Four Transformative Benefits of Daily Journaling

You might think that dedicating time to write in a journal wouldn’t yield such profound results.

But believe me, without journaling, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I wouldn’t have 21,000 followers — I might not even be on Medium.

So, if journaling has helped me cultivate an extensive online audience, what could it help you achieve?

In this piece, you’ll discover four major insights:

1. How journaling can keep you from feeling angry or upset.
2. Understanding why certain strategies succeed or fail.
3. How writing can help you stay grounded in the present.
4. The best methods to enhance your self-awareness through journaling (the most crucial advantage, by far).

Before diving into these benefits, I want you to ponder one question: Are you self-aware?

Assessing Your Self-Awareness

If you can relate to several of the following statements, you might not be as self-aware as you believe:

• Often, I’m unaware of why I feel a certain way.
• I forget the majority of my daily thoughts.
• My days often feel like a blur; I struggle to recall what I did last week or last month.
• I’m unclear about my core beliefs, strengths, and weaknesses.

If you nodded in agreement with at least two of those points, congratulations! This article will provide valuable insights into enhancing your self-awareness.

But first, what exactly is self-awareness? What does it entail?

Understanding Self-Awareness

To put it simply, self-awareness is the ability to see yourself clearly. It means recognizing your strengths and weaknesses.

It’s about truly understanding who you are.

Often, our friends perceive us more accurately than we perceive ourselves. We may be oblivious to certain quirks, beliefs, or traits.

By becoming more self-aware, you’re clearing away the confusion — akin to cleaning smudges off a pair of sunglasses.

Now, let’s explore four significant advantages of journaling.

1. Reducing Anger and Frustration

I won’t sugarcoat it: my first month of journaling was basically me venting into a blank notebook with my pen.

I was furious with the world.

I realized I had little understanding of my own self-awareness, and it showed.

Eventually, I discovered something remarkable...

I became less prone to anger. I avoided major conflicts with friends and maintained a more relaxed demeanor.

Weeks later, it dawned on me that journaling provided an outlet for my frustrations before I could unleash them on others.

In essence, writing became a form of therapy.

What a refreshing concept.

2. Gaining Insight into Effective Strategies

One of my main frustrations with bloggers today is their reluctance to adapt. If your posts aren’t resonating, perhaps you should consider adjusting your headline, images, writing style, and formatting.

But they tend to repeat the same mistakes and then wonder why their content struggles to gain traction.

To develop self-awareness as a writer, here’s my secret:

In the beginning, I used daily journaling to document my blog posts, evaluate their performance, and identify changes needed to increase engagement.

That was all it took.

I generated ideas, implemented them, and tracked their effects on future posts, consistently improving over time.

Journaling isn’t solely about pouring your emotions onto a page; it can also serve as a strategic tool in understanding your writing or business endeavors.

This highlights a crucial benefit of journaling: it encourages reflection (which we often neglect).

3. Living More in the Present

Journaling works wonders by helping you grasp your genuine feelings towards friends, family, and coworkers after a few weeks of practice.

You might think you understand your sentiments towards these individuals, but let me assure you, you may be completely unaware.

Allowing thoughts to swirl in your mind can be an overwhelming experience. We might dwell on past memories, lost loves, or imagine scenarios that haven't occurred, leading to emotional turmoil.

I refer to this as zoning out.

This happens to me frequently.

Listen closely, because what follows will aid you in becoming more self-aware.

Letting thoughts flow through your mind is akin to panning for gold in a river with your bare hands.

You might have once held something valuable, but without the right tools to capture it, it slips away — lost forever.

Journaling captures these visceral thoughts on paper, preventing them from disappearing.

Remember a time when you were about to share something significant in conversation, only to be interrupted, and then forget the crucial point?

It’s the same with our thoughts.

We often have profound realizations about our relationships that come and go in a flash.

When we write, we focus on details, documenting the nuances of our interactions while they’re still fresh.

This hones our observation skills.

We start to notice small details in our subsequent interactions: a raised eyebrow, a smile, or a habitual lunch choice.

Strengthening this observational skill becomes clearer as you continue journaling.

4. Cultivating Self-Awareness through Journaling

Self-awareness is heralded by self-help experts, like Gary Vaynerchuk, as one of the most crucial traits for success.

Why does journaling play such a pivotal role in developing self-awareness?

As mentioned earlier, allowing thoughts to drift in our minds is one thing, but recording them is like making an imprint in wet concrete.

Your thoughts leave a permanent mark.

After a month of journaling, my anger towards others diminished. After three months, I discovered that travel and adventure brought me the most joy. Eight months in, I realized writing could be my lifelong passion.

Many individuals feel overwhelmed by their thoughts. For me, journaling allows for a dialogue. I wrestle with my thoughts, identify flaws, and uncover opportunities.

Every time I engage with my mind, I may feel bruised, but I gain invaluable insights about myself by the end.

That’s the path to greater self-awareness!

Fighting through a mental battle can be painful, but it often leads to victory.

Once I established a daily journaling routine, I began experiencing wins.

I recognized my sensitivity as a strength rather than something to shy away from, as society often dictates.

I learned that I’m fiercely loyal, stubborn, and occasionally immature. I acknowledged past statements I later disagreed with, leading to significant humility.

Journaling helped me realize that beliefs can shift — what we hold true today may not be the same tomorrow.

Emotions are like the changing seasons; they come and go. People come and go, but family typically remains.

Life challenges me, and I’ve come to understand that I can’t simply emulate someone else — I must embrace my authentic self and acknowledge that I’m not like those I admire.

I uncovered these truths—some of life’s toughest lessons—in solitude, with nothing but a pen and a journal.

Everyone aspires for self-improvement, often crafting grand plans that ultimately fall apart.

I assure you, writing is the quickest route to personal growth.

If you wish to accelerate this process, consider writing online. This adds a new layer to self-awareness.

Here, you’re not just grappling with your own thoughts; you’re engaging with others in the comments, who aren’t shy about telling you when you’re mistaken.

In fact, many relish the opportunity.

So, here’s to writing — the force that has shaped my identity and will continue to do so in the future.

Two Additional Activities for Enhanced Self-Awareness

I’d like to provide a couple more exercises to help you develop self-awareness beyond journaling. Here are two that have been particularly beneficial for me.