Have you ever had one of those days where everything goes wrong, and you can't shake off the negativity?

I had.

That's where my journal comes in. It has been my go-to tool for navigating the ups and downs of life. Whether working towards a goal or trying to get through a tough day, writing things down always helps me gain clarity.

I want to share how journaling can support you on the journey toward your goals. And help you stay motivated and focused when things get tough.

Writing a journal makes thinking clearer

Thoughts in an unsupervised mind are like the Wild West.

They come whenever they want and run around like wild horses. Try thinking about something specific for five minutes to experience what I mean. Or try not to think.

Journaling is a way of freeing up your brain.

The brain is usually stuck in a thinking loop. Journaling limits how many thoughts are there. You transfer them to paper so they won't occupy precious brain space.

Below are why I keep journaling every.fcuking.day. Let them inspire you.

You keep yourself responsible

I started journaling the day I got sober.

In the beginning, I put a note in each entry stating that I was still sober at the end of the day. That helped a lot because I could track my promises. Since then, I have promised myself that I would be sober daily.

I learned that I could use the same process for everything.

Once I thought I wanted to be a writer, I wrote my goals. One of them was publishing on Medium. So, for half a year, I promised myself I would write a post no matter what. After half a year, I upheld my promise. I held myself accountable.

It sounds like a lot of time, but I thought of writing 12 years ago. I did almost nothing for 10, and since starting a journal, it took me six months to publish my first article.

Having a written goal or desire makes it harder to say, "There was no right opportunity" or "I don't want it."

You have a log of your desires ready for you to review. It brings clarity to what you want and what you don't want. In addition, you'll prime your mind to pay attention to what you truly want.

Regulate anxiety

Many sources focus on the anxiety and stress-reducing effects of journaling, but there are times when you need to feel stress and anxiety.