As I mentioned in my previous article, keeping a journal could be a creative New Year’s Resolution and has a lot of benefits besides. It is something that I do as often as possible and find to be personally rewarding. As if I wasn’t convincing enough the first time around, here are just a sample of the many powerful reasons why keeping a journal is beneficial to you.

1. It may make you happier

Writing about your life will help you understand what makes you feel happy and confident and what makes you feel sad and miserable. From there, you’ll know what toxic people and situations you can cut out of your life. Recognizing the wonderful parts of your day (and life in general) will also boost self-esteem.

2. It’s cathartic for emotional situations

If something happens to you that is upsetting and you just don’t want to talk about it with a real person, then write about it. James Pennebaker, a social psychologist at the University of Texas, says that writing about stressful events helps you come to terms with them and improves your physical health, since the stress won’t be taking a toll on your body. Plus, your journal is for your eyes only, so you don’t have to worry about someone else reading something so deeply personal.

3. You can organize your thoughts

Ever felt stressed to the max and don’t know where to begin to comprehend what’s going on? Write about it. It will help you get in touch with what you want and provide a unique perspective on the situation. You may also find that you feel better about the situation afterward and know exactly how to proceed in real life.

4. It may enhance your creativity

The best way to improve your writing is to just keep writing, so journaling often will help you with your writing skills. This source cites that writing in a journal helps with: effective communication of complex ideas, memorizing essential information, brainstorming, creation and understanding of a new perspective, breaking down complex ideas, and organizing information.

5. You will remember what’s important

I cannot tell you the number of times I have read old entries in my journal and read about an experience or event I totally would have forgotten otherwise. If I hadn’t written it down, it might have slipped away and been forgotten forever. Though some situations or instances may be so hard you want to forget them, having a record of how you were then versus how you are now will really help you see your personal growth.