Journaling Your Way to Better Mental and Physical Wellness
Have you ever wondered about the millions of people out there who journal on a regular basis? There are entire Instagram and YouTube communities dedicated to the art.
So, why have people been journaling for centuries? The benefits of journaling are multi-faceted and incredibly interesting. Let’s explore how to start journaling for emotional wellness, as well as a few tips and tricks to springboard this exciting new journey.
Brain Dump
Journaling offers an almost-immediate remedy to an overcrowded mind swimming with thoughts and emotions.
When you take everything you’ve been thinking and feeling throughout the day and write it down on paper, it’s a bit like a release valve. That cluttered, racing feeling can be reduced as we allow ourselves to get it all out.
The best part of journaling is that there are no rules. We just have to sit down, commit to it, and let the words and ideas flow from there.
Self-Reflection
Journaling is one of the best ways to get to know ourselves better. It helps us form our opinions, test their solvency, and develop a deeper understanding of who we are and what’s important to us.
This is one of the best rewards of a method of journaling known as stream of consciousness writing. We sit down, write, and don’t edit as we go.
It doesn’t matter how sloppy our handwriting is. Or, if we’re typing, it doesn’t matter how many typos we make. All we have to do is keep going.
We can always go back and read what we wrote. It’s a useful journaling practice that allows us to examine ourselves in greater detail while useful insights bubble to the surface.
Release of Stress and Anxiety
If you ever have moments where you feel like you’re going to blow, it might be wise to pull out your journal and write about it on your lunch break or mid-afternoon break.
Sometimes, the act of getting it out releases some of the stress and anxiety that’s mounting. We can actively stop the revolving door of thoughts that tend to overtake our minds.
Journaling can help us take a step back from our day and write down what we're feeling. In fact, studies suggest that consistent journaling can help improve stress, anxiety, and overall quality of life.
Coping With Trauma
Journaling can help us cope with trauma. It’s a fine line between revisiting the past too often and facing it in order to move on.
However, with the help of a counselor or therapist, it may be helpful to face a traumatic experience head on and journal about it. Record it in as much detail as possible. See if it provides any sense of release in an effort to move forward and let go of the trauma.
Don’t be surprised if you see a teardrop or two fall on the paper. You may find that, in the end, it was tremendously cathartic. This practice can be used for various degrees of trauma, and the Harvard Business Review suggests that, paired with other therapeutic efforts, journaling can help heal trauma.
In fact, many survivors of the Holocaust took to writing about their experiences. One of those survivors was Victor Frankl who wrote Man’s Search for Meaning, previously titled A Psychologist Experiences the Concentration Camp. This book was written over a period of nine days in 1946.
Improved Sleep
It’s said Queen Elizabeth II used to journal every night before she went to sleep. It sounds like it was a great way to release the day and then drift off to sleep.
In lieu of laying there, wide awake, replaying the day, it sometimes helps to relive the day on the page. You can also use your journal to plan the next day so you’ll fall asleep feeling like you have a handle on what’s next to come.
Personal Growth
If there’s an area of your life that you’re looking to improve, journaling can help you track your progress and see how close you are to achieving your goal.
Maybe you want to be more assertive, learn how to say no, or be more patient. Maybe you want to pay down some debt, increase your savings, or lose a few pounds.
Journaling can help you see where you’re struggling to come to terms with these events and where you’re developing new capabilities.
Reflect on the small victories you experience on your road to discovery. Track your behaviors and action items that will help you get where you’re going.
Another method of journaling is called bullet journaling. The pages look a little different, in that they come in a grid form. And, of course, you can still free write on grid-style paper.
But, the main premise of bullet journaling is that it’s a great way to create lists and keep track of personal goals, whether it's how many glasses of water you drank today or something less tangible like how many times you paused for a moment of gratitude or positive self-talk.
Improved Clarity
This ties into personal growth. If you’re struggling to make a certain life decision or uncertain how to handle a situation, journaling can bring the answer to the surface.
It’s sort of life talking to a friend, without actually burdening a friend with your troubles. Instead you can lean into your own understanding and intelligence, and learn how to trust your instincts as you continue to reflect on everyday experiences.
Recording Memories
One way to make the magical moments of life linger longer is to journal about them. Retell the story of the sweet thing your partner did for you. Relive the moment a stranger on the street did something kind for you.
Save items, too, from your special days so you can glue or tape them into your journal. It’s fun to see your journal bulk up with small tokens like airline tickets, theater tickets, or concert tickets. When you revisit these pages in weekly or monthly flip throughs, those happy memories will lift your spirits.
Tips for Journaling
If you’ve been wondering, “How do I start a journal?” the answer is easier than you think… You just start! Remember, this is your craft and there are no rules. But, here are a few ideas to help you find some motivation.
Choose a Special Time of Day
Julia Cameron’s world renowned book, The Artist’s Way, insists on getting out of bed every morning with a firm resolve to sit down and write three pages a day.
This method of journaling is similar to stream of consciousness writing. You can write absolutely anything, including, “I don’t know what to write,” but the act of putting pen to paper first thing in the morning can transform the mind and increase creativity.
Choose a Medium
While artists like Julia Cameron insist on putting pen to paper, you may find yourself more drawn to fingers on a keyboard. In a way, typing keeps up with the fast pace of the mind more easily than pen to paper.
There are countless online platforms there, too, like Day One, Evernote, and Penzu. You can even queue up the Notes app on your MacBook or a Google Doc. See which medium works for you. And, don’t forget, you can easily add pictures to your online journal, too.
Choose a Format
If you want to find a space to clear your mind, make some lists, and plan your days, you might consider a bullet journal. It’s a nice way to create habit trackers and progress reports for your hopes and dreams.
Or, you might opt for stream of consciousness writing like Julia Cameron from The Artist's Way. In which case, purchase a journal or notebook that speaks to you and give yourself the space to free write. Don’t judge your handwriting; don’t edit as you go. Just consider it a safe space to write openly and honestly.
You can also take a scrapbook journaling approach. This is a popular method of journaling for beginners. There are countless mini printers out there that will pull those gorgeous photos off our phone so you can tape them down on paper.
Gratitude journaling has also been known to really turn lives around. It’s so easy to get stuck on the things in life that aren’t going our way. It’s just a natural inclination that many of us tend towards.
But, when we create gratitude entries, we find ourselves expressing thankfulness for the things we might otherwise overlook. This can have an enormous impact on our overall happiness and outlook on life.
Reward Yourself
As you develop this helpful new habit, find small ways to reward yourself. Maybe your time to journal will be spent by the fire, or with your favorite cup of tea, or glass of wine.
Make it a sacred ritual that you incorporate into your daily life. The more you do it, the more you’ll find yourself looking forward to this special part of your day, whether it be the morning, afternoon, or night.
Countless Reasons Why You Should Start Journaling
It may sound silly, but make your journal your constant companion that travels around with you. Jot down new ideas; reflect on the lovely things that happened throughout the day – or the frustrating ones.
Tape in little wildflowers that you come upon, theater tickets, or pictures from your phone. Use the page to untangle your mind when you’re conflicted about something. Over time, you’ll stop wondering why you should start journaling but, rather, how come you haven't been doing this all along.