I've been journaling daily for nine years, and it's been so helpful! It's a simple way to engage in self-care, process the past and work on the future. My clients have used it in their recovery journeys, in processing their grief, and in taking care of themselves.
Did you know? - Journaling is clinically proven to have positive effects on our mental health! It's been shown to help in areas such as anxiety, grief and depression (1). We can also use it to bring forward our motivation, positive feelings and personal strengths.
How to journal:
1. Grab a notebook, scrap of paper, or the voice recorder app on your phone.
It doesn't matter how you do it, just choose the easiest option for yourself. The point is self-expression, so if you hate writing, try talking aloud or drawing!
2. Promise yourself that no one's going to read it This is essential: it's hard to express your true self, if you think someone else will read it. So journal like no one's watching, and see what arrives for you. Afterward, store it somewhere safe - some people even like to shred their journal, as a way to release negative feelings!
3. Let loose See what comes up for you. Connect random thoughts, wander off topic, or keep a minimal account. Whatever makes sense to you.
Here are some topics I've found helpful for clients and myself, in supporting our mental health.
1. Brief prompts
Sometimes you just don't have the time to write much. It's all good! Here's a shortlist of prompts with single word answers, that you can complete in less than 2 minutes.
A small thing I achieved today: (Laundry? Got out of bed? Talked to someone on the phone? It can be anything)
A way I connected with someone today: (Talked to a colleague? Smiled at a cashier? Texted a friend? Commented something nice on a Tiktok?)
Something that brought me joy today: (Was there sunshine today? Did you laugh at a meme? Rewatched a good show on Netflix?)
How I feel right now: (Name that feeling! It's so helpful to build our awareness of our emotions, because it can get us in touch with who we are and where we want to be. So wherever you're at, jot it down and connect with yourself :)
One self-care thing I did today: (Journaling counts! This prompt can also help you think of what else you could do to take care of yourself - perhaps a bath, a walk, or doing a hobby).
2. A list of stressful things
This seems tough, but it can be so freeing! It can be so helpful in venting the stresses of our lives, including past, present and future challenges. It stops those things rattling around our heads. Clients report that it was so helpful to get them all down on paper, and then they could move on with their day. If you're feeling stuck or overwhelmed, list them all down and see what happens for you!
3. A list of good things
We can habitually focus on the things that are going wrong, but sometimes it's helpful to guide our mind to the things that are wonderful in our world. When there are lots of bad things happening, it can still be helpful to find the little things that are feeling good. Whether it's a bit of sunshine today, a cute dog on the high street, or a cup of tea - it can help boost our brains to notice good little things, to balance out those negative feelings. Focusing on things that feel pleasant, can increase our feelings of safety, contentment and calm. This can help us feel more able to handle the tougher things.
4. What does my ideal life look like?
It can be so helpful to visualise our ideal life, in as much detail as possible. No matter how 'realistic' you feel it could be, write your dream life down. Adding detail helps you clarify the parts that you really value about this ideal life. It can be an emotional practice, so include these emotions. How would it feel to wake up and know that this is your life? How would you feel about your journey to that place? The benefits of this visualisation, include helping you notice the parts of your life that aren't working for you right now. You can also find all the little ways you can bring about that dream life now. So if you imagine a beautiful, peaceful home, could you work on creating a beautiful, peaceful bedroom today? If you imagine being more organised, could you learn a simple way to organise? This prompt can help break us out of old ways of thinking, and move us toward the things we really value.
5. What was it like to have that difficult experience in the past?
Sometimes it's helpful to explore our past challenges, traumas and stresses. It's essential to keep yourself safe during this process - and if you're not ready, that's okay! But if it is something you want to try, writing can be a good way to process and release some of those hard feelings. It's important to write not just about the event, but also about your feelings. How did it feel at the time? How did you feel about it afterward? How do you feel, looking back at it now?
There's no right or wrong in journalling. It's just a free space to explore ideas, self and other. And at the end of it, you can turn the page and move on to something new.
Feeling like you want additional support? I provide therapy and counselling sessions, and I practice exclusively online. So if you need to process the past or make changes to move forward, drop me a line or book a free 1:1 intro at cosytherapy.com
For more info on journalling, have a look at Julia Cameron's ideas on Morning Pages, or check out this blog from the Reflect journalling app:
https://www.reflection.app/blog/benefits-of-journaling
(1) A few studies on journaling:
Smyth JM, Johnson JA, Auer BJ, Lehman E, Talamo G, Sciamanna CN. Online Positive Affect Journaling in the Improvement of Mental Distress and Well-Being in General Medical Patients With Elevated Anxiety Symptoms: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Ment Health. 2018 Dec 10;5(4):e11290. doi: 10.2196/11290. PMID: 30530460; PMCID: PMC6305886.
Stice E, Burton E, Bearman SK, Rohde P. Randomized trial of a brief depression prevention program: an elusive search for a psychosocial placebo control condition. Behav Res Ther. 2007 May;45(5):863-76. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2006.08.008. Epub 2006 Sep 27. PMID: 17007812; PMCID: PMC2330269.
Opening Up by Writing It Down, Third Edition: How Expressive Writing Improves Health and Eases Emotional Pain (James W. Pennebaker, Joshua M. Smyth) 2016
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