If I were to ask you, “How far is the sun from Earth?”, or “How deep are the oceans?”, you would probably take out your phone and do a Google search, and you’ll know the answer within a few seconds.
Now imagine if I had asked you the same question 40 years ago. There are high chances you weren’t even born then but just hypothetically assume yourself in that era before the invention of the internet.
You would either call someone you think would know the answer, or you would have gone through a lot of books and articles to find answers. It would have probably taken you hours to find answers to the questions you don’t know.
Fast forward to today, and everything is available at our fingertips. We just have to take out our phones and do a quick search to find out about almost everything. If you take a moment to think about it, the time taken to gain knowledge on a certain topic has reduced drastically.
Things that would have taken hours or even days to learn about are now available to us within a matter of seconds because of the internet and the connectivity that has come with it. How incredible is that!
With the rise of social media and the digitization of news through apps and online streaming, we now have access to and are constantly bombarded with information from all around the world that has nothing to do with us or we can’t do anything about.
Don’t get me wrong, this easy access to information is the key reason behind the advancement in technology each one of us is benefitting from today.
But because of this constant connectivity and bombardment of information from all around, our brain is overloaded with thoughts about all kinds of things.
Along with the internet came new jobs that require us to be quick and efficient and now most of us are employed in such jobs that are so fast-paced and hectic. Productivity is glorified and how much time we invest in our jobs is one of the key measures of how good we are at it.
This constant access to information paired with the fast pace of life is taking a heavy toll on our mental health, and that’s why we’re seeing a sharp rise in lifestyle-related mental health problems in the past couple of decades.
The advancement in technology and the pace of life has become so fast that our minds are having a hard time catching up with it.
Amid all this hustle-bustle and overwhelm, one of the best tools that has come to our rescue is journaling. It is considered one of the most powerful tools in the wellness industry because of the positive impact it has on our mental health.
Our first blog in this journaling series was an introduction to this concept and its numerous benefits. The second blog was an exhaustive guide on the different types of journaling. This blog is the third in this series, building on the foundational knowledge from these previous two blogs.
If you haven’t already, we invite you to read these blogs to have a full understanding of journaling and its benefits.
And if you’ve been following along, you might now be eager to start your own journaling practice but unsure where to begin. Our goal with this blog is to guide you through the process of starting and maintaining a journaling habit, specifically for mental health.
As we mentioned in our previous blog, we also started journaling a few weeks ago and we’re realizing the benefits of this incredible practice firsthand. Since we both have just one iPad, we take turns writing our daily entries.
And like we said in our previous blogs, journaling is a very flexible and personal practice, there are no right or wrong ways to do it. Our goal is to help you find a method that suits your needs, improves your well-being, and fits seamlessly into your life.
Table of Contents
What is Journaling?
At its core, journaling is a very simple practice of writing about your thoughts, feelings, and experiences regularly. There are so many types of journaling which we’ve discussed in our previous blog but the essence of journaling is in its ability to give you a space for expressing yourself and reflecting on those thoughts and feelings.
This practice has been around for centuries and it has evolved from being a log of daily records to a widely recognized tool for mental well-being and personal growth it has become today.
There are no hard and fast rules, you can write about your daily activities, explore your innermost feelings, or focus on specific areas like health or gratitude. The underlying idea is to put down what’s on your mind on a piece of paper or a digital page so you can see it from a distance.
This process of writing is very therapeutic as it helps in reducing stress and improving your mood and overall well-being.
For an in-depth understanding of what journaling is and its many benefits, we invite you to read our first blog which talks about this concept in detail.
Why Should I Journal for Mental Health?
As we initially discussed, the modern-day world we’re living in today has brought with it a lot of changes that our minds and bodies are not able to cope with. Stress, which was an occasional thing in earlier times, has now become a constant companion.
Along with stress comes a lot of negative feelings such as worry, anxiety, fear, self-doubt, etc. Our mind remains occupied with thoughts such as “I don’t have time”, “I am not good enough”, “This is beyond me”, “I can’t do it”, “My life is so tough”, “I am not loved”, etc, etc.
