5 Benefits of Writing Down Daily Experiences: Personal Experience

Four years ago, I decided to review and write down my work from the previous day at the beginning of each day. 

Note: This article is by Brody Kenny, who shares his experience writing down short notes about his daily experiences.

I used to content myself with recording the achievements that deserve mention and the actions that helped me advance in my life, even if they were simple, such as watching a movie or preparing a new dish etc. I can say today with confidence that this step is one of the best decisions I have taken in my life.

Five Benefits Of Writing Down Daily Experiences

1. Monitoring my life

There is a famous quote by the Irish writer and researcher C.S. Lewis, in which he says: "Isn't it strange that nothing changes from one day to the next, but when we look back on the past, everything seems different."

The rhythm of life is so fast that it is impossible to monitor the changes and stations that a person went through to reach their current situation.

Writing down my daily experiences briefly without elaborating on their details helped me track the stages and the experiences I went through until I reached this stage in my life.

I began to monitor the changes I made over the years, such as moving to a new home or resigning from my previous job, so I can now read my life path, including changes and developments, instead of repeating similar monotonous days without sensing progress.

2. Holding myself accountable

When I do not wish to do any work, I am reminded that I hold back the personal progress I shall make by tomorrow. This is because I have nothing to write down in my journal the next morning.

If the day is coming to an end, and I am struggling to do something, I add a sentence or two to the short story I am working on so that I can get up the next day and write down: “I made progress on writing my short story" in the daily log. It may not be as an important achievement as writing a novel, but it is something I can be proud of.

3. Making me appreciate the important days in my life

I select special days at the end of each month. There are no specific criteria for choosing these days. Rather, it is considered important to me in terms of development and diligence, such as completing an important project or visiting a new place. The challenge is to make every day special, and although this is not always easy, I generally do well.

4. Making it possible to reflect on my life

Meditations are another aspect of the plan. At the end of every month and year, I also study the events of my life and how they affected me, such as starting a romantic relationship, adapting to a new living situation, or dealing with cases of psychological frustration. Writing down my feelings without judgment helps me bring more mindfulness into my life.

5. Helping me remember

Writing down my life experiences helped me strengthen my memory. Returning to previous records, I can remember past experiences better. As we grow older, we feel that our lives pass by in the blink of an eye and that our experiences are meaningless. Taking notes about my experiences makes me keep a vivid copy of my life in my memory. If I decide to write my memoirs, there will be notes covering the most important details in the various stages of my life for me to benefit from.