Journaling Techniques

Improve Mental Health Through Journaling

Journaling is more than a conversation with yourself; it can be a window into your interior world, discovering insights and understanding the meaning of specific experiences in your life. Moreover, research in the past couple of decades has demonstrated that writing can produce health improvements for depression and anxiety, as well as physical health. (APA, 2002) 

The benefits of writing have long been understood before we even developed our modern scientific way of studying mental and physical health, though. The ancient Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius wrote his own personal diary nearly two millennia ago with the purpose of gaining clarity and understanding how he could better himself both as a leader and as a person. Centuries later, this diary would become a staple of Stoic philosophy and was published as a book called Meditations.

However, we don’t all need to be philosophers to understand ourselves, and you certainly don’t need to write like Ernest Hemingway to journal about your life. 

How to use Journaling Techniques to improve your Mental Health

While you may be able to recognize the benefits of journal writing, that doesn’t mean youknow how to write journals. Similar to writer’s block, many people can struggle to start journaling when they don’t know what to write about, even when they have clear ideas and topics to choose from. 

Journal writing can prove to be a daunting task when you approach it with high expectations of in-depth introspection and intricate descriptions of your psychological experiences. While there is certainly a time and place for exploring complex parts of one’s psyche, it’s safer and more effective to start simple and direct. 

When you first learns mindfulness, start with the basics of feeling the breath, noticing bodily sensations, recognizing tension in the body, and observing any emotions that arise before opening awareness to more internal parts. 

Much like mindfulness, journal writing can begin with simple prompts and journaling techniques that will help you be more present with your life by discussing topics that are easy to manage. Here are five prompts to help you get started:

5 Journaling Techniques and Prompts

1. Write about your day. Reflecting on the day is a common yet helpful way to engage with your life and observe how your mind navigates. What things did you do today? What thoughts did you have? What feelings did you experience? What is your reaction to answering these questions?

2. Express gratitude. All of us have or previously had a person in our lives that we are grateful for and wish they are well. Sometimes we need a reminder of how

   thankful we are towards people we love and cherish amongst all the busyness in our lives. Describe someone you are grateful for. How do you wish them well? What is it like to be grateful?

3. Describe your challenges. Every day has its challenges–big and small–and they all affect us in some way. These can range from struggling to get out of bed to coping with the loss of a loved one. What are your challenges? What thoughts and feelings do you have about them? What makes them challenging for you?

4. Know your values. Our values are what drive us to make decisions and understand what is important to us. They help us prioritize our time and energy towards the things that are meaningful to us. What is important to you? How do you demonstrate your values in your daily life? What areas do you see your values lacking in?

5. Write a letter. Sometimes journal writing provides insight through writing an “unsent letter” (a letter you write to a person for the purpose of processing emotions, but intentionally never send) that you can either keep or throw away after it's completed. Writing a letter to someone who has impacted your life, positively or negatively, can help process thoughts and feelings about the relationship, events, and yourself. As a start, focus on people who have brought minimal pain to your life and observe how well you manage it. Who is this person to you? How have they impacted your life? What thoughts and feelings are coming up as you write this letter? 

The Sweet Collision: When Journaling Just Isn’t Enough

The American poet Maya Angelou once said, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” We all have our life stories and enjoy sharing them with others to feel seen, to relate, and find our communities. It is also important to know what story you tell yourself.  Journal writing can serve as a great medium for connecting with our inner world and understanding our story as it is being written.

As a challenge to you, try journal writing for the next month. Whether it’s once a week or once every day for five minutes or an hour, see what the experience of writing about yourself is like and discover if it’s helpful to you.

For some, writing may not be sufficient to address concerns, woes, and troubles. Consider contacting us at Inland Insight to pair therapy with your journaling efforts. We would love to be your support system. You can contact us via our website, www.inlandinsight.com, or call us at 509-359-8807.  

References

Murray, B. (2002). Writing to Heal. American Psychological Association: Monitor on Psychology, 33(6), p. 54. https://www.apa.org/monitor/jun02/writing