With summer approaching and school coming to an end, it’s time to refresh, relax and reflect. Although the unexpected coronavirus may make our summer look a little more unusual than previous years, we can still take some time to gather our thoughts, put order into chaos, and find inner peace using the art of daily journaling. 

According to the University of Rochester Medical Center Health Encyclopedia, journaling can help ease overwhelming emotions and allow you to alleviate stress. Putting your thoughts onto paper can actually lead you to recognize negative triggers, which can ultimately help you learn more about yourself and your behaviors. 

In terms of positive emotions, journaling can serve as a reminder to stay grateful for the little joys in life. Whenever you feel happy, feel free to write down your thoughts to record these small, joyous moments. Although there is no specific format or word count for journaling, Happier Human indicates that simply writing down three things you are grateful for can be effective for our positive well-being. In fact, students in the Art and Science of Wellbeing class, taught by Ms. Wentland, have frequently practiced this exercise in class.  

“I think it really helps you realize that you had a lot of things that you were grateful for that day,” junior Mimi Mitwalli said. “Throughout the day it shows that a lot of things made you happy so looking back on the things that made you grateful made you really happy writing them down before you went to sleep.”

The Huffington Post also elaborates on the deeper effects of daily journaling, stating that it can improve memory, creativity, self-awareness and even IQ. Journaling is also another method to document your growth as a person over the years. Plus, looking back on old journals and personal documents can be a fun, nostalgic experience for some.

Would you consider journaling daily?

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