Writing about stressful and painful events can greatly benefit your physical and emotional health. According to studies, time spent writing about your deepest thoughts and feelings can reduce the number of sick days you take.

Among other benefits, journaling also helps you move forward and deepen your self-discovery. Experts say journaling for just a few minutes a day helps turn it into a stress-relieving, sustainable habit.

five Important Benefits of Journaling

relieves stress

Journaling is a great pressure-relief activity when you feel overwhelmed or have a lot going on internally. Experts say that most people reading in the journal report decreased stress levels after completing this exercise:

• Write down three things you are grateful for
• Explain your life story
• Mention your three wishes

journaling Promotes health and well-being

According to experts, writing about your deepest thoughts and feelings reduces the incidence of falling ill and going to hospitals, lowers blood pressure levels and improves health.

Helps remove negative thoughts

Negative and anxious thoughts can be intrusive and cause stress and anxiety. Experts say that writing down your thoughts helps create space and distance to consider them in a more objective way. Experts say that if your thoughts don’t serve you, you don’t need to believe in them. You can use journaling to look at your thoughts outside of yourself.

helps process emotions

Emotions have a way of manifesting and influencing actions – with or without awareness. Journaling allows you to process your feelings in a safe, contained space. Naming and acknowledging the specific emotions you are experiencing can have a positive impact.

Helps deepen self-discovery

Journaling helps to find a different piece or pattern every day. Journaling provides a pause to help us reconnect and rediscover who we are. When we write, we learn our

• preferences
• pain points
• apprehension
• Favorite
• Dreams

Since most people are constantly evolving, journaling helps you:

• Hear
• Witness these changes
• You can know yourself better

How can you start journaling,

Some tips to start writing and make it a lasting habit include:

taking a subtle step

When you start journaling, make sure to set a timer for just a minute or two in the beginning and then you can gradually increase the time.

choose simple food

Start with whatever method is easiest to incorporate into your daily routine—like typing on a computer, using an app on your phone, or using pen and paper.

Don’t read painful entries.

Experts recommend not revisiting the original details of difficult situations. If you feel like you haven’t dealt with a situation, you can refocus on what you are grateful for in that situation and how you will apply what you learned from it.

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