A journey to remember (life)

Whether it’s Einstein who penned down his favourite formulas in a book; or Da Vinci who doodled some cool sketches, the idea of journaling has been around for a long time. Some paranoid teenagers like myself also had journals with little locks on them because, of course, who would want to risk their siblings finding out about Dodo, our imaginary friend? Today, apart from creepy analogies and daily updates, the concept of journaling stands for numerous things. 

A KEYSTONE HABIT

In his book “The Power of Habit,” Charles Duhigg, an award-winning journalist describes keystone habits as “small changes or habits that people introduce into their routines that unintentionally carry over into other aspects of their lives.”

Journaling is not about putting down your thoughts on paper (sometimes with glitter) and letting it help relieve some of the internal conflicts, but it also alternates as a keystone habit for many. Other than journaling, keystone habits also include activities like exercising, praying and cooking your meals.

THE BENEFITS

So what are the more scientific benefits? This habit is one of the more effective self-care methods and one of the cheaper ones for starters. Apart from the universal benefits like creative stimulation, a boost in mindfulness, and improvement in communication skills, it has also been mentioned by The NY Times how journaling can be a factor for better sleep, stronger immune systems, and heightened self-confidence. 

In fact, according to a study conducted by Harvard Business School, participants who journaled at the end of the day had a 25% increase in performance compared to a control group who did not journal. There you go – science doesn’t lie.

YOU DO YOU

One of the best things about journaling is that the only way to find out what you want to write about is by beginning to write. Your journal could take a fun approach by being a memoir of your life, or it could be a milestone in your journey towards finding yourself, or maybe, if you’re feeling rebellious – it could be both. Natural resources cite journals such as dream journals, gratitude journals, art journals, and even bullet journals, but whether you separate these genres or combine them is your decision. Sky’s the limit, and here are four journal content ideas to help explore that limit.

1) In the long-term

Visualizing your future is one of the easiest ways to create it (plus hard work, of course). In your journal, you could start by making a list of things you would like to achieve. Daily, it could be burgers for lunch; every month, it could be AirPods, and on a long-term basis, it could be financial freedom at 30 or your own 4 BHK condo in Miami. A setlist of goals will remind you of your priorities and keep you on track. According to Rick McDaniel in a Huffington Post article – “Goal setters see future possibilities and the big picture.” Planning will also be a key to efficiency and self-esteem if you get to it. 

A more fun way would be to pen down a letter to the future-you talking about everything you enjoy currently and everything you wish to have achieved by the time you read it. It’s going to take a lot of willpower to avoid learning it every month, but once you do, nothing beats the time-travelling nostalgic trip it’ll bring.

2) Gratitude

Slowing down and appreciating the things we have sounds simple enough but is never in the works. Studies have traced a range of benefits like better sleep, fewer illness symptoms, and even happiness to the act of gratefulness.

The idea is simple – every day or week, you write down 5 or 10 or 15 things you’re grateful for. It could be simple things like warm food and family or more personal things like life milestones and achievements.

If you’re more of a visual/creative person, you could also go ahead and stick a few snippets from the moments you’ve enjoyed or the things you’re grateful for. It could be ticket stubs from your favourite movies, paper napkins from cute cafes, photographs from night-outs, or simply, doodles of your cosy bed. Little things are meant to be celebrated, and journaling is a great way to do precisely that. 

3) Thought Dump

When we over-indulge our minds with ideas or problems without venting, it can be a straight-shooting road to mental health issues. While most people take help from professionals for the same, many others find relief by putting their thoughts down on paper. It somehow makes the problem seem smaller because I mean, how wrong could something be if it can be put down or erased from a paper? 

Another thought dump could be noting down random ideas/solutions that pop up in your head in the middle of the day. For example, Bro Bibs by Barney Stinson or Lambor-cuzzis to sauna around the world. Who knows when you might strike gold and have your patent, so it’s always great to have a proof for court. You could also make mind maps for solutions to your projects or character sketches of your very own comic book if you’re in the mood for some creative expression. 

4) Well-well-well (ness) 

Now I’m not saying you should follow Sheldon Cooper and keep a *ranked* list of your enemies, but there is something to be said about keeping track of your life. Wellness sections of journals are an accumulation of every aspect of your lifestyle that you follow every day. 

This might mean tracking your physical and mental growth or listing the foods you eat, so you comply with your diet. It could mean sticking calendar pages on journals to track your workouts or only keeping track of your sleeping routines and water intake by noting every aspect of your day. 

This detailed tracking will help you continuously focus and keep track of your goals – fitness and otherwise. Adding wellness to your journal may not always seem like the obvious choice for improving your health, but it is claimed to be one of the best ways to get in tune with your body. It will help you understand why you feel the way you feel sometimes, and in turn, help make simple changes to improve your lifestyle. At the end of the day, what better item than a journal to hold you accountable?

Lastly, journaling can be overwhelming at first. It is a new addition to your routine, and sticking to it is not always easy. But that’s okay. A journal is strictly meant for oneself; it could be great to use colourful pens, rhyme things, add your favourite lyrics and make fun collages but it could also be great to scribble with a simple black pen. In the end, if all else fails – at least you will have a written record of the hilarious journeys in your life!