The Healing Powers of Journaling: Writing For Your Mental Health

You've heard me recommend journaling (incessantly), you've seen journals and journaling accessories blowing up in stores again, is this just another fad? Or can journaling actually help to heal your mental health?

Today we're going to explore the many benefits of journaling for your mental health, give you some tips on how to journal effectively for you, and leave you with some journal prompts that you can try out for yourself!

Let's dive in, shall we?

Any excuse to keep buying fun back-to-school supplies for myself

Journaling for Mental Health?

It's true! Journaling has been proven to help mental health in a variety of ways:

• Self Awareness

• Emotional Regulation

• Problem Solving and Goal Setting

• Coping with Trauma and Grief

Self Awareness

It can sometimes be difficult to talk to others about what's on our minds. Fears of judgement, the excuses we make, there are countless little ways we censor ourselves every day. Letting the pen flow in privacy is an excellent tool to exhaust your mind and let the truth find its way to the page.

Journaling can open our minds to who we truly are, what we value, where our frustrations lay, our short-comings, our fears... In short, it allows us to explore the deeper parts of our minds, and develop a greater sense of self.

Emotional Regulation

Studies have proven that writing about feelings, versus writing about day to day activities, can actually help you to better control your emotions. This goes hand in hand with self awareness, the more you pay attention to what is happening in your mind and body, the more you are able to control them, not be driven by them.

Think of a car spinning out of control on the ice. Who would you want behind the wheel? An inexperienced driver who barely understands the concept of "car" and "ice"? Or, someone who drives their car every day, and is very familiar with all driving conditions? Exactly.

Journaling allows you to release the emotions onto the page and explore them further, not succumb to them.

Look at her go, expertly navigating through emotions that would've sent her into a l'il menty b only a week ago

Problem Solving and Goal Setting

Oh yes, your journal can be multi-purpose! Getting your emotions down on paper is important, but so is setting your goals for the future and sorting your life out. In fact, by getting the emotions out of the way, you're better able to focus on future plans.

Use your journal to talk out what's been happening in your life, how you feel about it, where you want to go. What are your hopes and dreams? That's not just a question for high school graduates. Some call it "manifesting", you can call it whatever you like. Write about what you want your future to look like, the qualities you want in a partner, your dream job. Examine current problems and frustrations in your life. Getting it out of your head and onto the page opens up the mental space for solutions to come in.

Coping with Trauma and Grief

Humans will do almost anything to avoid talking about the worst moments in their life. This is a self-preservation tactic, and is absolutely normal. I was only able to open up to others about my own trauma after exclusively telling my journal about it for years.

Most people on this planet are not trained in how to deal with someone else's grief or trauma. Some will clumsily try to help and offer well-meaning platitudes, out of a good place of course, but often times those only serve to negate the feelings and reality of the person. "Everything happens for a reason" can twist the knife in deeper. This doesn't mean you shouldn't open up to anyone, but if and when you do just make sure it's someone you can trust, and try not to take it personally if they don't handle it well.

This is why journaling is an excellent avenue towards healing if there is no one you can talk to about your experiences. People mean well, most anyway, but can say the wrong thing. It's a sensitive topic that should be handled with care. Get it all out in your journal, free of judgement or shame. You can explore the event, and your feelings about it, in a safe space for your eyes only.

Make your journal your safe space

Tips for How to Journal Effectively

Take the Pressure Off

Journaling every day is a breeze sometimes, and other times months will go by before I think about it. Try to keep your journal in a place where you will see it every day. Object permanence doesn't just apply to babies! I, for instance, keep mine beside my bed as a constant reminder. I strive to journal every day, and I do so when I can.

Write About What You're Grateful For

On those days when you don't feel like you have anything to journal about, write down three things you're grateful for. Gratitude is a huge step towards happiness. It's easy to get bogged down in the bad, take some time every day to focus on the good.

Be Kind to Yourself

It's important to dive deep and to think critically, but that doesn't mean you have to be a bully to yourself. Be honest, but be kind. Would you talk about your loved ones like that? Then don't talk about yourself like that! The words you say about yourself stick with you, so make sure you're saying something nice.

Use Different Techniques

Some days you'll want to free flow whatever is in your brain onto the page, other days you may have a specific question in mind, or a new journal prompt you want to try. Maybe you'll feel like a poet one day, and an angsty teenager with metal lyrics screeching through your head the next. Lean into this. You don't need a different journal for every mood, don't limit yourself like that. Your journal is yours, let it be messy and beautiful and uniquely you.

Let Journaling be Fun

Sure, you're going to delve into unpleasant topics, but you're never going to get there if you never want to pick up your journal in the first place! Get yourself a journal with a design you love, get the pretty gel pens you've always wanted, and have fun! Doodle, design, make bubble letters, cover it with sparkle glue, or make it dark and spooky, whatever, literally no one else needs to see it but you. Return to your eight year old glory. You deserve it.

Look at Why You're Not Journaling

Analyze what isn't working. Are you dreading picking up your journal? What expectations are you putting on yourself when you start writing? Keep in mind, you're not doing this for a school project, nobody is grading you on this, this is 100% for you. Take some time away from journaling as needed, and let yourself write about what you want to write about when you want to write about it. Period.

Use Journaling Prompts

Some days you're going to write ten pages without needing to think about it. Other days you'll sit down to write and stare at the blank page. On those days when you're feeling unfocused or uninspired, turn to journaling prompts to get you started. Google and Pinterest are great resources, or keep reading below for some quick prompts to improve your mental health!

Journaling for your mental health pairs well with nature

20 Easy Healing Journal Prompts for Your Mental Health

In no particular order, just read through the list and answer the first question that inspires you!

• What three things am I most grateful for today?

• How do I handle stressful situations?

• What am I really good at?

• What makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside?

• How can I take better care of myself?

• What makes me feel safe?

• What emotions have I been avoiding lately? Why?

• If money wasn't a concern, what would I do on an average day?

• What is holding me back?

• Rage on the Page (let out all your anger, scream at whoever deserves it. Burn the page as needed)

• What do I really want? How can I practically achieve this?

• What obstacles have I faced in my life? How did I overcome them?

• How am I really feeling about things lately? How can I fix this? (as needed)

• What did I love to do when I was 8 years old? How can I incorporate this today?

• What are 5 things that make me unique?

• What do I love most about myself? Name at least 3, aim for 10.

• What limiting beliefs do I have about myself?

• What major life lesson have I learned? How has it shaped me?

• What day to day challenges do I face? How can I make these easier on myself?

• What do I hope my future will look like? What steps can I take today to get there?

Let's Wrap It Up

Journaling is an easy tool that anybody can add to their toolbelt to help improve their mental health! It can help you regulate your emotions, raise your self awareness, problem solve, and work through your grief and trauma. Remember to take it easy on yourself, dig deep, and have fun! What are some of your favorite journal prompts? Sound off in the comments below!