What’s one thing that Leonardo da Vinci, Mark Twain, Thomas Edison, and Albert Einstein all have in common? They’ve all kept journals. Whether it’s a notebook kept beneath a mattress or a locked diary hidden in a drawer most people have kept a written record of their thoughts during some point in their lives. Although it may be a hobby for some people, it has proven to be much more impactful than just a place to store emotions and thoughts.

There are many health and emotional benefits that come along with keeping a journal. Firstly, journaling can help a person destress and is proven to make emotionally difficult situations easier. At The University of Austin a researcher, James W. Pennebaker found that writing about hard experiences makes it easier to deal with. Additionally, it has been found that results come fast, just 15-20 minutes of writing 3-5 times a week for 4 months is enough to lower blood pressure and increase overall health. It is especially important for teens and students to journal regularly. Benefits include increasing efficiency and a healthy sense of self. 

When you think of journaling most people think of keeping a diary or just writing about the day they had; however, this is not the only way to journal. If someone doesn’t want to keep a traditional diary, a great alternative is a nature journal in order to keep track of species of plants they see and the ones that interest them most. Another alternative is to answer a daily prompt which will allow the author to write about something new each day. Finally, some can keep a recipe journal to save recipes and new foods they come across. No matter what people are interested in they can make it into a journal and advance their writing. 

Journaling is something everyone can do no matter one’s age or experience. Next time you find yourself in a store, think about picking up a journal to record whatever interests you.