Journaling for Health, History, and Fun

 You might not think you have time to keep a journal, but a journal can take many forms. Sure you can write a traditional day by day account of your life--which is great!--but there are ways you can tailor journaling to your needs to help with your health, record your history, and make other strides in your life.

So why should you journal you ask? 

Numerous sources, including the National Health Institute and the American Psychological Association, say journaling is a good way to relieve stress and anxiety, improve productivity and creativity, and even improve your relationships. Improved memory, a greater likelihood of accomplishing goals, and increasing your motivation are also on that feel-good list.

Adapt your journaling to your life.

Not everyone likes to write. Lean into your skills to decide on how you are going to keep your journal. Here are a few different ways you can try.

1. Indulge your wanderlust and keep a travel journal. You can write about places you want to go and sights you want to see or places you've already been. Include photos, postcards, mementos, tickets, anything you want, really. Or keep a video journal of the same things. 

2. Have an attitude of gratitude when you keep a gratitude journal. This can be as simple as a daily list, or you can go into more detail if you want. Gratitude journals can increase our joy in life.

3. Junk journaling is a good way to collect random thoughts, feelings, and items in one place. Junk journals can be as messy or as organized as you want to make them.

4. Scrapbooks are great for people who love to design. They take a lot of work, but it can be enjoyable. There are so many scrapbooking sites out there to help with either paper or electronic scrapbooking.

5. Food journals are a good way to keep track of your day. We all eat, right! You can record what you ate, write restaurant reviews, keep menus. The possibilities are all delicious. This type of journaling can encourage healthy eating too.

6. Do you like to read? Keep notes on the books you read in a book journal. If you like to read scriptures, keep a scripture journal. Just record your thoughts about what you are reading and how it affects you.

If these ideas don't work for you, find one that will. You could use an app on your phone, an old notebook, or a planner that you already use daily. Record your runs, your goals, your dreams, your frustrations, whatever you want. The health benefits are undeniable, so journal away!