Get to Know Yourself: Guest Post from David Grover

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Guest Post from David Grover—Get to Know Yourself: 5 Self-Discoveries You Make When Writing a Journal

One of the most powerful and efficient ways to get to know yourself is through keeping a journal. Writing down your deepest inner thoughts is incredibly therapeutic and allows you to gain control of your emotions and to set tasks to achieve your goals.

You might think that keeping a journal is a lot of work for no reward, but the truth is the number of self-discoveries you make while journaling is astounding. Here are five that are worth paying attention to.

1 The things you love
It sounds kind of simple, doesn’t it? Of course, you discover the things you love when you write a journal; you already know them. However, it isn’t as simple as that. One of the benefits of writing a journal is the knowledge that no one but yourself will ever read it, and with that knowledge comes security and the absence of deceit.

When you realize that your journal is just for you, the things that you write become increasingly personal and edge closer to the truth you either hide or play down. This happens because journal writing allows you to let go and permit your subconscious to have an audible voice. You then discover things, people, and places that you love but were unable to realize.

2 The things you hate
Just as you discover the things you love when you write a journal, you also discover the things that you hate. And again it sounds simple, but we tend to bury the things that truly bother us. Writing out your feelings, both positive and negative, allows you to assess and confront any problems you may have in a very positive and healthy way.

3 Your core values
Your core values are what make your personality unique to you, and while we might think we know how we feel or think about certain things, the fact is, until you examine your feelings and intuitions, you’ll never know for sure. That’s where journaling comes in. Keeping a journal and reviewing it from time to time will allow you to see inside of your soul, including your core values, in a way you haven’t before.

4 Your dreams
We all know what our dreams and aspirations are; from the ridiculous to the mundane, we have a good idea of our wants and wishes. When you keep a journal not only do you discover new ambitions, you also figure out a way to make them a lot more tangible.

A great benefit to keeping a journal is reviewing it and taking note of running themes and recurring events. Through doing this you will be able to see where you are going wrong and how to make it right. When you see the details of your life laid out in black and white, you automatically make a conscious effort to change it for the better, including chasing those dreams of yours.

5 Creative sparks
A great self-discovery that is made when keeping a journal is creativity. The act of writing every day tends to light an artistic fire in your belly, and you will discover a talent you never knew you had. Even if you are already quite inventive, the therapeutic nature of journaling relaxes your mind, leaving you free to tap into the creative side of your brain that you may have previously ignored.

Amazing self-discoveries aside, keeping a journal is a lot of fun. It’s a great way to spend your time. Your writing skills improve, and you learn so much more about yourself. So, if you were ever on the fence about keeping a journal, now might be the time to start!

 

David Grover is a Communications Manager at Timeo, a useful tool for businesses in the UK. He’s also a freelance career coach who’s always eager to share his experience. In his free time he enjoys traveling.

Image: © Depositphotos.com/mark@rocketclips.com

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