Church leaders, doctors, and countless individuals all agree that one of the best ways to bring peace into our lives is through the simple act of journaling. Just taking a few moments of the day to record your thoughts, the events of your day, or just those things you are feeling grateful for can have incredible effects on our spiritual and physical health. The University of Rochester Medical Center recently compiled some of the various benefits and listed them as follows:
- Managing anxiety
- Reducing stress
- Coping with depression
- Helps you prioritize problems, fears, and concerns
- Improves immune function
- Keeps your memory sharp
- Boosts your mood
- Strengthens emotional functions
Not only are there wonderful health benefits for journaling, many of these wonderful accounts of your day can one day be enjoyed and cherished by your family members. Additionally, one of the greatest benefits of journaling is recording powerful spiritual experiences. Many of us will experience hills and valleys when it comes to our faith in Christ, and during those more difficult times, referring to our past spiritual experiences can be a wonderful reminder of the love of our Father in Heaven.
Church leaders as well have offered their testimonies of the benefits of journaling:
"Those who keep a journal are more likely to keep the Lord in remembrance in their daily lives." - Spencer W. Kimball
"A Personal journal is an ideal environment in which to 'become.' It is a perfect place for you to think, feel, discover, expand, remember, and dream." - Brad Wilcox
"Write down in a secure place the important things you learn from the Spirit. Express gratitude for the help received and obey it. This practice will reinforce your capacity to learn by the Spirit." - Richard G. Scott
To help get you started on creating the habit of journaling, we have so many fun and customizable journals on LDS Bookstore! Click the link here to see more.