As a therapist, the main way I help people is by talking, but I'm also a big advocate of writing. Journaling is the practice of writing down what we are thinking, to give us clarity and expression. It's a simple, and usually free mental health tool we can use to support our wellbeing.
Why Journal?
Journaling is about getting the noise out of your head. Instead of letting thoughts whirl round and round, tying themselves in knots, you can offload them onto the page. The act of writing our thoughts down helps take the burden of carrying it off your mind.
Your worries, your hopes, the strange connections your mind makes; let the page hold these things for you. In time you may notice common themes, or that something that previously came out as a jumble of words is becoming a clearer thought.
Eventually we can look back over what we have written and so discover the second power of journaling; a guardian of your thoughts. Things we might otherwise have forgotten about entirely are held for us on the page. Looking back over what we wrote can surprise us; we might not realise how much we were hurting previously, or we might be surprised about how we described something that we now remember differently.
Does it work?
There is a growing body of evidence for the ways journaling can support us. Whether it is helping us to have a new perspective on our thoughts, or to observe them without judgement, or it can help us understand and regulate our emotions by expressing how we feel.
If you want more information on the research out there, check out this Positive Psychology Article and this article from the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)/
How to get started
So if you're convinced about the benefits of journaling, how do you get started? Here are some things to consider
First off, check if the idea of journaling brings up any memories or worries. For a lot of people, the last time we did much writing is when we were at school or studying for something. This might mean that when we write we are concerned about how this will be 'marked' or if we're meeting someone else's' standards of what 'good writing' looks like.
When we're journaling for our wellbeing we have to cast off any of the rules we used to have in our head about writing. You are writing this just for yourself, not any one else. No one will be checking your spelling or grammar. You don't need to write full sentences or even write anything that makes any sense.
Choose your notebook/app/doodlepad- You get to choose what format you do your writing on. This could be an notebook dedicated to the purpose, or some back pages in an existing book you have. You might use your phone, whether in the notes app or in a specially designed journaling app. Choose whatever feels right to you, where you will feel most free to write whatever you need to, and where you will have access to it when you need it. Making these choices will help ensure that journaling is a pleasant experience, so take some time with this step.
Decide when you will write- You get to pick how frequently you want to write in your journal. It is a good idea to favour a 'little and often' approach over trying to do it all in one go, especially when you are getting started. We are also far more likely to do something if we decide in advance a time that we're doing to do it, so when you make your plan to journal, include a day and time.
You may want to think about the setting when you write in. Do you think freely when you're on a bus or train getting home from work, staring out the window and watching the world go by? Or would you feel more open when wrapped up in blanket with a warm drink by your side? Would you like to go to a cafe or park and have the bustle of people around you? Take some time to think about what will work for you, and if you're not sure just experiment with different options till you find one that feels good.
Find some journaling prompts- It can really help you to get started if you have some questions to get your thinking. Options could include:
What has been on your mind a lot lately? Why do you think it keeps lingering?
Was there a time this week where you felt comfortable and content? Describe what was happening, who was there, what you were doing.
If you could go back and change something in your life, what would you change? What would be the impact of that change- both good and bad?
Take a different perspective on things. If your friend/family member/work colleague had to describe you, what would they say?
What feelings have been coming up for your this week? What are your main memories of feeling that way in your life
If you need more prompts, have a google and see what you can find. Don't feel like you have to follow any prompts, if your mind is brimming with things to write, then go for it!
Just start- Most importantly, get going on journaling. Begin with a few words, or with lots. It is less important how you start than that you start.
Writing has a lot of important benefits for your wellbeing and could be a helpful way to support your mental health. Why not give it a go?
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