We’ve talked about how journaling can help you through a tough time, but have you ever considered some of the other benefits of chronicling your life?

1. You can always find out when something happened. Memory is fallible, and everyone remembers the same event differently. If there’s a family disagreement about something in the past (did Johnny break his ankle before or after we went on vacation to Florida?) you can solve it by looking it up in your diary.

2. You can plan out disagreements with other people. Don’t you always know when a big fight is coming with your husband, child or co-worker? If you write down your thoughts and opinions on the problem, you’ll be calmer and more sure of yourself when it comes time to speak them out loud.

3. You can figure out disagreements with yourself. If you have a big decision to make, writing about it will help you think through benefits, costs and potential outcomes.

4. It sheds light on a recurring issue. Example: I tend to get bad colds and sinus infections a few times every winter. I always like to look back on the week before I got sick to see if I was taking care of myself and identify the habits I should continue to stress for good health.

5. It gives you the chance to process your day. Not everyone is completely in touch with her feelings at all times (picture me, raising my hand). Journaling allows you to convert feelings into words, and identify the sources of powerful emotions like frustration and anxiety.

6. You always have something interesting to read. As Oscar Wilde wrote in The Importance of Being Earnest, “I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.”

7. It shows your growth as a person. It’s amazing to look back on my entries from only a year ago and see how much I’ve grown and changed, both as a writer and as a person. It also validates my life choices and shows me if I’m further along the path to my desired life.

8. It’s a place for ideas and creative thinking. Wishing for some warmer weather? Journal a list of things you can do to make it feel like summer in February!

9. Long term journaling= instant memoir! (Shake well, add editing, stir and repeat until you’re ready to query.)

10. It can turn you into a writer. It did for me!