Nearly every morning, I brew a cup of coffee and sit down to write in my journal. Ever since middle school, I have kept a journal to some degree, but one of my resolutions for 2020 was to write in my journal every morning I didn’t have to rush out the door to go somewhere (which has been most mornings with the state of things this year). With 250 pages filled in the 500 page journal I bought last December, I would say that I have been able to follow through with my resolution so far this year.

My journaling habit has allowed me to keep track of events in my life and around the world, process my thoughts and emotions around heavy and/or troubling situations, reflect on the growth I’ve experienced this year, and create a detailed record of things I consider important to remember. In my journal, I also have lists of goals I want to accomplish, things I want to experience in my life, what I have experienced so far this year (books read, movies watched, events attended, etc.), and information about my health and personal growth I want to track. With all of this information written down, not only does it allow me to keep everything in one place, but it also lets me look back and see everything as a whole to better understand who I am as a person.

For people with busy lives, journaling may seem like just another chore to add to your list, but it is a great exercise for practicing self-care and understanding yourself. Without journaling, there would be a lot of emotions and ideas I would still be stuck on because journaling allows you to process, reflect, and find solutions in a way that just dwelling on it in your mind does not. For only about ten to fifteen minutes of my day spent journaling, I have gained so much from this daily practice.

And there are many types of journaling you can engage in. My style of journaling is just freewriting on a blank page, but I know a blank page can be stressful for a lot people. Instead, you could by a journal that gives you prompts or only enough space to write a sentence or two. If you go onto websites like Pinterest, there are countless prompts to get you thinking about what you want to write. Bullet journaling is also an option for creative and well-organized people, especially those who love working with lists and calendars. There is no wrong way to journal.

With whatever type of journaling you feel is the the best fit for you, I highly recommend you find ten to fifteen minutes of your day you can devote to journaling. This is a stressful time to be alive, and we are all less connected to those we can be open and honest with than ever before (despite what social media wants us to believe), so having a journaling practice or habit will help to take some of the stress off your shoulders. At the very least, I have found that journaling about this crazy year has given me a chance to process it and feel like I am doing something by keeping a record of it. Additionally, if you cannot afford therapy, journaling is the next best thing, though I do not recommend it as a replacement.

If you need help with starting to journal, there are countless resources available to you on the internet. There a lot of methods and types to choose from, so feel free to experiment until you find one that works best for you. Whatever you do, don’t give up because it is well worth the time and effort.