What did famous scientists like Albert Einstein and Marie Curie, artists like Leonardo da Vinci, and authors like Mark Twain and Lewis Caroll have in common?

These people—the greatest thinkers and inventors of their time—all kept journals. They wrote about their discoveries and inventions. They scribbled notes of their habits, observations about the things around them, and their struggles and challenges.

The best thing about journaling is that anyone can do it. You don't need to have a Master’s degree or special certification. All you need to start journaling is a pen and paper or laptop or cellphone, and you can start writing whatever you want. It takes discipline and practice, but the key is to make the most of your journal by writing every day. If this is your first time trying journaling, here are 9 reasons why you should journal every day:

1. Journaling every day helps you achieve your goals.

Journaling doesn’t have to be all about recording what you went on in your day. You can also use your journal to list down your goals. Start with the bigger ones—things you hope to achieve in five or ten years. Break those into yearly, then monthly, goals. Zero in on the details by writing what you should achieve weekly—and to do that, what tasks you need to tick off daily.

Seeing your life goals written out helps narrow your focus. It doesn't matter whether you write them on paper or type them into your laptop or phone. When you place clearly-stated goals where you can easily see them, you are able to filter out activities or tasks that won't help you achieve those goals.

2. Journaling every day helps you improve your writing and communication skills.

Some people are naturally born good writers. Give them a pen and paper or put a laptop in front of them, and they will skillfully string words and sentences together to create the best-written piece possible. For others, simply writing a daily record of your life already feels like a daunting task. Before you panic and decide not to push through with writing and journaling—here is a bit of encouragement for you: all it takes is practice.

If, at the start, you find that you can come up with only five words to express how your day went, that’s fine. When you keep up the habit of journaling every day, you’ll find yourself writing more and being able to express yourself better.

Being able to write better also helps you communicate with others better. It teaches you how to form your sentences to get your point across. Writing in your journal every day helps with school papers or work reports. Writing even helps you with composing emails or chats.

3. Journaling every day helps reduce stress and anxiety.

Sometimes, when you’ve gone through a lot in a day, negative thoughts and emotions can keep bothering you. This can be extremely stressful when dealing with something challenging or something you feel strongly about. Writing is one of the best ways to let go of the stress and anxiety you face.

Writing about how you honestly feel gets you to process your emotions before letting them go. Venting allows you to release so you can move forward. Sometimes, you might even be able to think up a solution or a way of dealing with a problem that you may not have thought of before.

4. Journaling every day helps strengthen your memory.

Writing something down lets your brain know that you want to remember it. Journaling works the same way. The more you write something, the more your brain remembers it. If you have ideas you don't want to forget, or a moment you want to remember forever, try writing them down. Chances are, even after some time, you will still remember it. This is why it’s also a good practice to write down your goals and dreams. That way, you will remember them always.

5. Journaling every day helps you track your growth.

As you go through life, you learn valuable experiences through your work. When dealing with people or observing the things around you, note these experiences and life lessons, and write them down.

After you’ve been journaling for some time and feel a little retrospective, you can always peek into your old journals to see how far you’ve grown. Seeing your progress gives you that confidence boost you sometimes need to get. Read through old entries and look at the challenges you faced once upon a time and see how far you’ve come.

6. Journaling every day teaches you to be more grateful.

While some people use their journals for writing the things they are grateful for, not everyone does the same. However, when you write about your insights, it automatically shifts your mindset towards gratitude. You may start your journal feeling a bit sad, depressed, or anxious, but once you get rid of those thoughts, you’ll be able to realize that, despite all these things you face, there is much to be grateful for.

7. Journaling every day gives you space for self-reflection.

Life can be pretty fast-paced when you’re busy, which might cause you to miss out on appreciating the things around you. Journaling lets you stop and take a breath at the end of the day. It allows you to take a step back on what you did for the day and record it in your journal. It forces you to slow down and reflect on how you’ve changed and what else you can do to improve yourself.

8. Journaling every day helps you become more creative.

The mind is an amazing place—with every corner and crevice filled with thoughts, questions, and ideas. When you are busy, you don’t have time to explore the depths of your mind or tap on your inner creativity. Journaling lets you do that because you can write down anything that comes to mind. Let your imagination run wild. Record your thoughts, no matter how absurd they may sound. Who knows? In your mind might be the next best screenplay or bestselling novel.

9. Journaling every day records your life history.

You might think that you have the most boring life, but you never know what might happen. Aside from recording key points in your life, you can also write about what happens around you in line with major events happening in the world. People have found treasures in reading old letters and other writings of family members who have passed on. Your journals may eventually be your descendants' most cherished items.

Practice makes perfect!

You don't have to write pages and pages when you're starting your journaling journey. Write a few sentences at a time. Talk about your day and how you feel. If you don't know what to write, use some journaling prompts. Pretty soon, you'll be able to get into the habit and discipline of journaling about your life every day.

Try journaling every day with Wondr Journal. 

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