Journaling has changed my life. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for the power of putting pen to paper. I used journaling as a tool to help me find light when I was stuck in a very dark place. It was an outlet for me to heal after leaving an abusive relationship, and it was my guide when I needed clarity in starting my business.

This method of releasing emotions and thoughts by writing it down can be used for so many different purposes. To heal, calm the mind, find clarity, or save a memory. I love how freeing journaling makes me feel because there is no right or wrong way to do it. It’s also incredibly affordable because all you need is a pen and cute notebook to get started.

Because journaling has had such a positive impact on my life, I wanted to share with you my Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Start Journaling Today.

1. Set Goals A journal is a wonderful place to write down your goals, dreams, and aspirations. Studies have found that when you take the time to write down your goals, you are 43% more likely to achieve them. Boom! That is huge! You can then use your journal as a guide, helping you set mini-milestones that will lead you to one day achieving those big goals.

2. Improve Mental Clarity I’ve used journaling to help me clear the mental clutter from my mind. Whether you feel like an emotional mess or are struggling to make a decision, transferring these messy thoughts to paper can make us feel calmer and focused. I am a big fan of “brain dumping” to help organize my thoughts and ideas.

3. Self Care Are you feeling anxious, stressed, or overwhelmed? Use a journal to write down these feelings. I know first hand how silence can be toxic. Though we may not have the courage or confidence to communicate these emotions out loud, a piece of paper and a pen is the next best thing. Your journal will never judge you, and writing your feelings out is such a liberating feeling.

4. Improve Personal Insight As you begin the journey of journaling, you may find that you become more open to insights about yourself that you might have missed. After a few entries, new discoveries about your habits (good and bad), self-belief, and true values become more clear. This is an invaluable piece of knowledge that you will gain.

5. Self-Reflect As Ferris Bueller once said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” It’s easy for us to get caught up in our day-to-day responsibilities. In doing so, we often don’t get the chance to see the progress we are making in our own lives. Only when we take the time to self-reflect can we see how far we have come. Looking back through some of my old journals is a very humbling experience. It shows me how much I have grown, how I overcame struggles and went from victim to victor.

As you can see, there are so many ways in which journaling can help you. If you are struggling with anxiety, confidence, self-acceptance, or getting your new business idea off the ground, I highly suggest you give journaling a try.

My past has shaped who I am today, and I am proud of the woman I have become. But I wouldn’t have been able to realize the magic inside of me if it wasn’t for the process of releasing my emotions and thoughts onto paper. I used a journal to build myself back up after an abusive relationship, to get my college education, and to start my clothing line.

Today, I am inspired and motivated to help as many women as possible that need courage and guidance to reclaim their life.

That is why I created the “Enough, Let’s do this ish” 12-week productivity planner and journal, which is a blueprint to help you create your dream life. I want to help you go from struggling to make progress to crushing your goals.

Why?

Because I believe in you, your story, and your journey.

And if I can do it by following this simple yet powerful method, I know you can too!