The benefits of journaling
As a new parent, you’re experiencing a range of new emotions, experiences and stresses. It’s during these times that journaling is at its most valuable. This is because journaling puts you in a position to face emotions you might otherwise suppress or ignore. If you don’t have the time or money to spend on therapy, journaling can provide many of the benefits therapy provides by allowing you to work through your emotions in a safe environment. It also helps you keep track of any symptoms you may be feeling, identify stressors, and understand how to best address them.
After a few weeks of journaling, you will start to identify patterns in your thoughts and behaviour. You may find unexpected sources of discomfort or stress in your life that you hadn’t previously considered.
As a method of tracking personal growth and experience as a new parent, few things can beat journaling. Being honest with yourself each day and recording the decisions you make and feelings you have can give you a sense of achievement and progress. If you are looking to improve aspects of your health, recording things like your activities, diet and sleep schedule can give you a clearer and more objective view of your life.
Journaling or writing a diary is something traditionally thought of as a teenage activity. However, the benefits it can provide extend beyond your teenage years. It can act as a form of mindfulness, helping you to acknowledge and work through your thoughts and feelings. Because it is so flexible, anyone can do it with just five minutes a day.
Kylee Harris is an educator who has taught in elementary schools in Singapore and Hong Kong for 5 years. She lives in Florida and continues to teach life skills to young adults in her community.
