Why You Should Keep a Journal of Ideas

I have notepads, notebooks, and journals all over my house. Over the years, I’ve filled the pages of dozens of notepads and journals. Although I don’t journal as often as I used to, I always keep a journal available to write down any ideas that might pop into my head.

Let’s See What Others Are Saying About Keeping A Journal

“Simply, whenever you have a problem and write about it in a journal, you transfer the problem from your head to the paper. This empties the mind, allowing allocation of precious resources to problem-solving rather than problem-storing.” – Lifehack

“Your journal has the potential to be both therapist and a dear friend who listens without judging or interrupting and is open 24 hours a day. You can tell your journal things you wouldn’t dare verbalise to someone else. Writing it down takes the edge off more toxic feelings and emotions and helps you better understand what you’re feeling, freeing up thinking space to gain clarity on what to do next.” – Psychologies

“As we script our journey, we find accountability ― not to the written word, but to ourselves. Our past success and perseverance compels us forward. We can see how far we’ve come, how much we have left to accomplish, and why giving up would be foolish.” – Becoming Minimalist

A Journal is Your Imagination Outside of Your Head

There are many great reasons for keeping a journal. I’ve found that journalling is essential to the creative individual. I’ve used journals to sketch out music projects. I’ve used journals to develop story ideas. I’ve used journals to sketch out movie-script ideas.

When you get creative ideas, it’s better to write them down than leave them in your head. Why? Because ideas have a way of floating away. Put those ideas on paper or a computer. You might find that some of those ideas become valuable for a future project.

Don’t Believe Me? Ask Ray Bradbury

As soon as I get an idea, I write a short story, or I start a novel, or I do a poem. So I have no need for a notebook. I do keep files of ideas and stories that didn’t quite work a year ago, five years ago, ten years ago. I come back to them later and I look through the titles. It’s like a father bird coming with a worm. You look down at all these hungry little beaks — all these stories waiting to be finished — and you say to them, Which of you needs to be fed? Which of you needs to be finished today? And the story that yells the loudest, the idea that stands up and opens its mouth, is the one that gets fed. And I pull it out of the file and finish it within a few hours.

If you’re a writer, musician, artist, or any other kind of creative individual, you should be keeping a journal. Not only will writing down your thoughts and ideas allow you to recall ideas, writing stuff down develops your creativity. Every time you write, your creativity increases.

Journalling can also help you to stay more positive. Simply write down the positive things you experience each day. Journalling about gratitude can lead to more happiness. Check out this short Ted Talk:

The Happy Secret to Better Work

If you’d like to find and develop your creativity, start writing your ideas down. Record your positive events. Start journalling today.