“Keeping a diary is like closing your bedroom door and refusing to come out until dinnertime: it is a declaration of self.” – Caitlin Flanagan
Everyone has a few goals in their life. It can be getting rid of debts, learning a musical instrument, living abroad, starting a new business, or many more. However, these goals may not be as easy as you think they are, and you may feel that you’ve lost your motivation to go further. In the end, you may simply give up trying.
When we think about our future, we sometimes deceive ourselves by setting unrealistic goals on our way. This is because we cannot think of ourselves objectively. As a result, we create a sharp distinction between what we are and what we are going to be. It is not a surprise when we cannot accomplish these goals since they are not our goals but desires in life.
“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” – Gandhi
As Gandhi has said, we cannot be happy unless we know who we are. Knowing who you are; that is, discovering what you think, desire and can do is the key for a happy and successful life.
Keep a journal to discover your true self
It can be hard to be objective towards ourselves; and as a result, we may end up struggling in a desperate situation after we fail to achieve our goals. Keeping a journal can help you avoid this unfortunate circumstance, since the more you write about your own life, the better you learn about yourself. It allows you to be aware of your own thoughts, emotions, and desires; and as a result, you can set much more achievable goals for your future.
Many research studies show that when people put their feelings and opinions down on a piece of paper, they develop their coping mechanism against difficult situations and boost their self-confidence.
Calm your mind by keeping a diary
There are also other research findings of how keeping a diary helps you to relieve your stress and ease your mind. When you put your feelings and thoughts into words, your brain pours out the stress that you collected during your day and makes room for positive thoughts. Researchers add that when we write down our concerns and negative thoughts, we are more likely to overcome them and enhance our performance. Contrary to common belief, when you write down your worries, they will not become true immediately. On the contrary, it is useful for you to be aware of the challenges in your life instead of ignoring their existence.
Keeping a diary gives you motivation
Psychologists say that people boost their performance when there is something to work on a regular basis. Keeping a journal can give you the responsibility to work more, because the more you write down your achievements, you will desire to write more. In the end, with this strong reinforcement, you will want to perform better because you have a kind of responsibility for your diary.
Enhance your academic performance
There are several studies supporting the idea of keeping a journal for academic success. In one research, students were asked to write about their emotional experiences in their diaries. As a result, students started to get better grades in their exams. Another research was done with the university level students; again, after they began to write down their emotions on their journals, the decrease in their absentee rates could be observed.
When we have an emotionally intense day, we look for someone to talk about it. For instance, when we had a bad day at our workplace, we complain about the annoying event to our wives or husbands at home. We do this all the time because it helps us to get over our stress and relieve our mind. The same goes for keeping a diary. When we start to write about our emotions in a journal, it becomes much more than a piece of paper. We regard it as a friend whom we know will listen to us any time we need.
Once you start to keep a diary, you will get rid of your stress and emotional burden; and consequently, you will be cleaned from negative thoughts and feelings in your mind. With a clean mind, you will be more productive, attentive, creative and at the end, you will be successful in every aspect of your life.