing it, making decisions about what to write, how to express it and processing your thoughts.” The Reflective Journal – Barbara Bassot
Creates a Safe, Personal Space
Your journal doesn’t judge, interrupt, or correct you. It’s a safe space where you can show up as exactly who you are — messy, joyful, confused, inspired. Journaling allows you to be completely honest with yourself.
💡 Protect your privacy so you feel safe to be totally honest. This could be by hiding your journal, doing it online with a password or using codes.
✍ Before starting to write, repeat to yourself “this space is mine” to remind yourself you are allowed to be honest with yourself.
“A journal is a friend that is always there and is always a comfort.”
Learning Journals by Jennifer A Moon
Preserves Your Life Story
Your journal can become a treasured archive of your life, either for yourself or future generations. Like Samuel Pepys or Anne Frank, your personal record might one day have historical or emotional meaning.
💡 Don’t just write what happened, include how you felt, what you thought, and what it meant to you. You can also include mementos such as tickets or photographs.
✍ Write about a moment from today that you want to remember—no matter how small.
“It’s a record of your life … you are totally in control of how much or how little time you spend on it.”
The Ultimate Guide to Journaling by Hannah Braime
Supports learning
Writing things down helps you process and retain what you’re learning, so journaling can be a helpful companion when you’re studying a new topic, reading non-fiction books or completing a course.
💡 After learning something new, try explaining it in your journal like you’re teaching a friend.
✍ Create a learning log where you record takeaways and questions you have after completing a course, book or podcast.
“To learn something, we also need to be able to be clear what it is we want to learn and to distinguish it from other distractions.”
Learning Journals by Jennifer A Moon
How to Start Journaling: Tips to Help You Begin (or Begin Again)
Hopefully, you’re now convinced that starting a journal is a great way of connecting with yourself and supporting your personal growth. The most important thing to know is there is no right way to journal. It only needs to work for you. As Lisa Shea writes in Journal Writing for Beginners, “Only you can say what journaling means to you.”
If you have doubts or worries about starting to journal, know that those thoughts are common, especially when looking at a blank page. However don’t let them stop you. A journaling practice is about showing up with honesty and kindness, not about having a perfect notebook.
If you’re unsure where to begin:
- Start with 5 minutes a day.
- Use prompts like: “Today I noticed…” or “Right now I feel …”
- Pick a time of day that fits your routine.
- Use tools that are convenient and you enjoy: a paper notebook, a notes app, or even voice memos.
The true value of journaling lies in its flexibility. It is a tool you can use in different ways to achieve the benefits you want. Over time, and the more you write, your practice will develop into reflection, problem-solving, and learning, helping you gain clarity, deepen your self-understanding, and grow into the person you want to be.
Keep exploring
Here are some suggestions if you’re looking for more inspiration to start your journal. If you:
- want to buy a new book for your journal, get your free guide on How to choose a notebook
- are stuck at actually starting your journal, read this post Ideas for the first page of your journal or notebook
- want to to see examples of journal entries read this post 8 journal entry examples to kickstart your journaling
- are curious about using journal prompts read my beginner’s guide to journaling with prompts
Don’t forget you can get regular journaling inspiration by signing up to the Darktea Journaling Newsletter.
Very interesting subject. I am also in a start/stop relationship with my journal. I realise that I journal when I am lonely and have no one to talk to. This usually happens when I was single. I manage to keep a journal for a year but after I met my husband I stopped.
Good Luck in trying to start up again. I am so inspired to start up again.
Feli,
It is interesting isn’t it? What is it about a journal that means you keeping going back to it?
I think one of the key reasons for me stopping last time was confusion, and I think this would disappear if I knew why I wanted to keep one as it would dictate the style of entries e.g. overview of day or thoughts
However I’m not sure how I start to identify why I want to keep a journal.
This is a great post. I actually stopped formally journaling, because I realized I was writing for the sake of writing, for the sake of filling space.. so now, I only write when I have something worthwhile to say, or I get inspired by a new idea.
