When I first heard of journaling, I dismissed it. I thought it wouldn’t really solve any of my problems and didn’t think I would enjoy it because it seemed like more homework. However, as the practice grew more popular on the internet, I decided to give it a try.
At first it was easy to not write in it at all. Life moves fast and what would I really miss out on if I didn’t write about my day or feelings? It wasn’t until I made an effort to journal every night when I saw results.
After a long day, I would write down what happened and include my opinions and emotions. It was my perspective for that day. As I was writing I began to build momentum where journaling didn’t require any effort. The words would just fly onto the page.
I began to ask myself questions about why I thought the way I did. I began to address my destructive habit of overthinking. I noted a pattern in my previous journal entries and set it on paper to address this harmful habit. Whenever I had a thought of “I don’t think this person likes me” or “I’m being annoying”, I would try to elaborate on this thought. Some questions I asked myself were “Who told you that?” and “Why do you feel that way?” If I couldn’t answer the question, it would be a sign of overthinking. Over the past couple of weeks this exercise has cleared my mind of these negative thoughts. I noticed myself being more relaxed and at ease. Of course, there are some days where I fall short but it’s a gradual process.
Other than improving on oneself, journaling can simply provide a mental reset before bed and motivation for the next day. We carry a lot mentally and writing everything down is a great way to release tension at the end of the day. You can simply tell your journal how your day went and vent about the latest thing bothering you. Each page is a new day that you can fill out — which sets things into perspective that tomorrow is another day. Tomorrow is a clean slate.
Although I do not believe anything will be able to replace traditional therapy, journaling does help improve my mental health. Therapy is expensive and there are still taboos surrounding it. Journaling, in my opinion, serves as a stepping stone towards getting help for people who can’t afford or are still reluctant towards therapy. In fact, therapists would recommend therapy in some cases. In a world that is fast-paced and requires constant attention, journaling helped me take a step back and reflect on what just happened. It allows me to live in the present moment, especially as someone who overthinks and is constantly looking towards the future.
Tips and Tricks
If you’re having trouble figuring what to write in the first place, there are plenty of prompts you can find online. There are many kinds of prompts that allow you to focus on many different things. Some of them could be writing down what you’re grateful for or what kind of person you want to become. Others are much deeper such as what keeps you up at night or what is one thing you regret.
Another tip is to create a mood board or doodle. Your journal doesn’t just have to be daily entries of your thoughts and feelings. Many people express themselves through visuals. You could create a mood board of your goals, allowing you to vividly envision what you want your future to look like. Simply doodling is another cathartic method to releasing all of the tension building up from the entire day. I’ve seen people combine both visuals and writing into their journals, often writing poems and drawing pictures to go with them. People also outline their dreams and aspirations in terms of their career and relationships as well.
Lastly, personalize your journal. It’s good to take inspiration from the internet but avoid adhering strictly to the pinterest boards and instagram pages. The entire purpose of journaling is to serve as a self reflection so don’t be afraid to take some creative liberties.