Journaling, the act of writing a personal record of experiences and reflections on a regular basis, is as old as handwriting itself.
The modern diary can be traced back to fifteenth-century Italy, where it was originally used for accounting purposes before, shifting to the more intimate, private documentation of life in the years to follow.
Da Vinci began writing in his journal when he was 26 years old, leaving behind an estimated 20,000 to 28,000 journal entries containing his ideas, inventions, and observations. Anne Frank, Oscar Wilde, W.H. Auden, Queen Victoria, John Steinbeck, Mark Twain, Albert Einstein, Frida Kahlo, Virginia Woolf, Slyvia Plath, Benjamin Franklin and Ralph Waldo Emerson are just a handful of the influential individuals that also believed in the act (and art) of journaling.
By the mid-twentieth century the therapeutic potential of reflective writing gained traction and reached the buzzworthy status it enjoys today.
Journal with Kai
One of the most powerful tools that Kai offers is the practice of journaling. We see journaling as centering and grounding, cathartic and healing, joyous and hopeful, and ultimately, practical and purposeful. A space for our feelings, fears, frustrations – but also future goals.
Kai keeps you accountable by sending journal reminders and prompts, so that the practice quickly becomes a regular part of your daily routine. Journaling allows your stream of consciousness to flow and frees your inhibitions so you can experience your emotions more fully, rather than pushing them away.
With every entry you feel calmer and more in control of your life as you gain a better understanding of yourself.
Benefits of Journaling
- Express Yourself
Journaling is a place to express all of yourself: anxieties, thoughts, expectations, hopes, and life goals.
- Reduce Stress
According to a study by researchers from the University of Minnesota, having participants write down a list of positive events at the close of a day and why the events made them happy lowered their self-reported stress levels. Writing has also been shown to lower stress levels by creating distance between your thoughts and feelings.
- Support Your Wellbeing
A study from the University of Cambridge found journaling supports wellbeing and recovery, especially after a traumatic or stressful event, with participants seeing improvements in both physical and psychological health.
- Become More Mindful
A consistent practice can bring your full attention onto a point of focus, becoming more aware of your thoughts and your relation to them. Just like mindfulness meditation.
- Sleep Soundly
Journaling before bed decreases cognitive stimulus, rumination, and worry, allowing you to fall asleep faster for longer according to the Journal of Experimental Psychology.
- Live with Greater Intention
Writing your daily goals and putting into words what you are grateful for lets you see in front of your eyes all the good in your life and where you are headed.
- Reflect and Track Your Progress
With Kai quickly find past journal entries so you can easily search and track your progress. Appreciating all that you’ve accomplished and celebrating goals supports habit formation and momentum.
Where do I begin?
There’s no one way to journal just as there’s no one type of journaling. There’s no right way to journal, either. There’s only your way of journaling, and Kai is there to guide you.
Start with one sentence: how you’re feeling, something you enjoyed, something you’re excited about, someone you’re thinking about, and what you’re grateful for. Consider what you’re working towards, how you’re going to make today great, something you’ve learned, your thoughts on the day that’s passed, and your plans for the week ahead.
Simply start. Sentence after sentence. Day after day.
Writing down your goals and aspirations plants the seed in their manifestation. The goal is no longer a thought you can easily dismiss, it’s written down. This in turn affects the decisions you make and the actions you take every day. Herein lies the power of journaling.
Still not sure how to get started? Here are some tips to get you going:
- Be consistent, and keep to a schedule. Kai will send you regular journal reminders based on a time that suits you best.
- Don’t over complicate, just write!
- Use journal prompts. Prompts are a set of questions that you can answer to encourage your writing related to personal growth, goal-setting, gratitude, and everything in between.
- Write whatever feels right, it’s your own private place so let the words flow freely.
- The process of journaling and expressing yourself is what matters most. Don’t stress over grammar or spelling, the entries are for your eyes only.
- Look at your writing time as personal relaxation time, it’s when you can de-stress, reflect, and wind down.
