Journaling: Why it Actually Works
Many mental health professionals recommend journaling to allow ourselves to reflect upon recent events and our reactions to them. Despite this suggestion, not many people actually journal, but those who do find it valuable. It’s hard to take time out of your busy day to sit down and write about your feelings, so no one really prioritizes it, but if people did, we’d all be a lot more thoughtful and deliberate with our actions.
Chandler Vaughan ‘21 started journaling recently in January 2020 to prepare for her abroad experience. “I wanted to make note of my experiences and feelings as I entered this new journey.” She noticed that as she journaled, “it became a way for me to self-reflect and work through issues that weighed heavily on me during the day.”
Journaling allows the individual to better understand their reactions to specific situations and notice patterns in their behaviors. Even without intentional reflection, the act of journaling and releasing all of the thoughts of the day leaves those who do it feeling lighter and more “in the moment,” Vaughan says. Your subconscious will thank you for clearing out some of the heavy thoughts that you may not have realized you were having in the first place.
“Journaling is one of the things that has kept me grounded in the midst of a storm,” Vaughan explains.
2020 has been a crazy year and everyone has experienced some sort of loss, so allowing yourself to process these emotions relieves some of the pressure and takes some of the weight off of your shoulders. By releasing this pressure, Vaughan “can be more in tune with myself, which then helps me show up as a better friend, leader, and mentor.”
Journaling helped Chandler Vaughan ‘21 get through the pandemic. Photo from pexels.com.
Overall, Vaughan believes that “people should journal to keep track of their personal growth and progress.” She believes that “journaling is a powerful tool that allows you to make a habit of prioritizing yourself.”
Vaughan also explained that she looks forward to reading her thoughts about the events of 2020 when she’s older.
Journaling is important, especially in such a historic and confusing time. By creating this log of events, you’re also chronicling history for you and your future family to read and look back on your individual development and initial world view. It’s not something that needs to be done every day or even every week, but taking time on occasion to check in with yourself is beneficial to your mental health.