Dear Beautiful Brown Girl…
When someone tells you to write in your journal, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Does it mean you should keep a secret diary where you record your deepest darkest secrets? You can, but you don’t have to. Did you know that journaling can be used as a way to record whatever you want and that there is no wrong way to write in your journal? Most importantly, did you know that journaling has many benefits?
Benefit #1: Writing in your journal is a great way to feel in control.
Have you ever sat in class and the teacher tells you what they want you to write? Or, they give you a writing assignment that isn’t that exciting? Well, when you keep a personal journal you can choose what to write about and it may or may not be the best writing in the world. But guess what, WHO CARES???? No one is reading it but you. So the spelling, punctuation and grammar rules can be thrown out the window – and trying to get everything perfect shouldn’t stop you from putting your thoughts in writing. I bet you this makes writing a little more interesting, doesn’t it?
Benefit #2 Writing in your journal helps to build your confidence.
Writing in your personal journal actually helps you improve your writing skills. How? Because more writing on your own terms means you actually get more practice which means ultimately, you get better at spelling, sentence structure (writing sentences that make sense), vocabulary, and even with grammar. The secret is, the more you write, the better you become at doing it!
Benefit #3 Writing can be fun!
When you write in your personal journal, You have the POWER to pick your topic and the freedom to write whatever you want. That makes writing more enjoyable.
Benefit #4 Journaling helps to increase self-awareness.
Over time as you write in your journal, if you are reflective and go back and read some of the things you wrote, you can start to learn some things about yourself. You might start to see patterns in your behavior and in your thinking. You can start to learn more about what makes you happy and what makes you angry or sad. You can start to pay attention to things that you enjoy doing the most and even some things you don’t like so much. Believe it or not, this is super important for young ladies like you. This is important because, unfortunately, there are some young ladies that don’t really know who they are or who they want to be….they don’t pay attention to things that they like and sometimes that leads to not really knowing what makes them happy. Knowing what makes you happy is important. You should always try to do at least one small thing every day that makes you happy. Hey! That sounds like something you might want to explore in your journal, “What makes me happy?”
Benefit #4 Journaling can decrease your stress and help you feel better.
Doctors believe that writing about the things that upset you can help make you feel better. When you write and think about a problem in your journal, it helps to get your feelings out without feeling embarrassed about sharing it with someone else. It also helps you process, or get a better understanding of, what may be bothering you. As you write about it, you are thinking about it and it may even help you problem solve, or come up with a resolution. This can help you deal with what is on your mind. It can also help you explain it better to someone who you might feel comfortable talking to about it with later.
Yu can start journaling today! All you need is a serial notebook or maybe even a composition book. Whatever you choose to write in, you definitely want to be some kind of notebook dedicated just to your journal writing. Click here for some really cute journals that we have in our store that are perfect for writing your thoughts and carrying around in your purse or backpack.
If you are ready to start journaling, today is your lucky day because I have something special for you! I have a list of some really cool and interesting questions that can help you get started in your journal. Click on the picture to download your free journal prompts.