Journaling

Journaling

What is Journaling

There is nothing new about journaling, there records of the stoic philosophers keeping journals from Epictetus to Marcus Aurelius. Through history people such as 1. Leonardo da Vinci · 2. Frida Kahlo · 3. Marie Curie · 4. Anne Frank · 5. Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) · 6. Charles Darwin 7. Albert Einstein have all kept a journal.

Who is journaling for

So who is journaling for? it’s for anyone who can write! It is a form of self-expression that can lift and empower people to understand they’re complex feelings and find humor with it. In the past I have created journals for different things as many of you know or may not I published a gratitude journal and I still keep one, combining the two things together is a great way to start a journal, take five minutes in the evening and write down three things that you give gratitude for that day, it can be as simple or complex as you like, from the simple things such as having clean water, a roof over your head to anything that you are grateful for that day.

Each morning I journal as well, I write down how I want to feel that day, one thing I can do to make that happen, one person who I need to show up for that day, that can be your children, spouse, a friend or work colleague to your boss. I note down that I have done my meditation, drank my water.

The Benefits

How Can We Use Writing to Increase Mental Health?

Whether you’re keeping a journal or writing as a meditation, it’s the same thing. What’s important is you’re having a relationship with your mind.
Natalie Goldberg

You might be wondering how writing in a journal can have a significant impact on your mental health. After all, it’s just putting some words on a page—how much can that really do for you?

It turns out that this simple practice can do a lot, especially for those struggling with mental illness or striving towards more positive mental health.

Journaling requires the application of the analytical, rational left side of the brain; while your left hemisphere is occupied, your right hemisphere (the creative, touchy-feely side) is given the freedom to wander and play (Grothaus, 2015)! Allowing your creativity to flourish and expand can be cathartic and make a big difference in your daily well-being.

Overall, journaling/expressive writing has been found to:

Boost your mood/affect;
Enhance your sense of well-being;
Reduce symptoms of depression before an important event (like an exam);
Reduce intrusion and avoidance symptoms post-trauma;
Improve your working memory (Baikie & Wilhelm, 2005).

In particular, journaling can be especially helpful for those with PTSD or a history of trauma.

Guides on Journaling

A good set of guidelines on effective journaling can be found on the Center for Journal Therapy website. When you journal, remember the simple acronym: WRITE!

W – What do you want to write about? Think about what is going on in your life, your current thoughts and feelings, what you’re striving towards or trying to avoid right now. Give it a name and put it all on paper.
R – Review or reflect on it. Take a few moments to be still, calm your breath, and focus. A little mindfulness or meditation could help in this step. Try to start sentences with “I” statements like “I feel…”, “I want…”, and, “I think…” Also, try to keep them in the present tense, with sentence stems like “Today…”, “Right now…”, or “In this moment…”.
I – Investigate your thoughts and feelings through your writing. Just keep going! If you feel you have run out of things to write or your mind starts to wander, take a moment to re-focus (another opportunity for mindfulness meditation!), read over what you have just written, and continue on.
T – Time yourself to ensure that you write for at least 5 minutes (or whatever your current goal is). Write down your start time and the projected end time based on your goal at the top of your page. Set a timer or alarm to go off when the time period you have set is up.
E – Exit strategically and with introspection. Read what you have written and take a moment to reflect on it. Sum up your takeaway in one or two sentences, starting with statements like “As I read this, I notice…”, “I’m aware of…”, or “I feel…” If you have any action items or steps you would like to take next, write them down now (Adams, n.d.).

For me, writing is a way of thinking. I write in a journal a lot. I’m a very impatient person, so writing and meditation allow me to slow down and watch my mind; they are containers that keep me in place, hold me still.
Ruth Ozeki

Why is it so beneficial for anxiety?

There’s simply no better way to learn about your thought processes than to write them down.
Barbara Markway,

She notes that to address our problematic thought patterns, we first have to actually know what they are! Journaling is instrumental in helping us identify our negative automatic self-talk and get to the root of our anxiety.

Writing in a journal can positively impact your anxiety through:

Calming and clearing your mind;
Releasing pent-up feelings and everyday stress;
Letting go of negative thoughts;
Exploring your experiences with anxiety;
Writing about your struggles and your successes;
Enhancing your self-awareness and teaching you about your triggers;
Tracking your progress as you undergo treatment (Star, 2018).

Through mechanisms like those listed above, journaling has been shown to:

Reduce anxiety in patients with multiple sclerosis (Hasanzadeh, Khoshknab, & Norozi, 2012);
Reduce physical symptoms, health problems, and anxiety in women (LaClaire, 2008);
Help students manage their stress and anxiety and improve their engagement and enhance meaning found in the classroom (Flinchbaugh, Moore, Chang, & May, 2012).

It is yours

Your journal is for you and you alone, and keeping this in mind can make you feel impossibly free to pour your authentic self onto the page. Give a try! All you have to lose is a few minutes of your time, and you already know all you could gain.