It is so powerful that it immediately musters evidence to support these negative beliefs. All this holds us back from doing what we really want to do in life.
So the main reason to start journaling is because by writing down all these thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, we’re able to see past all this negativity that our mind is so good at generating. When we see them from a distance, it becomes easier for us to detach from them and stop identifying ourselves with them.
The Benefits of Journaling on Mental Health
We’ve discussed all the benefits of journaling in detail in the first blog of this series but let me give you a high-level understanding of its benefits on mental health.
So most mental health problems are because of the accumulation of stress, anxiety, worry, fear, negative thoughts, emotions, etc. in our minds. Each day brings with it a new set of stressors and these negative thoughts and emotions keep piling up with nowhere to go.
What journaling does is, it provides an outlet for these thoughts and emotions by helping you unload or transfer them to a piece of paper.
When you do this consistently for a longer period, you understand your emotions better. And when you understand something, you can handle it in a better way. Consistent journaling helps you identify and articulate your feelings so you have better control over them.
Also, if you’re writing about negative thoughts and feelings, you’ll also write about the things that made you feel good. This allows you to reflect on your positive experiences and accomplishments, which will improve your mood and make you feel happy and content.
How Do I Start Journaling for Mental Health?
Let’s now start with the section that is the heart of this blog, how to actually start journaling.
1. Get Acquainted with Journaling: Start with Morning Pages
If you’re reading this blog, there are chances that you’ve never journaled before, or perhaps you have been journaling and are curious about improving your practice. If you’re a beginner, the first step is to familiarize yourself with the practice of journaling.
One effective way to start is by writing Morning Pages, a concept introduced by Julia Cameron in her book “The Artist’s Way.”
Morning Pages is about writing three pages of whatever comes to mind first thing in the morning. There are no rules or guidelines on what to write or how to write it, the key is to simply let your thoughts flow onto the page. This practice is about capturing your stream of consciousness, unfiltered and unedited.
By doing this, you can get a feel for what journaling is all about and how it feels to put your thoughts and feelings into words. It’s a gentle introduction to journaling that can help you develop a habit and understand the benefits of writing regularly.
2. Choose the Right Type of Journaling for Your Needs
Among the types of journals we discussed in the previous blog, the next step is to choose the type of journaling.
Since the goal is to improve your mental health, there are a few options you can go for. One is personal or diary journaling, which is the most common and very simple form of journaling where you just freely express yourself in a journal or a notebook.
Gratitude journaling is another option you can for, it is a very powerful form of journaling that will help you shift your focus to the important things in life. Our next blog is going to be on Gratitude journaling and its benefits so you can take a look to understand this powerful practice in detail.
In our case, we wanted to take control of our lives and improve our overall health and well-being. And we did not find any journal that had everything we needed. Some were just health trackers, while others focused on daily schedules and to-do lists.
We wanted something that was more exhaustive and helped us track and journal about everything that could improve our health and lifestyle.
So, we created our own Mindful Living Journal and Tracker, with two pages for each day, one for journaling and the other for tracking. The tracker page helps us keep track of everything health-related like mood, sleep, diet, vitamins, exercise, supplements, calorie intake, and water consumption.
It helps us identify potential reasons behind increased fibromyalgia pain on certain days so we can take proactive steps to manage it. The journal page helps us organize our day and improve our lifestyle, and it also includes a gratitude prompt so we can reflect on what we’re thankful for without needing a separate gratitude journal.
Even though having two daily pages makes our journal and tracker quite lengthy, it’s perfect for us, and we’re loving it so far. Similarly, you can decide which type of journaling to pursue by understanding your “why” and then looking for a journal that best suits your needs.
If you’re interested in starting with a comprehensive journal and tracker, we invite you to check out our Mindful Living Journal and Tracker. It might be the perfect tool to help you on your journaling journey.
