Fall is the perfect time to start a journaling practice as we transition into the cooler months and we’re staying at home more. Journaling is much more than words on a page; it can be a dialogue with yourself and a way to shape your thoughts, emotions, and aspirations.
However, journaling can seem intimidating to some: “What am I going to write about?” “My hand gets sore when I write for more than 5 minutes!” “I've never been someone to write down my thoughts.” Well, keep reading as I share tips on how to start and stay inspired to continue journaling, a few journal types and formats, and some of the benefits of journaling.
The benefits of a journaling practice include but are not limited to
Emotional expression: having a safe place to write about a challenging, traumatic, or joyful experience can aid the healing process and reduce stress.
Personal growth: tracking your progress and achievements gives you a discernable record of how far you’ve come and where you might want to improve.
Memory enhancement or preservation: writing down your experiences will record details that might otherwise be forgotten.
Reduction of obsessive thoughts: Writing down your thoughts about a negative experience will stop you from ruminating on them and let you gain perspective.
How do you get inspired to start a journaling practice? First, think about why you want to journal? What do you hope to achieve with your journaling? Connect your journaling to a goal and imagine the result of consistently journaling. For example, perhaps your goal is to improve your mental health. You’ll be able to see how journaling has helped you release pent up emotions and reduce stress.
Carve out time in your schedule to journal. This could be 5 minutes or an hour. Experiment with different times of your day. For example, do you wake up with energy and have a few minutes to journal before the kids get up? Or do you take transit and can take a few minutes to journal while on the bus or train? Or does it make sense to pour out your thoughts before you lay down to sleep? The important thing is to dedicate 5 minutes to self-care. Also, remember that it’s ok to start over. You haven’t journaled in a week, a month, a year? Today is the best day to start again. And remember to treat yourself with compassion and celebrate the days you do carve out those minutes to journal. Small victories!
Why and when you want you to journal may dictate the type and format of journal you use. Handwriting in a notebook may give you a more tactile and personal experience while using an app or a digital journal may be more convenient and accessible. A notebook will allow you to try coloured pens, stickers, and washi tape to decorate your pages. A digital journal supports the use of multimedia elements such as audio and video recordings. I have a friend who gave up a journaling practice because someone she looked up to told her that only handwriting in a notebook was true journaling and my friend could not write for that long nor could she remember to be consistent in her practice.
There are so many journal types so feel free to experiment until you find the one that resonates with you:
Gratitude journal
Stream-of-consciousness or brain dump
Daily reflections
Mindfulness journal
A letter to or from your future self or a distance descendant
Manifestations or vision board
Mind map or brainstorms
Habit or productivity tracking
Dream journal
Junk or art or photo journal
Ok, now you’ve got your journal and you’re staring at the blank page or screen. Don't panic! When I suggest starting a journaling practice with a client, we discuss why it would be useful, and I use it as “homework” after a session. If writing on a page is too daunting, I suggest the client doodle for 5 minutes. Yes, doodle! And then, perhaps the client can advance to writing about a meal they had or one thing for which they are thankful that day. I remind my client to write with the idea that no one is going to read what they write, so we don't care about run-on sentences or spelling or grammar or scribbles on the page. As I said before, the most important thing is to dedicate 5 minutes to taking care of yourself.
Finally, as promised, I've put together a list of fifteen prompts from various sources to help your creative juices to flow.
Five things that made me feel peaceful today:
I felt proud of myself when:
My best attribute is:
Three unique things about me are:
I feel most proud of myself when:
I’m excited for:
Write about a time where someone believed in you while you doubted yourself.
Name a small act of kindness you’ve done.
Describe a thing you used to be insecure about but no longer are. How did you change that?
If you had no doubts about yourself, what would your goal be?
What does strength mean to you?
Describe the last time you felt strong or capable.
Think of someone you admire. Why do you admire them?
What intimidates you?
What does your dream life look like?
Happy journaling!
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