Why I Journal (And Why I Think Everyone Should Too)

Confession #1: I’m usually keeping two journals at once—but it should be three. (Never mind the notebooks and slips of paper and digital notes I take to record and organize my thoughts. Heaven help that lot!) The first journal is for life, and the second is a journal for spiritual life. The third one should be for my writing life.

Confession #2: I’m not disciplined with how often I journal or how much. And I’m glad I’m not because it means I don’t give up for falling behind.

Confession #3: I firmly believe everyone should record their life by keeping journals.

Whether you journal regularly in any style (from a more sentimental Dear Diary-style to a more structured Day 1-esque) or whether you want to but haven’t gotten into journaling, here are some reasons why I think journaling can benefit everyone.

1. To Look Back and Remember

Let’s start with the obvious: when I journal regularly, I give myself the tools to look back at former versions of me and see growth, patterns, relapses, and most importantly, God’s direction in my life.

Sometimes one’s story doesn’t make sense in the minutia of every day. Sometimes, it doesn’t make sense even in chapters. But in chunks, it does.

I need to see progress, especially in quiet/stuck seasons. When I’m needing to see progress, I’ll often flip back to entries that were written close to today’s date, but one, two, and three years ago. The changes and the regularities are always impacting—for better or worse.

2. To Look Back and Rejoice

When I flip back in time, it can be surprising to see the small and large changes that my temperamental memory has overlooked. God truly is the author of each of our stories, and the history of life shows a map of what’s been.

Whether I like my whole path or not, it is my story, and if I truly believe God is working, I can look at the past with 20/20 vision, and with more of His perspective.

When I look back and see dozens of small blessings, I realize that God has been working all along. How often I’ll forget those small blessings that can be used as stepping stones of faith.

That’s why I believe there are so many instances in the Bible where the individuals tell the story of God’s plan. They needed to look back at the whole map in order to see where they stood right then, and to see the full character of God, unobscured.

3. To Understand the Why Behind My Thoughts and Emotions

Staying in my head is like brushing my teeth while eating. But when I get my thoughts, fears, frustrations—anything that is bottled up—it clarifies the situation, like unwinding a ball of tangled thread and stretching it in a one long line.

The action of handwriting one word at a time slows my thoughts as if forcing a bucket of water to empty through one hole.

4. Because History—Any History—Matters

Last I checked, no one has emailed asking to write my biography.

That’s not to say that my life is significant or insignificant. It’s simply the only life I’ll ever have. And if I don’t record my story, who will?

Yes, my thoughts, questions, and notes are irrelevant to anyone but me, but I’d like to remember it all because it’s the story God has given me to tell. A testimony, if you will.

It’s the story God has given me to tell. A testimony, if you will.

We live in an age when history is somewhere between neglected and discredited. But once it was valued in schoolrooms, families, churches, and governments. Those who knew their history, knew themselves, their communities, their country, and the God of humanity. They were emboldened by the brave and warned by the fate of the evil. They understood the strengths and pitfalls of humanity and where they were going as a people.

I’d argue that, in a much smaller sense, we can look at our own histories and understand our strengths, weaknesses, and God’s hand in our stories. Context is everything, and what is context without the backstory called history?

5. To Learn

“Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” —Winston Churchill

“Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” —Winston Churchill

Once, about six months after I’d been through a situation that felt like getting caught in a mental, emotional, and spiritual cyclone, I noticed in my journal some important clues and facts that had been obscure at the time. When I wrote the entries, everything was happening so quickly that I couldn’t recognize what was clear upon rereading. It felt like being a sleuth for my own mystery.

Now, I am better informed about myself and similar situations so that I do not repeat my history.

6. Because My Memory Never Retains All I Want it To

I’ve already said it: my memory is temperamental. Even though I know this about myself, I sometimes tell myself I’ll remember.

I’ve now learned that when I think that, it’s a sure sign that I won’t remember.

I think most people are the same way. We think our memories are better than they are. But the longer you live, the more information there is to save in the ol’ memory bank, and that same bank that we rely on starts offloading out the backdoor when we’re not looking.

Write it down as if you know you will forget. You’ll thank yourself later.

Don’t want to forget a small memory or big event? Write it down as if you know you will forget. You’ll thank yourself later.

7. To Help My Future Self

Ninety percent of the time, I really do know what I need to do. I’m just too scared to do it in the moment.

Don’t you find that true of yourself? It’s not indecision or overwhelm that is keeping you from making brave decisions or bold actions: it’s fear in the present that constrains us.

Fear whispers lies about the future, but it’s restrained to the present.

Sometimes Current Meagan needs to let Future Meagan know what I want from her. Who I need her to be. Because when I’m treading water in the murky present, the future looks like the shore of hope, where I can see clearly without fear bogging me down. Because fear whispers lies about the future, but it’s restrained to the present.

One year later, when I see my note-to-self, it’s an excellent kick in the pants to break patterns, be bold, or do the right thing.

Try it!

In Conclusion

What are some reasons why you journal—or why you don’t (yet) journal? Please share in the comments.