3. Find a Regular Time to Journal
The next step in starting a successful journaling practice is to find a regular time each day to dedicate a few minutes to writing. You can decide what time works best for you depending on your lifestyle. Try different times of the day to see what works best.
Some people prefer writing first thing in the morning to plan their day and prioritize tasks, while others find it more beneficial to write at night as a way to reflect on their day and relax before bed.
You can also do it in two parts like us. So we generally write our journal in the morning because it includes our schedule and the tasks we need to accomplish for the day. This helps us plan our day effectively and set our priorities.
The tracker, on the other hand, is something we fill in the evening or at night because we have to track what we eat, our water intake, stress levels, mood, and other health-related factors. All these things can be filled at the end of the day only.
Similarly, you can find the time that works best for you. Whether it’s morning, evening, or a split schedule like ours, you can integrate journaling seamlessly into your routine.
4. Start Small and Be Consistent
As you start your journaling practice, it’s important to start small and not pressure yourself to fill entire pages or write extensively about specific topics. Start with whatever you can manage, whether it’s a few sentences or a short paragraph.
The key is to be consistent with your practice. Over time, you’ll get more comfortable with the process and find your unique voice and style but being regular is most important.
Journaling is not a quick fix that will show immediate results. Like any worthwhile habit, its benefits come from consistent effort over a long period.
Mental health problems don’t happen because you had stress one day, they happen because of the accumulation of stress, negative thoughts, and unresolved emotions for a longer period of time.
Similarly, these problems won’t disappear in a day or two. However, they can be significantly reduced with consistent practices like journaling, gratitude, and meditation.
Think of journaling as a long-term investment in your mental well-being. By being consistent, even with small daily entries, you’ll gradually notice improvements in your mental clarity, emotional stability, and overall well-being.
So, commit to your journaling practice, no matter how small your entries may be initially, and trust that the benefits will unfold with time and persistence.
5. Be Kind to Yourself and Make Your Journaling Practice Interesting
In your journaling journey, there will inevitably be days when you can’t write. Whether due to a busy schedule, unexpected visitors, or just because you don’t feel like doing anything. It’s very important to understand that this is perfectly okay.
Life has its own demands and every day is different, and while journaling is a tool to improve your mood, some days you might not feel like doing anything at all. It is completely normal and it happens to everyone.
The key is not to be hard on yourself or feel guilty for missing a day or two. Understand that it’s okay to skip a day and just ensure you return to your routine when things settle down.
Also, to keep up your journaling habit, make it as enjoyable and interesting as possible. Use stickers, different colored pens, sketches, or any other creative elements that appeal to you.
Personalize your journal as much as you can because it will make the practice more engaging and something you look forward to each day.
By being kind to yourself and adding some fun to your journaling, you’ll be more likely to maintain this beneficial habit over the long term.
Wrapping Up and Best Wishes for Starting Your Journaling Journey
The pace at which this modern world is advancing is truly amazing. Just a few decades ago, the internet was a revolutionary concept, and now we have artificial intelligence that can perform many tasks better than humans with remarkable accuracy.
We now have access to social media, virtual reality, and streaming platforms because of which we have limited our physical activity and interaction with the outside world. Our food habits have severely degraded and our sleep cycles are completely disturbed.
All these advancements, conveniences, and sedentary habits have collectively degraded the quality of life we’re leading today which has led to a variety of lifestyle-related mental health problems.
One of the best tools for mental health, second only to therapy, is journaling. As we’ve discussed in this blog and the previous ones in our series, journaling has so many benefits for our mental and overall health.
Even if you’re not currently facing any mental health issues, journaling can still help reduce everyday stress, anxiety, fear, worry, and negative thoughts. It is a tool that is beneficial for everyone and has no side effects other than stealing a few minutes out of your busy schedule.
Hopefully, this blog gave you some insight into how to start your journaling journey for mental health.
We wish you all the best as you start your journaling journey. Let us know in the comments if you have any suggestions or if you want to share any experiences with us. See you in the next blog on Gratitude journaling and its benefits. Namaste!
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