Why You Should Journal

One of the reasons humans are unhappy is because we have an inbuilt process to prevent us from staying happy. If we get a raise or buy a car we feel a sense of happiness. However, it is likely to be short lasting because we adapt to the feeling. That becomes our new normal. Then we look for the next thing to make us happy again. No amount is enough as even lottery winners soon adapt to their winnings their happiness level returns to normal. This process is called hedonic adaptation.

However, it turns out that there is a way to slow down hedonic adaptation. And that technique is to be grateful for what we already have. Science has shown that actively practicing gratitude lowers stress and improves life satisfaction. Gratitude journaling helps you become more mindful, more appreciative of the good and less affected by annoyances.

What were you up to a year ago? What were you thinking and feeling? A lot of events tend to be forgotten if we don't actively write them down. We might remember most of the significant events but we certainly won't remember our thoughts and feelings from day to day. Journaling will help you remember more events as well as in more detail. Journals can be great for revisiting a moment in time.

Have you ever caught yourself ruminating over and over on the same problems and issues? Maybe you got an email from your boss friday evening and your weekend is ruined because you can't stop thinking about what you have to do monday morning. Trying not to think about it just makes you think about it even more. Don't fear, there is a cure for this. They say we have a "monkey mind" and one of the best ways to keep it at bay is to let it speak. It turns out that if we get our thoughts out into our journal it finally frees a hold of our mind.

A journal is a great productivity tool. They say if you don't write down and review your goals everyday then you may as not have them at all. You can use your journal to prioritize, review your goals, and track your progress towards reaching them. It can help you anticipate projects and events ahead. Most importantly you can record your experience and any mistakes and learn from them.

Trivia of the day: the word essay was derived from the verb "assay" which means "to test or evaluate". Back in the days writing an essay was thought of as a tool, a way of exploration. It still certainly can be and is still a very effective way to explore a thought and do a deeper dive of your inner thoughts.