The Power of Reflective Journaling

It’s no secret: as a generation, we spend a lot of time on our phones. For nearly half of the hours that we are awake, we’re staring at a screen. With the rise of social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, we are constantly exposed to a wide range of content designed to keep us engaged for hours on end. Short videos and relatable posts are entertaining, but it’s the algorithm that dictates what we see. And sometimes, that same algorithm, the friend that amuses us, also capitalizes on our most personal and vulnerable feelings to keep us online. 

As a young teenager, I spent so much time scrolling, watching, and liking posts that reflected my inner emotions—more specifically, my struggles with mental health. Unfortunately, this is not a unique phenomenon: a recent study reports that four out of ten members of Gen Z are likely to report mental health struggles. In truth, I wanted to feel seen and understood. So, I used TikTok as a way to simultaneously interact with and distract myself from my feelings.

However, this transformed into an over-reliance on social media. Scrolling on my phone initiated a negative feedback loop that exacerbated the original problem. I found online posts and spaces that spoke about mental health, but did not focus on outcomes or treatment. Worst of all, I was unable to reflect on my feelings in a healthy way. Eventually, I knew I needed to switch. So, I began replacing scrolling time with reflective journaling. If you’re looking to do the same, here is a helpful guide!

The Benefits of Reflective Journaling

According to Harvard Medical School, reflective journaling offers an avenue for personal expression, provides self-awareness, boosts critical thinking and cognitive skills, increases creativity and engagement, inspires continual self-improvement, and encourages positive feedback behaviors. Reflective journaling allows participants to describe their thoughts and emotions creatively and individually. It can act as a sort of self-support system, in which the creator can discover their own personal perspective without judgment or pressure from others. It also furthers critical thinking, as it prompts participants to analyze and reflect on their own experiences.

When I began journaling, I found that I understood myself much better. Reflective journaling can occur on a schedule. You can write daily, like a diary, or create whenever you feel like you need an emotional outlet. 

Use Skills Available to You!

As a creative writer, words have always been a tool I use to understand myself. When I was younger, I wrote short stories and the like, but eventually transitioned to writing creative nonfiction as a form of journaling. Hours and hours of screen time were too hard a habit to break. It still is! So, I changed my focus. I decided to swap scrolling time on apps like TikTok and Instagram for writing in my Notes App.

Even if you aren’t typically a writer, journaling can help you process and reflect on your emotions! You don’t need anything fancy to do so. For instance, if writing isn’t your thing, there are many other ways to journal. Creating a video diary, collaging with magazines (or even making digital layouts), and drawing daily doodles are all forms of journaling.

Experiment with Different Formats, Styles, and Prompts

Even if you’re accustomed to one medium, like writing, using a different form of journaling can help you find new, nuanced ways to express yourself! For example, when I’m stressed because of my academic workload and suffering from writer’s block, sometimes, I just want a way to shut my mind off. Neurographic art is an anxiety-reducing, meditative art technique that requires only thirty seconds. You draw organic lines with a marker, routing out the edges where the lines connect, creating a scientific-looking design! 

Here are some prompts and ideas for journaling:

• Describe a recent memory. What emotions were you feeling at the time?
• Doodle a self-portrait—it doesn’t have to be perfect!
• Create a collage using pictures you’ve taken in the last month.
• What are you grateful for today? Write about it!
• Make a neurographic art piece. Color in the lines!
• If you were a character in your favorite show, how would you exist in their world?
• It’s almost winter! Create a moodboard for your perfect winter season.
• Make a Pinterest board depicting your future aspirations.
• Write a short story or poem about your future self. Where do you see yourself in ten years?

• #self-awareness
• collage
• college
• creativity
• journaling
• mental health
• personal expression
• writing