We live in an era of social media and it’s easy to get in the habit of typing out opinions, thoughts, and rants in 150 character chunks. But when was the last time you sat down and wrote about yourself, for yourself? Here are three reasons why you should start adult journaling.

You Get to Know Yourself

Typing on a computer is great. It checks your spelling, your punctuation, heck, even your word usage. It’s a life saver. And while you certainly can journal on a computer, the aesthetic is the same for everyone. Sure the substance is different but this journal isn’t for world consumption. It’s for you to get to know you. Warts and all. When it comes to picking up a pen and letting the words spill out of you, the below average handwriting and terrible grammar are as much a part of you as the words themselves. Don’t let sub-par handwriting and misspellings be the reasons you don’t spend time getting to know yourself. Besides, Ernest Hemingway was a terrible speller and your doctor's handwriting is not even close to legible.

Journals Keep You Connected to the Past

While social media platforms like to remind you of something you posted or a picture you took, your personal journal will tell you why you were happy when you took that picture and what you were thinking when you wrote that post. A personal journal is like a mental and emotional time machine. Taking you back back, not just to times and places, but to feelings as well.

Journals Keep You Honest

One of the perks of journaling is being able to communicate through time. A popular journaling exercise is to write letters to your future self. Making two, five or even 10-year goals for yourself then communicating with the future version of you. They don’t always have to be goals. They could also be hopes and dreams or wishes you make for the person you hope to be. Then when the time comes, you look back and see how far you’ve come.

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