“Out of clutter, find simplicity”- Albert Einstein
1,344 words
6–9 minutes
In today’s modern era, journaling feels like something that slows us down or an activity for fun. However, it keeps us connected to our lives. The concept of abundant minimalism promotes a lifestyle that focuses on removing irrelevant materials and distractions in order to create space for a more meaningful life. As an abundant minimalist, I do not keep habits just because it is a trend or people are talking about it. I experimented with journaling, and I think it is a great way to decompress from the day. Journaling helps me relieve stress, think clearly, and release resentment and anger. Furthermore, it makes my work sharper, helps me get rid of lingering thoughts and aids in stress management as well. The major reason I journal is that it allows me to brain dump random thoughts and release any negative emotion that bothers me. In this essay, my goals are to list some benefits of journaling I experienced and how to get into the habit of journaling as an abundant minimalist.
Encourages Clear Thinking:
Journaling is not about dear diary moments. In STEM or any other field, the hardest part is rarely doing the work—the hard part is understanding the problem and taking the steps to solve it. In my senior year of college, I took an International and Global Studies class where we had to conduct research on any topic in the subject area that interested us. There were numerous topics that interested me, like women’s issues, diversity, language, and food. However, I could not write a succinct thesis statement for my project. I started writing about my project in my journal, sometimes in bullet points, sentences, or even use drawings, and would revisit my diary. A week later, all my ideas came together as a thesis. I decided to conduct research on how new immigrants come to the US and how they navigate the healthcare and language systems in the US. You can stare at a problem set for an hour and feel stuck, not because it is impossible but because your thoughts are disorganized. I am not saying to write about everything or for 3-4 hours every day, but if something is bothering you, you need to brain dump it on paper or digitally in a notebook. When you write things out, you realize what to prioritize and what not to. What is important becomes visible and what you are stuck on becomes specific. For example, I wrote a polished and concise project thesis.
Reduces Cognitive Overload:
As students or professionals, our brains are constantly holding concepts, problems, deadlines, random thoughts, and half-solutions. Instead of remembering everything, you relax when ideas and tasks get out of your brain onto paper, reducing mental clutter and making your brain work more efficiently without being overwhelmed. There are several famous people across different disciplines who engaged in journaling, like Albert Einstein, who had travel and mathematical notebooks, John Steinbeck kept a journal while writing The Grapes of Wrath, and Charlotte Bronte kept a notebook to endure emotional isolation as a schoolteacher (The Morgan Library & Museum, 2013). Journaling might seem like an old-fashioned idea, but people used it to organize their thoughts or deal with emotions. During my junior year, I struggled with a Science Journalism assignment and sought advice from my professor. He gave me a pocket-sized notebook to write down ideas as they came, which helped me gather my thoughts and write most of my project in one sitting. After organizing and editing it, I realized this method reduced cognitive overload and sparked my ongoing journaling habit.
Helps Us Get Rid of Intrusive and Negative Thoughts:
I see journaling as a punching bag to relieve myself of negative and intrusive thoughts from my day or from a negative event. According to James Pennebaker, “Journaling helps with improved emotional and physical health, boosts immunity, lowers blood pressure, and improves sleep quality as it organizes chaotic thoughts and releases pent-up emotions” (Pennebaker, 1997). Moreover, I try my best to write daily. Writing about positive emotions makes me excited as if I am reliving the moment. However, if I suppress my feelings and do not write about it, the negative event bothers me or makes me more irritated. As soon as I write about it, I feel as if I dumped away clutter and negative vibes.
Creates Space for Honesty and Processes Vulnerability:
We cannot put our hearts on our sleeves and show how we feel to everyone. The outlet I use to get rid of my stress is a notebook in which I write. Then sometimes I crumple and throw out the paper, which is a better feeling because that signals the discomfort I felt in a situation. We cannot trust everyone by telling them about our problems, but we need an outlet. Chrissy Holm quotes therapist Ashley Goodwin and states, “Showing vulnerability is very uncomfortable as it exposes our insecurities…” (Holm, n.d.). I struggle with vulnerability and expressing myself emotionally. However, when I communicate in writing, I analyze my thoughts, and sometimes in my writing process, I figure out a solution.
Use it to Track Patterns of Burnout:
Most students and young professionals are busy trying to do everything without resting, forgetting the fact that they are humans and not robots. I see journaling as an accountability partner where I have honest conversations with myself. For example, if my goals for today were to achieve 3 tasks such as studying, cooking, and going to a friend to study, and at the last minute I decided to cancel my plans to study with the friend. In my journal, I can write why I did not go to study with the friend. Was it because I was not ready for the test or was I too tired to go and have a discussion session my friend? Journaling about not achieving the third goal and explaining it in writing helps me take preventative actions. Like in the previous situation it would be preparing more for the test or resting before attending a study session with my friend so that I could concentrate better. When we see patterns on paper or on a word document digitally, such as exhaustion, procrastination, anxiety, and sleep issues we respond faster to accountability, resolving the issues, which helps us prevent bigger blunders.
How to make it a Habit?
Do not think of journaling as another check box to tick. However, try to make it a habit you do most days or when there is something meaningful or not. Write about small things. You can also write about special events, like surprises, something that went well, or if you helped someone, and how you felt. Start small, write for 3-5 minutes per day, and gradually increase the time spent. Journaling daily, even if it is one sentence or doodling, will reduce the friction to start making it easy to write for long stretches. You do not have to worry about punctuation and grammar. Consider it a judgement- free zone where you express yourself freely. Brain dump everything you have in mind. Sometimes, you won’t have anything to write. Other times you might write a lot, for example, if you had an eventful day.
As an abundant minimalist, journaling is about staying honest and realistic with yourself. Journaling allows us to brain dump random thoughts on paper and detox ourselves from any negative emotion that bothers us. It acts as a filter which distinguishes what is important and what we need to let go of. It protects our energy, our health, and our goals. Finally, if it is kept simple, it keeps us connected to ourselves and prevents us from getting tangled in the hassles of life, it helps us through crises, and comforts us in isolation or pain.
Works’ Cited
Holm, C. (n.d.). Journaling for Mental Health: How It Helps and How to Start
Pennebaker, J. W. (1997). Writing about emotional experiences as a therapeutic process. Psychological Science, 8(3), 162-166.
The Diary: Three Centuries of Private Lives. (2013, August 20). The Morgan Library & Museum. https://www.themorgan.org/exhibitions/the-diary