Journaling can help you:
Manage anxiety
Reduce stress
Cope with depression
Journaling helps control your symptoms and improve your mood by:
Helping you prioritise problems, fears, and concerns
Tracking any symptoms day-to-day so that you can recognise triggers and learn ways to better control them
Providing an opportunity for positive self-talk and identifying negative thoughts and behaviours
How to journal
Try to write every day. A lot of people swear by morning pages.
Make it easy. Keep a pen and paper handy at all times. You can also keep a journal on your smartphone. (Day1 App)
Write or draw whatever feels right. Your journal doesn't need to follow any certain structure. It's your own private place to discuss and create whatever you want to express your feelings. Let the words and ideas flow freely.
It could be...
It could be a place to keep track of real life events, reflecting on your day, diary style.
It could be a way of emptying out your brain at the end of the day, or beginning your day with a page of fresh thoughts.
It could be a stream of consciousness hybrid of thoughts and poetry and ideas and musings.
It could be a depository for your feelings, hopes, worries, dreams, frustrations, and secrets.
It could be the writing equivalent of practising your musical scales – a series of writing exercises to keep your creative muscles warm.
It’s a process
It is easy to feel that we should always be DOING something and being PRODUCTIVE with our time.
Journaling can help you free yourself of that stress and by letting go of trying to control the act of creation (and letting it happen, instead), we’re better able to reflect on what’s going on around us, and inside our own heads.
“It's like having a conversation with a best friend. […]Journaling, among other tools, help frame our existence and give it meaning they help us become aware of our thoughts, fears and desires that might remain obscured if we don’t honour them with attention.”
Tammy T. Jones
10 minute write
Set a timer and write around the following prompts:
What values do you consider most important in life (honesty, justice, altruism, loyalty, etc.)? How do your actions align with those values?
What three changes can you make to live according to your personal values?
Describe yourself using the first 10 words that come to mind. Then, list 10 words that you’d like to use to describe yourself. List a few ways to transform those descriptions into reality.
Top five reasons to start journaling
Escape: Your journal is like a personal sanctuary where you can pour out your thoughts without judgment. Think of it as a mental detox that helps you navigate through your feelings, leaving you with a clearer and more relaxed mindset.
Self-Discovery: Journaling is like embarking on a self-discovery adventure. As you jot down your experiences, dreams, and reflections, you start to uncover patterns, preferences, and hidden aspirations.
Stress-Relief: Life can be a rollercoaster, right? Well, your journal is your front-row seat to processing those highs and lows. Documenting your emotions and experiences can act as a pressure valve, relieving stress and giving you a fresh perspective on situations.
Goal-Setting: Want to turn your dreams into reality? Your journal is your personal goal-setting guru. Writing down your goals, big or small, and breaking them into manageable steps can significantly increase your chances of success.
Memory Lane: Life moves pretty fast, and sometimes we forget the beautiful moments. Journaling is like creating a treasure trove of memories. Documenting your experiences, no matter how mundane they may seem at the time, lets you relive those moments later.
So, what are you waiting for? Time to hunker down and let those thoughts and feelings out.
Akam miyaa woyoi