{"id":39582,"date":"2016-03-18T10:19:27","date_gmt":"2016-03-18T18:19:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=39582"},"modified":"2016-03-20T21:22:27","modified_gmt":"2016-03-21T05:22:27","slug":"7-reasons-people-keep-journals-likely-happy-successful","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/7-reasons-people-keep-journals-likely-happy-successful\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Reasons People Who Keep Journals are More Likely To Be Happy and Successful"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

<\/p>\n

If you speak to top performers the world over you\u2019ll find quite a few common themes.<\/p>\n

One that is often overlooked however, is that a lot of them keep some form of a journal. In fact, the long list of successful people that have done so is impressive to say the least.<\/p>\n

Arnold Schwarzenegger kept a journal to log his bodybuilding goals.<\/p>\n

Benjamin Franklin his scientific theories.<\/p>\n

Jane Austen wrote down her ideas for characters and novels.<\/p>\n

Che Guevara documented his travels.<\/p>\n

Ralph Waldo Emerson his philosophies.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s pretty clear that this isn\u2019t just a coincidence. If you look at the research, you\u2019ll see that the benefits of journaling speak volumes.<\/p>\n

Here are 7 reasons keeping a journal is likely to make you more happy and successful.<\/em><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. You become more focused and organized <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    If you ask any super successful person, they\u2019ll pretty much all agree on this; what gets tracked gets improved.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    The reality is that people who keep journals are more likely to track their successes and failures. Whether it\u2019s through a food journal, monitoring their exercise, or just a consistent reflection on how they are feeling, writing regularly will help you to become more focused and organized in your day to day life.<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Your thoughts are more clear<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Our minds can be tricky and confusing places.<\/p>\n

      We often have thoughts that bounce around as images, sounds and feelings for days, weeks, sometimes even years. But the problem is that we don\u2019t spend enough time trying to put words to them.<\/p>\n

      Journaling helps capture these ideas, giving labels to these mental movies, and making them a lot clearer in your mind\u2019s eye.<\/p>\n

      Another benefits is that by doing so you\u2019ll naturally become more articulate and better at communicating your ideas to others.<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. You will have less stress<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        People who journal regularly report having less stress. It\u2019s obviously a very therapeutic process \u2013 and a lot cheaper than finding an actual therapist.<\/p>\n

        Another interesting point is that the impact of stress on our mental and physical health depends on the way we view stress<\/a>. And journaling has been shown to improve our ability to see the positives of traumatic events<\/a> and therefore mediate the impact that stress has on us.<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. It will improve your creativity<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Any form of creative or reflective writing can improve our creativity. Regular journaling can also improve our ability to take in and process information<\/a>.<\/p>\n

          While you are writing, you are using your left brain, which is the rational and analytical part of your mind.<\/p>\n

          This removes mental blocks in the right brain \u2013 the artistic part \u2013 and allows you to release your creativity, so you can see your problems and projects in a new light.<\/p>\n

            \n
          1. You\u2019ll develop a better memory<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            By journaling about events and periodically returning to read your entries, you are able to turn short term memories into long term ones.<\/p>\n

            Memories typically fade with time, and are actually quite flimsy and inaccurate<\/a>. \u00a0The practice of retaining and retrieving them in detail for your journal will strengthen the memory muscles in your brain and allow you to keep them more accurate over time.<\/p>\n

              \n
            1. It can help you improve your self-esteem<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              In order to project us, our brains have an inherent negativity bias<\/a>. Unfortunately this doesn\u2019t help when we are feeling down on ourselves, as it means we are more likely to forget our successes and remember our failures.<\/p>\n

              Keeping a journal where you track all the great things you have done can balance this bias and remind you that even when it doesn\u2019t feel like it, you\u2019ve actually come a long way and achieved a lot.<\/p>\n

                \n
              1. You\u2019ll become more emotionally intelligent<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                Emotional intelligence is a skill that is cultivated over time. By reflecting on your own emotions, you not only become psychologically healthier<\/a>, but you become more aware of what your feelings are and what they might be telling you.<\/p>\n

                In our busy modern lives this can often be difficult. Journaling improves your ability to know yourself and in turn relate to others.<\/p>\n

                 <\/p>\n

                Like meditation, journaling can be approached differently to fit your personality and specific goals.<\/p>\n

                If you want to be happy and successful, this is obviously a key ingredient.<\/p>\n

                Get started today and see the benefits of benefits of journaling for yourself.<\/p>\n

                Attention Pick the Brain Readers! Do you want to put journaling into action and take the next step to improving your mornings?<\/strong><\/p>\n

                Then grab a free copy of our new eBook:\u00a0MORNING MASTERY: The Simple 20 Minute Routine For Long Lasting Energy, Laser-Sharp Focus, and Stress Free Living.<\/a><\/p>\n

                Ben is a freelance writer, and the co-creator of Project Monkey Mind\u2014a new blog for the 21st century solopreneur and young professional who wants to take control of their minds, smash through their limitations, and lead a life worth living.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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