It’s a great reminder tho. Or perhaps I’ve just moved my journaling in a notebook to journaling in a blog. 🙂
Love & Gratitude,
Tina
Think Simple. Be Decisive.
Productivity, Motivation & Happiness
Dear Tina,
Thank you so much! I always thought I had to write in my diary everyday, which just piles on more stress. Now, I can enjoy my Thanksgiving without ANY stress! Again, thank you so much!
Anna, I’m glad you found this post and comments useful. I used to feel the pressure of writing every day and feel guilty if I missed a day, but I realised the alternative was not to write. So now I write when I want to and I know I’m doing better than not writing at all.
I have a few of those books on my shelf, but have yet to read them. 😉 I go in fits 7 spurts with my Journaling. I’ll go on a roll of daily entries for a month, or three, then I will suddenly stop for a few months at a time (sometimes years.) Journaling is very muse-activated for me. I do not ever force myself to Journal, the few times I have tried that the results have ranged from useless to horrible. But, when I am in a journaling phase I always get a lot out of it. I also frequently take some time to flip through my old journals and read random entries. Helps to touch back on old points of my internal landscape that I was working on, and that can launch me into a phase of revisiting them.
Hello Tina,
Thank you for the comment. When I first kept a diary I thought you had to write every day and I remember feeling stressed because I missed some days; I actually tried to catch up by writing those days after the event!
I agree that a blog can be a replacement for a journal, but I write in a completely different style here and perhaps, not surprisingly, about different topics.
Travis,
Despite not having read all the books I’ve already got on the subject I am still wanting to buy more and I’m currently not looking on amazon or abe to see how cheaply I can buy them for.
I have never looked back on random entries, the only times I’ve looked back on previous entries is when I’ve been typing them up in lifejournal or looking back on an entry a few days previous. I’m not sure if it is because I don’t know what to do with previous entries or because I’m worried about what I’ll read about myself.
One of the concepts that the Dalai Lama teaches is that personal development, change and growth does not happen overnight. It takes time to see how one is developing, and if that development is going along the path one has chosen. He says that rather than looking back at who we are one month ago, we should look back at least four years to check in, and see how we are doing. That is part of why I look back at old entries. However, that is not everyone’s motivation for journaling, so the idea may not apply.
Natalie Goldberg, whose primary reason for journaling (as far as I can see) is to grow the craft of prose and poetry writing, recommends reading a journal straight through when you have filled it up and moved onto another after a “cooling off” period of a month, or so. I’ve never been able to sit down and do that, but as a would-be professional fiction writer I see the practices value.
Travis,
I am still mulling over if and how I will read my previous journals. I like the idea of leaving a gap of four years before reading them because I think I would be able to read them more objectively. If I started from my first diary there would be a gap of almost 20 years!
As a would be professional fiction writer are you participating in NaNoWriMo? This is my second year and unfortunately I am already behind but I’m sure I will catch up over the weekend.
I am indeed doing the NaNoWriMo bad crazyness this year. It’s my third year, and I am learning that every year is very different. Par for the course I get behind during the week then catch up on the weekends.
Fortunately I have a couple of days leave so I am hoping by the time I go back to work on Wednesday I will be back on track, if not a head. If you want to add me as a buddy I’m writer 147286
Woot! I am writer 75076. I don’t check those forums all that much, but having buddies is good. Feel free to add me. 😉 I’ve added you. Cheers!
“The Artist’s Way” is awesome. I first read it about 10-11 yrs ago, and I have been writing pretty regular journal entries ever since. I was journaling before that, but only sporadically (mostly when I was down).
I am thinking of starting a Book of Days in Jan. I think it would be cool to see my progress on a daily basis. And NaNoWriMo is in my calendar for next year!! good luck!!
[…] Why should you keep a personal journal? | blog to discovery Why should you keep a personal journal? […]
Stephen,
I never got very far with The Artists Way, but I am keen to give it another go.
I am curious to know whether you look back over your entries and whether you find it useful to help with either your productivity or your blog.
Nanowrimo is not easy, but there is a real sense of achievement at the end of it. I would really recommend participating next year.
