Journaling has huge benefits for both mental and physical health. Research has shown it acts not only as a stress management, anxiety and depression support tool but has been shown to benefit asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and other health conditions.

It improves cognitive functioning and it strengthens the immune system, preventing a host of illnesses. Plus it allows our right brain to create freely while journaling occupies our left brain with some rational and analytical operations.

In effect, it removes mental blocks and allows you to use all of your brain power to better understand yourself, others and the world around you. So our ancestors had it right when they kept a diary.

How Journaling Helps Your Mental Health.

If you need further persuading journaling can also…

Helps you clarify your thoughts and feelings.

Tackling all that jumble inside of you and make sense of what you want and feel. Then taking some time daily to make a note of your feelings and thoughts. This will aid you in keeping in touch with your wants and feelings. Don’t edit, just jot them down. These thoughts are a reflection of everything going on internally and allows you to clarify them better.

Help you get to know yourself better.

Routine writing allows you to get to know the real you. It helps you become more aware of, and clear about, different situations and people. As well as what makes you happy/sad, like/dislike or fear or can find peace with. It really heightens your self-awareness and allows you to find out what you need or want more of in your life.

Reduces your stress levels.

Writing about stressful situations and the emotions associated with them helps to release the intensity of these emotions. It will help, or prevent, you from feeling stuck, reduce procrastination or catastrophising the situation or even stop you stuffing down any feelings. It will aid you in feeling calmer and better able to stay in the present as it helps you feel lighter and less stressed. It will even help you recognise some solutions to the problems you have to face.

We build empathy toward others.

When we write out our problems, or reason out conversations we have, we become more aware of not only our opinions but other’s opinions too. We begin to see other’s perspective and can build empathy toward them. We end up blaming others less for our problems and begin to become problem solvers.

We solve problems more effectively.

Problem-solving is typically a left brain activity with a very analytical perspective. But sometimes we need a more creative or right-brained intuitive solutions to our problems. Journaling helps us unlock these abilities and builds the muscles responsible for this kind of thinking. Having a different perspective to call on can help you find solutions to problems you never thought you could.

Help you resolve disagreements with others.

Rather than keeping all that stuff locked up in your head to stewing over arguments and misunderstandings get them down on paper. You can go back over what you have written. Maybe helping you to see what was really said and to begin to understand the conflict from another’s point of view. You might even come up with the solution.

Using your journal like this also allows you to track behaviour, yours or others. It shows you improvement and growth in your behaviour or growth in your relationships. Perhaps it will also highlight that the situation needs outside help or isn’t as insurmountable as you thought.

Increase your creative skills.

As I said journaling helps build our creative skills. Perhaps this can be developed further in the form of music, painting, writing, etc. Even developing hidden talents or bring you back into touch with ones you thought you had lost.

Boost your cognitive function.

Journaling isn’t just for getting arguments, or bad stuff, out of head. It can also record good memories and help us organise our thoughts. Journaling can help recall while improving memory, comprehension and boosts cognition.

You can use it to track mental health patterns.

You can use the journal as a mental health tracker. Just like tracking your physical symptoms we can us journal to track thoughts, our mood and feelings. It can help us track people and situations we might be having a hard time letting go of.

It’s only when we go back over what we have written we realise we might need help with this task. It helps us to also zero in on a particular problem, traumatic event or trigger – people/events – we need to change or delete from our lives. We can clearly see the changes we need to make. Plus help us fully explore and release the emotions involved. Journaling can also help us to focus on areas of our life that we’d like to be more grateful for. It doesn’t always have to be about bad stuff.

Be Aware There Can Be Some Drawbacks To Journaling.

People with disabilities may find the act of writing difficult in itself for many reasons. Those perfectionists among us may also be concerned about how they will be judged. Thus making it nearly impossible for them to concentrate on getting their thoughts and feelings down on paper. Some others may get tired hands or be reluctant to relive past experiences.

The act of journaling can cause stress because of what is being written about. A number of solutions can help here including using a dictation machine or recording your thoughts and feelings through available apps. Finishing your journal with more positive thoughts, solutions to problems and recording what you feel grateful for in your life already will also help.

