I used to think journaling was a waste of my time. What is the point of journaling when nothing makes each day different from the next? Shouldn’t I be prioritizing living in the moment instead of capturing moments that have already passed? I only committed to journaling when I thought that the events qualified as “special;” I journaled when I went to cool places or on extended camping trips.

I’m embarrassed to say that it took me until my senior year of high school to realize the importance of journaling. I was on a long backpacking trip and was ardently committed to intensive journaling throughout the entire trip. As I journaled, I realized that my daily practice was helping me in more ways than just to track my backpacking journey. Leaving the trip, one of my biggest goals was to continue journaling every day. Here are a few reasons why you should too.

1. It makes each day special. My original perception that everyday life was too boring and normal to be documented was completely incorrect. Though days often blend together when we fall into a routine, journaling brings out the special moments of each day, reminding us how to truly live in the moment.
2. It encourages self-reflection. Journaling has helped me to better evaluate who I am and how I present myself to the world. By regularly reflecting on myself, I’ve been able to become a better and more aware person.
3. It helps to track goals. At the beginning of each school semester or term, I set a number of goals for myself and write them down in my journal. Journaling each day helps me to track my progress on each goal regularly. Before using my journal as a tool for this, I often forgot that I had even set goals in the first place. This practice keeps me mindful and aware.
4. It brings out the good of each day. After a tough day, journaling reminds me of the good and forces me to see the sunshine in the clouds. By regularly reflecting, it becomes easier to focus on the positive and learn from the negative.
5. It makes me feel grateful. Reflecting forces me to see the big picture, reminding me that even when things are hard, I still have so many amazing people and experiences in my life.

Journaling takes a significant amount of time, which many of us don’t have. I recognize this. Over the past few years, I have tried different tactics that allow me to journal in a less time-consuming way. While journaling, I generally try to focus on the positive. One strategy that has helped me do this is to write the two best things that happen to me every day, which forces me to find the best in any day, no matter what kind of day it was. I also try to note things I am grateful for, helping me to always remember the positive in life.

It is important to find a method of journaling that works for you because everyone reflects in completely different ways. Maybe your method of reflection doesn’t even involve a journal! But practicing self-reflection in some capacity is crucial for becoming your absolute best self every single day.