I have always liked the idea of journaling but I don’t want anyone to read my writings – and the few times that I have kept a journal, I have found people reading my entries. My mother did it when I was in High School and my boyfriend, now husband did it when we were first going out — he had no idea that my journal was meant to be personal and was mortified when I flew into a rage and then fell to the floor in sobbing tears.
I actually wonder if I am capable of journaling considering how “afraid” I am that someone will read my personal thoughts.
I guess some of the planning journals, newspaper clipping journals, etc. would be better for me — but still, I would love to write by hand in a book and let out all of my feelings, frustrations and insecurities and also my joys, without feeling like I have to have a vault to keep it in.
Excellent article, by the way – I’m so glad I found it.
Kristin
Hello Kristin,
Thank you for your comment. I am sorry you have had such disappointing experiences with your journal writing. I’m not sure what I would do if I knew someone had read mine. I am lucky that my husband has said he is not interested in reading mine.
The obvious solution to your fear is to keep an electronic journal that you can password protect, but that does not help you satisfy the desire to write by hand. Can you keep your journal somewhere else? Could you lock it away? Can you speak to your husband, perhaps he has now learnt not to read it? Could you suggest he starts a journal at the same time; perhaps if he is writing one he would understand they are personal.
Good luck and I hope you find a solution.
Wow, i love that picture of your diaries, and i thought i had a bit of a collection! You put mine to shame lol but then again you’re 9 years older than me…
I don’t see the harm in keeping a journal/diary. it seems to me that i sort things out more clearly and precisely when i write it down, and how i feel. i also feel that i have a lot of “stuff” inside me that doesn’t need to be there (not all bad though!) to swirl around. so writing it down gets rid of it. It also gives you the oppertunity to read through what you thought more than once (as when you think it a lot of people can’t recall it exactly) and you can decide if it still makes sense or whether what you were thinking was a bit off.
Good luck to you, a diary is a good thing to have. it never talks back or judges you, it lets you be as rude or obsessive as you want and will just take it. it will take your happiness and tears like nothing else. and you don’t NEED to keep one all the time. when you feel like it, do it.
Thats all 🙂
I’ve been writing a journal on and off for two years. I finished my first book, which my mum found and read the beginning of…I was so angry I ripped the whole journal apart. In case anyone else has an intention of reading my new one (including her), I always keep it with me. In my opinion,because someone might be able to read your journal really shouldn’t stop you since you can always take measures to prevent it, so don’t take that as an excuse!
Finally, writing a personal journal can be a long-haul project, depending how passionate and determined you are about it… I suppose the only that keeps me going is the fact that I enjoy it and I can make sense of my emotions!
Catherine,
I’m glad that your experience of someone reading your journal has not stopped you writing. I think I have thrown away a lot of journals in the past, but I think it was because I was not good at writing them when I was very young rather than someone disrespecting my privacy. I have been very lucky that no one has ever read my diaries (at least as far as I know anyway).
Lissy,
Yes I have a books, but I have to admit that some of them are more empty and written and the one on the very right is waiting to be my next journal.
I agree with your thoughts on journal writing. It is very on and off activity for me, but I always know it is waiting for me when I ready to return to the page. However I am not very good at reading back over my previous entries, but I am working on this by adding extracts to my blog. The entries I am currently adding are from my I was 11 so are a mixture of amusing and embarrassing!
I started a journal after putting much thought into it. It’s not like I have all the time in world, or anyone, in that sense. But as I moved along, I discovered that it helped me put things in perspective. Simply, to understand myself better. And that’s a worthy outcome I guess. And now I do it in a daily basis. And my belief got reinforced after reading your article.
Cheers.
Nadz,
Thank you for your comment. Its good to hear that you find writing a journal beneficial. I have picked up my journal again recently to ensure I capture the details of being a mother; I’m sure in the future I will be glad I spent the time to do it.
