5 reasons why you should keep a journal

I’ve been keeping a journal for 3 years. Since my first entry, I have changed jobs, moved in and out of two apartments, went through 2 breakups and most importantly, I have aged. Going back to my journal and reading past entries helps me understand it better.

And that’s just one of the 5 reasons why I believe you should start journaling.

1. It connects you with your true self

Oftentimes, I have ideas or thoughts i’m afraid to forget. It might be work-related, some errands to run or a person I should reach out to. Well, you won’t write these down in a journal. There are whiteboards and note-taking tools for that (either virtual or physical). But what you can write in a journal are the big picture priorities and thoughts you have at the moment. It has a liberating effect to lie down on paper what goes through your mind. If you’ve never tried it, you should. You’ll be amazed how easily words come out of your pen, even though you may not be an experienced writer.

The good thing about a journal is that it’s personal. Nobody is going to judge you by what you write in it. It is yours, your own (your precious?). And with this individual ownership, one can lay down their mask. The Japanese have a theory that you always show one of three faces:

• • the one you wear in society, when you’re surrounded with strangers

• • the one you wear with your loved ones, whom you can show more of your true self

• • the one you wear with yourself, the true reflection of who you are

This last face is hard to look at. It’s looking at yourself in the mirror, for what you are.

Journaling helps you connect with this last face, the most intimate part of yourself. At first, it will be difficult to lay down your deepest thoughts and emotions. It’s tough to see your own writing describe your intimate thoughts (+ what if someone was to read it ?). As time goes by, you will let go more and more of your thoughts and feel relieved. In a way, it’s like extracting them out of your mind and gathering them in a pensieve: the process may hurt a bit but it’s for the greater good.

Image: Dumbledore extracting a souvenir to a pensieve

2. It’s a piece of valuable memories shared with your loved ones

This takes me to my second reason: writing in a journal cements valuable memories for life. It is said that “a good picture is worth a thousand words”. I do not disagree with that statement. But if pictures could achieve that consistently, books would be filled with them and you wouldn’t be reading this article neither.

We are living in an era where documenting pictures and videos of our lives has never been so easy. By writing in a journal, you add some context you may forget to these virtual milestones of your life.

Sometimes, it will lighten up the photographs. Holiday pictures of you and your family will be complemented by your description of how lucky you felt to have you all reunited at that time. Sometimes, it will add a sad touch that will carry a bittersweet taste later on. Yes, you knew the breakup was waiting around the corner but still, there was love.

In any case, going through your journal a few years or decades down the road will be a rollercoaster of emotions – it is worth the ride.

3. It develops your writing skills

This one is pretty straightforward. Even by writing just for yourself, you practice your writing. Looking back to my first entries, I can see a difference. And even if you do not have any ambition about becoming a writer in your life, it still is a great skill to acquire.

Professionally speaking, it can be a huge plus if your company needs someone to write blog articles or training materials. Personally speaking, who says you won’t start a blog one day (believe me, it only came to my mind very recently) or decide to write a book. Also if you’re a bit of a romantic like I am, you will probably write love letters in your life. Might as well write them well -granted, Les liasons dangereuses is a great source of inspiration too-.

4. It reinforces your commitment towards objectives

Writing down “i will write 3 blog articles by mid-septembre 2023” helps your brain to make it a reality. Even if you write it down just once, it’s still valuable. I sometimes go back to entries from 2021 where I would write “Dear diary, I’m full on focusing on my consulting job interview process. I’m giving it a 100% to hopefully get to an MBB” (for the non-initiate: MBB= McKinsey, BCG & Bain, which are the global top 3 consulting firms). “I know full well I may not get there but I sure am gonna try it”. 2 years later, it’s with a smile on my face I read it again. Same goes for the day I got accepted at BCG, it’s a fond memory I am glad I wrote down at that time.

The art of commitment is worth its own article. Heck, a book could be written about it. My point is: you sometimes need to cheat your brain into doing things. Motivation will fluctuate. Discipline can bring you very far. But you can make your life easier with a couple of tricks and this is one of them. Write down your commitments. You would hate to disappoint your future self, right?

5. Your future self will thank you for it

Talking about your future self, it’s always moving to go back to your thoughts and what your priorities were back at a certain time. I just mentioned commitment towards one’s objectives. What about your love life ? What about your fears and struggles ?

Going back to past entries help you understand and analyze situations a posteriori. It will help you learn valuable lessons about who you are, what you like, which kind of people were a good or bad influence on you so that you can better choose who you surround yourself with.

Think about the very long term. Won’t you love to read your journals when you’ll be 40 or 50 ? Heck, what about when you’ll be in you 80’s ? I’m pretty sure it will bring a tear to my eye to remember the women I loved, the moments I lived and even the stupid mistakes I made when I was younger. In a sense, It will bring me back to my youth. You’re never old as long as you can be young in your mind and in your heart.

Final words

Someone dear to me once said: “writing in a journal is the mark of greatness”.

I would like to believe that