When people start reading about the benefits of journaling and begin this practice, one very common question comes up – what do you do with them when they’re full? Most people save them, but then never look at them again. Here are some reasons why saving them and actually revisiting them at a later time can be good for you.
See How Far You Have Come
The first benefit to reading your old journals is to see how far you come. You might feel like your life is the same as it was months or years ago, but it probably isn’t. It is so easy to feel like things have always been the same and underestimate your own perseverance, strength, and accomplishments.
Every time you feel a little stuck or like you aren’t getting very far, take a look at your old journals and see what is the same, but also what has improved. You might be very surprised by what you find.
Discover Goals or Dreams You Forgot About
It is normal for our goals and priorities in life to shift, but sometimes you just forgot about a dream because something got in the way. Revisiting your old journals can help you see what used to be a priority and even spark some new inspiration in your life right now.
Again, when you are just feeling a little lost or confused, or stuck in a rut, read your old journals. Go as far back as you want and see what your goals were then. Do any of these goals spark some new inspiration now? What was your thought process then compared to now?
Find Goals You Have Achieved
There may also be other goals you have accomplished, and never fully realized it. When you read your old journals, you can also find certain paths in your life where you went the right direction, and your life has improved greatly. Maybe you started your own business in the last year, but you forgot that several years ago, this was what was on your mind the most. Looking back at your old journals instantly brings you back to where you were then, and you can appreciate so much more now.
Learn From Different Phases in Your Life
Every phase of your life is important, even if it doesn’t feel that meaningful at the time. No matter what phase you are in now, it is changed from where you were a year, 5 years, or 10 years ago. That is the beauty of having journals to document everything you go through in life.