How Does Journaling Compare to Other Stress Management Practices?

Unlike yoga, exercise or meditation, journaling is a viable option for everyone. You can also use a computer, tablet or your phone if you like making it more accessible to you. But remember security at all times. But to make it even less expensive using a pen and paper makes it a better option than something that requires a class, tutor or therapist. It has also been shown to be great for overall stress reduction, self-awareness and emotional healing. Even though it’s not like other physical and meditative techniques that can be also used to help.

How To Start Journaling.

Start by deciding whether you will use a pen and paper or a device. Set aside at least 20 minutes and let go of your preconceptions about penmanship, spelling or punctuation. Make sure you keep your journal as secure as possible.

Write quickly and keep the flow going. Don’t edit yourself. If it helps, pick a theme or use journal questions. I’ve listed some below to get you started with some journaling for self-care. Remember there are really no rules while journaling. So bullet points can also work or add art, stickers, photos or doodling.

Journaling For Self-Care Questions.

As a means of self-reflecting and getting you started on your journal journey I’ve listed some questions below. These questions will highlight any areas in your life where you’d like to work on, change or see that you have more going for yourself than you thought you had. Alongside this, I’d ask that at the end of each day you’d write at least 3 things you’re also grateful for that day.

Take one question a day and really think about your answers. Remember you should have already incorporated some self-care routines into your life if you are following this series. Take your time. It takes time to build up a new routine and keep it going. If you have let some things slide ask yourself why? What’s not working for you? How can you get back on track? Or do you want to try something else? 

Questions

1. Am I reaching for the best I can be?
2. Are there things I’ve always wanted to do but have been too afraid to try?
3. What do I consider to be my personal strengths?
4. Are there things I would do in my wildest dreams if money was no object? 
5. What pleases and delights you? (Pleasant events and what you’re grateful for?)
6. How has your life changed for the better in the last three years?
7. Who are the negative vampires in your life? Why can’t you let them go?
8. What is the most important lesson you have learnt so far?
9. How have I been able to help others?
10. What am I most proud of?
11. Have you ever had a situation or person victimize you? How did you act and what was the outcome?
12. Was there ever a time when you behaved assertively? How did you act and feel? What was the outcome?
13. What do you think would mean the most to you at this time in your life?
14. Are you listening to your inner voice? Is it trying to tell you something?
15. What does it feel like to be truly listened to?
16. What does listening to someone else really involve?
17. How often do you find the time to listen to yourself?
18. What does life/work ( note emphasis on life not work-life) balance mean to you? Even as a stay at home parent or a retired individual, you need to find balance too.
19. In my life right now who am I being and what is going on for me here? You can apply this to every aspect of your life.
20. How do I cope with failure? If I do fail what happens –my thought, emotions, reactions?
21. How do I cope with success? Do I even give myself credit for all my success even the little ones?
22. Are there any social pressures that are holding me accountable to behave in a certain way? Have a certain lifestyle?
23. Have you ever set any goals for yourself? If yes –did you achieve them? If no – why not?
24. Are there any people/things in your life who you feel you would like not to interact with anymore?
25. Where are you putting up with, something that you feel you shouldn’t have to?
26. What personal habit/trait would you like to change?
27. Are there any other areas of your life you are avoiding looking at that you know you would like to change?
28. Who am I being in my relationships? With everyone in your life, it doesn’t have to be an intimate one.
29. What am I bringing to all my relationships? Again all my relationships!
30. What does being myself really mean to me?
31. Are there areas of my life where I am lacking discipline?
32. What have I learnt about my life after answering all these questions?

When you have all the answers to these questions you can take your time to review your answers. See what you can delete from your life immediately. What do you want to keep and what you want to do with your life. Can you put some things on the Not My Responsibility List? (You’ll find a free training on this here)

Give journaling a go! I’d be interested to hear how you all get along.

Work With Me.

Remember you are allowed to ask for support. No one is an island. In fact I would strongly advice you make sure you create a positive support system before you start to make any changes in your life. One part of that positive support system is working a therapist.

If you need extra support then you can also work with me. We all struggle with stress and overwhelm from time to time. If you find this has become a problem for you and you’d like some support then schedule an appointment with me.