The idea of journaling is one that is often met with distaste and disinterest. Many find journaling to be boring, a waste of time, and ineffective.
While journaling may not be everyone’s cup of tea, don’t knock it till you try it. Maybe you just need to approach journaling from another perspective to understand first-hand its reflective and mental health benefits.
A common misconception is that journaling is simply writing well-written pages on pages about your day. While the activity may match that description for some, journaling as a whole does not require you to write elegant, long-winded essays every day to reap the benefits of mindful writing.
The purpose of journaling isn’t to write eloquent pieces or lengthy entries, but to acknowledge the feelings and thoughts you encountered throughout your day. Whether these thoughts and feelings are conscious or subconscious, lingering or brief, journaling helps synthesize and reflect on them.
Even the idea that you must journal every day is not a requirement of journaling. Journaling is an activity that you personalize to serve you the best. If journaling every day is daunting or you simply don’t believe you have the time for it, you don’t have to do it. While journaling every day can be beneficial, occasional writing can have the same impact.
By the end of a journaling session, the goal is not to have perfect writing in front of you, but to feel refreshed, light, and calm, like you’ve just washed off all remnants of the day.
Journaling, as mentioned before, is a personalized activity. While some may write multiple pages as a singular entry, others may simply bullet point various thoughts of theirs. With that in mind, it’s possible that you aren’t discouraged from journaling because it’s not beneficial, but rather because you haven’t found the style for you.
Gratitude journaling is a quick and popular way of journaling that aims to leave you feeling warm. In gratitude journaling, you simply list things, events, and/or people you are grateful for from your day. Lists can be as long or short as you want, but people generally write at least 3 things. Gratitude journaling is a great way to remind yourself of the love you have in your life and ensure you end your day on a positive note.
On the other hand, if you enjoy creative forms of expression, poetic journaling may be for you! Whether that be small poems inspired by certain feelings of the day or long pieces that intertwine many ideas, this form of journaling is both artsy and enlightening. Thinking about the complexities of your day from a more innovative perspective can be a great way to decompress and self-reflect.
A form of journaling I personally enjoy can be described as a “thought dump.” In this form of journaling, you simply and authentically write down every thought that comes to mind, regardless of its importance. In doing so, you prioritize writing down every thought over the flow of the entry. This form of journaling is low-stress and indifferent to the concept of perfection, leaving you feeling light and relaxed.
Journaling most definitely takes practice and time, but finding a style that works for you can be incredibly motivating and truly life-changing.
Have you ever felt like your mind is bustling and foggy, but you can’t exactly pinpoint the various ideas taking up your thoughts? Journaling is a great way to combat and diminish such confusing and anxiety-inducing feelings.
Journaling is an effective way to propel self-reflection and personal growth. By taking active steps to analyze your day, feelings, and thoughts, you may find that you become more conscious and present in your daily activities. This form of decompressing can ease your mind, as it can help solidify your thoughts and empty your mind at the end of your day.
Journaling should inspire relaxation and reflection, not be a stressful chore, as many people believe it to be. Crafting a pattern and style of journaling that works for you has endless immediate and long-term benefits. All you need is time, patience, and yourself to be enlightened and moved by the process of journaling.
If you’re looking for a good way to calm your thoughts, pull out your notes app or pick up a pen and paper and explore what thoughtful writing can do for you.
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