https://web.archive.org/web/20240307125758/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/what-is-the-dominant-emotion-in-400-years-of-womens-diaries-180983834/

Women's diaries from 17th till now have frustration as recurring theme, analysis shows. Not a big surprise. I think journaling often is emerging when frustration rears its head. And women have had ages of deeply systemic reasons to be very frustrated by.

I've only ever journaled when there was something wrong with me or my context, when I was frustrated, sad, depressed etc. Perhaps except for those who treat their being as action research and make daily notes for later data mining, or those in a public role journaling to maintain first hand observations before spin gets invovled (keep a journal is a sound advice for anyone getting politically active).