[…] Originally published at Blog to discovery […]
I’m not sure I can answer your questions as I’ve never really kept a journal except for short angst ridden teenage periods. The closest I’ve come is probably my blog and taking part in Project 52 (which is publishing 1 photo a week – linked to 365 – photo a day) I tend to do somewhere in the middle (make up my own rules) but I do publish a post a week about what we’ve been up to – based around the photos taken that week and it is quite nice to look back on posts from the first year now. I’m not sure I’d ever write a proper journal – don’t have time and life too dull!
I started doing P52 last year through a scrapbooking forum. My rules were 1 page a week with no more than 1 picture a day (some days I missed and some days I ended up doing 2) so it sounds similar to your blogging approach. I haven’t finished all my pages yet, but when I do I will have them printed in a book and I’m really looking forward to that day. I’m doing the same this year, but so far haven’t done any of the layouts; I’m sure I’ll catch up…
I think for me a recorded would work much better. I do walk a lot and most my ideas are born when out with the dogs… I started talking to myself and recording it… it is fun…
I read about this in the past and didn’t understand the benefits until I started have a longer commute and noticing how I often have interesting thoughts while driving. What do you do with the recordings?
I put on paper what is important… and then record over the rest… otherwise I will just forget what I wanted to write or some brilliant idea I had
I used to write a personal diary when I was a teenager, but it all makes me cringe now. I couldn’t see myself writing a diary now, but I suppose my blog kind of serves as a diary, albeit a very public one!
Yes, I’m not sure about rereading the entries of myself as a teenager, but then at least I’d recognise how far I’ve developed and maybe they will help me understand my daughter when she gets to that age. I did a comparison of my diary and blog a few years ago, interesting to see the differences.
I have written diaries and journals, I have some but others have been destroyed which I now regret. I tend to write a journal when my life is taking a turn, a change or if I feel I need somewhere to offload. I am thinking about starting a journal again now myself. With regards to style and technique, I just write, let the words flow, and leave it at that. I’d be interested to see what these books say, I never knew there were books on journal writing!
Emily, interesting to hear you regret destroying some of your journals, I think I’ve decided I’m not ready to do that with mine. In the past I’ve noticed I tended to stop writing when I’m going through a major life changes – I wonder how much easier they would have been if I was writing. I used to use a blank notebook and just write, but now I use A6 page a day diary and I suspect it has changed the style (it would be interesting to review them and find out).
It was a revelation to my to discover there are books on journal writing as well. I think it is an American thing. I’ve got several but haven’t read them in years. Maybe I should find them as I’m not sure where they were unpacked to.
my journal is my 365 photo project that i run on my blog. sometimes theres no need for words as the photo completely covers it and the sense of the day comes flooding back the moment i see the photo.
I started doing P365 last year and I’m creating scrap pages for each week, I plan to have a book printed when I’ve finished all the layouts. I love the concept and wish I’d started years ago.
I don’t write a journal but I do love to write every day. I have never read anything about journal writing – I think you should write for you. One thing I have seen on other blogs is to pick a word of the week. It might be an interesting thing to do as you will be able to quickly look back across the year and see a concise summary of your feelings and you mood from the single words you chose.
I keep saying I’m going to write every day, but apart from my journal I don’t keep it up. I used to do morning pages, but now I like to stay asleep until the last minute 😉 I’ve heard of people keeping a word or sentence for each day, but I haven’t thought about doing it for a week, I’m going to look into that and see what I think – thank you
I don’t keep a journal at all but I would imagine for many people writing a blog is very similar?
Yes, I think for many people blogs are like diaries, however I don’t tend to write about as personal issues as I do in my diary which I think is why I keep writing both.
i’m definitely one of those people that has a start/stop thing with having a journal, but i find now that my blog has kind of become my journal, though i’m not overly personal on it, i do still get some thoughts out of my head!
I’m not very personal on my blog either, but my husband says there is something in me that means I need to write whether it is my journal, blog or task list; it is definitely about clearing my head.
Journals we have all started them and abandoned them in our lives at some stage.
I’m not sure whether this is good or bad. Is it good that so many people write a journal at some point or is it sad that so many are abandoned.
I have never really kept a journal until I started blogging, now I think my blog is my journal!
I think a lot of bloggers feel that, but I intend to continue with both because I write very different things online and in private