The Benefits of Journalling and Blogging


Courtesy of GailVilcu.com

Every once in a while, I make it a point to take a step back from what I'm doing and to reflect upon where I'm headed to. This involves asking myself some honest questions such as the following:

Am I progressing in all fronts of my life - work, family, social, physical and spiritual?

Have I grown and developed professionally as an "after office hours" business blogger? Are the quality of my posts improving or regressing?

More importantly, am I en route to achieving my personal goals if I continue along this trajectory?

As I ponder these questions, I find it useful to keep a written record of where I've been and look back to my previous posts/write-ups to gauge how far I have gone in achieving these goals. With a written journal, I am made more aware of what I've accomplished - and what I've not - while calibrating my own expectations for the future.

Keeping a blog is a good way of instilling the discipline of journaling. By capturing my thoughts, views and ideas on marketing, business, events and lifestyle, I am assured that I have a digital archive that can serve as a convenient reference for me should I need to tap onto my own years of experience and expertise.

The other advantage - and a huge one I must add - is that a blog allows me to contribute to the body of wisdom and knowledge that is freely available online for anybody to tap onto. I feel immense satisfaction in empowering my readers with useful information and bits of knowledge that they can use in their professional or personal lives.

Writing a journal also allows us to have a conversation with ourselves (albeit in a sane way) and to embrace an attitude of reflection. We can ask ourselves tough questions, ponder and chew over them for a few days, and revisit the questions again at the appropriate time.

For matters that are less sensitive, we can even "poll" our network of readers, fans and friends online, seeking their views on a decision that is difficult for us to make using our own resources. Their comments and interactions help to make the subject matter come alive.

Keeping an online journal helps us to extend our creative capacity, tapping onto our right brains and compelling us to write in a relatively unbridled fashion. While I do read, write and edit a fair amount of information at work, the style and flow of the writing is radically different from what I do at home on my blog. By combining structured and unstructured writing, we exercise all aspects of our brain and are able to approach an issue or a problem in a more holistic manner.

Finally, maintaining a journal helps us to quieten our hearts and minds, acting as a conduit for us expend our nervous energy. In times of difficulties and trials, your diary/blog can act like a constant companion where you can pour out your frustrations, sadness or fears (of course with the right levels of "protected" access).

Blogging and journalling keeps one sane in this crazy world where change is the only constant. It anchors one's innermost thoughts and emotional life, and is perhaps the only "work" which you do where you have complete control.

If you haven't already started to keep an online journal or blog, I strongly encourage you to start one today. While the initial stages may be tough going, the process will get easier and easier as you ingrain it into a part of your everyday lives.

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