“I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.” — Anne Frank
The benefits of journalling are huge, and it’s a practice I hold close to my heart.
When feeling out of alignment, disconnected, overwhelmed or stressed, journalling provides a way to connect with whatever is happening inside us. If we have a problem or are struggling with our emotions, journalling can help us clarify why we feel the way we do.
Last year, when I was having a clear-out, I found over ten years’ worth of journals. But really, I’ve been journalling for over two decades. At university, I was incredibly unhappy; I’d chosen the wrong course, was grieving the loss of my grandad, and was in a terrible relationship.
I remember sitting by the river Humber for hours, pouring my heart into my journal. It provided a judgement-free, safe space where I could write freely and find a bit of clarity.
The benefits of journalling.
Along with mental clarity, problem-solving and building self-awareness, journalling can also help reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. The process is frequently used in settings such as counselling and coaching because the benefits of journalling are so effective.
If you have a self-care practice, journalling is a helpful tool to include. However, it should never replace medical advice or treatment. If you need professional help, please seek it.
Journalling is a powerful tool for helping us to make sense of difficult situations. We get to explore how we’re feeling without any unwanted advice or opinions from others. No one can get offended or take things the wrong way. You can write whatever you like and explore why you feel that way.
However, I also understand not everyone can write freely without the risk of someone else reading their journal. Another option, if it’s available to you, is to install a journalling app on your phone and keep it password-protected.
Self-awareness and mental clarity.
Journalling can help us to become aware of why we hold certain values or beliefs. It helps us connect to our inner thoughts and feelings and understand why we feel the way we do about situations in our lives. Building this self-awareness is important because it gives us a better understanding of who we are and why we think and act the way we do.
Life is so busy these days and we’re connected to everything 24/7, it’s no wonder we become overwhelmed by all the noise. Journalling is a great way to empty our heads and get our thoughts down on paper, helping us to make sense of what’s going on.
We can unjumble the thoughts that play on a constant loop and see more clearly what we need to work through. It gives us mental clarity and insight. It helps us to find a new perspective on the problems we’ve been contemplating without being influenced by other people’s opinions.
Stress, anxiety, and depression.
The benefits of journalling also include helping to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Reducing stress can also mean a lower risk of some stress-related health conditions, like high blood pressure.
Journalling helps us to accept situations in our lives, find meaning in whatever is going on, and emotionally release feelings we’re working through. Journalling can even help us to accept negative emotions.
Research shows practising gratitude is particularly beneficial in helping to reduce depression. You can find my recent post on practising gratitude here.
Types of journalling.
There are different types of journalling, so it’s worth experimenting to find which one works best for you.
Expressive writing.
Expressive writing involves writing about a traumatic, stressful, or emotional event over several days. It’s widely used in therapeutic settings and was developed by American Social Psychologist James Pennebaker.
He found writing about the event for 15–20 minutes per day over four days helped patients come to terms with the experience, see it from a new perspective and in some cases, even write a new narrative.
The exercise also produced positive health benefits, including decreased blood pressure and anxiety, enhanced immune function, and improved sleep and memory.
Although this is a widely used expressive writing exercise, it won’t resonate or be appropriate for everyone. If you find it upsetting or are starting to wallow in the event rather than deconstructing it, you should discontinue it.
As with all self-care practices, if you’re not finding it beneficial, you should never force yourself to continue — especially if it causes you emotional distress.
Reflection, free writing, and goal setting.
Sometimes when things are troubling us, we need to put pen to paper to gain some clarity. We need to reflect on a situation, write about how we’re feeling and try to make sense of our emotions. Reflective journalling can be very cathartic, helping us see things with fresh eyes and find a new perspective.
This is my favourite type of journalling. Before starting my working day, I sit down with my journal and reflect on whatever’s on my mind. Sometimes, I ask myself the question, how am I feeling today, or what do I need today? It’s a way of stopping and checking in with myself to see how I’m doing.
Free writing is just that — writing whatever pops into your head. It doesn’t have to make sense; it just helps you to empty whatever has been building up. Think of it as word vomiting onto the page. Whatever comes to mind, just write it down and don’t worry about editing or correcting grammar.
If I do free writing, it’s something I do at the end of the day. It helps me to unwind before bed and I also sleep better. Sometimes it’s a list of things I need to do, topics I want to research, or events I need to remember. Sometimes it’s a list of worries. It rarely makes any sense and that’s okay.
Goal setting is another reason to reach for your journal. You could be looking for a new job, wanting to lose weight, or training for a marathon. Whatever your aim, goal setting can help you get clear on what you want to achieve.
What are the steps you need to take to get from A to B? Writing down each step and giving yourself a time frame is a good way to help yourself stay on track — or lay a new one.
Journalling means reaching your own conclusion.
Adding journalling to your self-care practice is hugely beneficial and a great way to help promote good mental health. Much like person-centered therapy, the benefits of journalling include working through our problems and arriving at a conclusion, without the advice and opinions of others.
By writing down what’s troubling us and exploring our thoughts, feelings, and emotions, we can find a solution to why we turned to our journal in the first place. We also understand ourselves a little better and our head is clearer. There’s no rush and all you need is a pen and paper, phone, tablet or computer.
If you’re still unsure of how to begin, asking yourself how you’re feeling can be a good starting point. You might be surprised at what comes up when you start journalling. The following prompts might also help you to get started:
What’s been on my mind lately?
What do I need right now? (emotionally, physically, mentally)
How am I feeling about my relationships?
When did I last experience joy?
How is my mental health right now?
Am I finding my job fulfilling?
What adventures would I like to plan?
How can I improve my wellbeing?
I hope this post has been useful. If it has, please forward it to someone who might need it right now.
Feature image by Photo by Content Pixie on Unsplash
No Comments