I've journaled off and on for several years now, mostly at random times. As much as I've tried to make journaling a regular practice, it's more something that I lean on when I need to work things out with pen and paper. Completing the 24-day Whole Health Journaling Challenge has opened my eyes to the benefits of journaling regularly.

During this challenge I experienced a deeper understanding of my own thoughts and feelings, improved mental clarity, enhanced self-awareness, greater insight into my relationships with others, and increased motivation to pursue my goals.

My  Experiences with Ease Life's Transitions in 22 Days:

Last October, two months after my 74^th birthday and after living single for over twenty years, I listed my condo with a realtor in South Texas and moved to Northern Michigan to live with my partner Ron. At the same time, I won a self-paced journaling course from the CreateWriteNow store, and I chose a most apt title: Ease Life’s Transitions in 22 Days.

My  Experiences with How to Start Journaling For The Health Of It® Write Now:

I’ve been interested in journal writing since I was in my late teens because of its free expression, its help as a place to vent and get thoughts and feelings out of my head and on to the paper.  Journal writing helps me contemplate my life, my mind, and my creativity.

The words “intimate” and “intimacy,” conjure up scenarios of sexual or at least romantic relationships. What about a relationship with yourself? Sexual? Possibly. Romantic? Could be. Selfish? Not at all. There is so much more. Just how well do you know yourself? Our society and culture bombard us with rules about who we should strive to be, what constitutes a life of happiness. Who do you want to be? We all are universally unique. Feelings, preferences, and emotional expression are part of the human experience. They manifest in myriad ways with everyone. Developing a vibrant life of self-intimacy can transform your relationship with yourself and with others.

What is self-intimacy?

Why do people journal? The reasons are endless and usually very personal.

Every night my grandmother used to write one or two sentences about what she did that day in her pocket calendar. Then, she’d pull out her calendar from the previous year to see what she did that same day a year ago. At the time I didn’t think of it as a journaling, but now I see that it was. And the reason she did this so consistently for decades was simply because it brought her joy.

Your reasons for journaling will likely change over time as your practice evolves, but understanding the why behind your journaling can help you maintain a consistent routine.

25 Reasons to Journal

Journaling is personal. Everyone seems to have a unique reason for transcribing their thoughts onto paper. Maybe it just feels good to get it all out. Or maybe you’ve discovered journaling is an effective tool to help you move through challenging moments.

As you consider your own personal reasons, here are 25 reasons to journal:

If you own a health journal, you’re probably documenting illnesses, medications, vaccines, injuries, hospitalizations, food intake, water consumption, surgeries, and exercise routines. As important as these factors are in your health journey, there are quite a few other topics relevant to your health that aren’t documented in health journals — but they should be.

Add these lesser-known factors to your health journal to refine your path to improved health.

1. Skin Checks

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “Skin diseases are among the most common of all human health afflictions and affect almost 900 million people in the world at any time.”

Common skin conditions include:

When confronted with unfamiliar or difficult circumstances, it's common in some people to feel uneasy. Feelings of helplessness about one or more factors of oneself are the symptoms of self-doubt. 

It is something that all of us could go through at different points in our lives. To overcome self-doubt, we may require further strategies if it becomes penetrating for us.

Self-doubt may be caused by past traumatic events or problems with your emotional connection. Those who suffer insecure attachments may get criticism, which might later in life lead to self-doubt. 

Global sustainable development is more than just addressing economic growth. It’s also about social justice, sustainable practices, and human rights. Nowadays, mental health is also considered an important part of this process.

In 2015, the UN included mental health as part of its Sustainable Development Goals. This acknowledges that mental health is a priority for global development for the next 15 years. Therefore, mental health must be taken seriously to achieve a better quality of life for everyone.