Journaling is one of the most effective forms of self-care. Research by the Anthropology Department, University of Connecticut, shows that journaling can help improve our emotional and psychological well-being. 

It can promote personal growth, healing, stress reduction, and inner peace. It can be your little odyssey of self-discovery or the means to mindfulness, gratitude, and self-compassion. 

Journaling is for everyone. And though it may seem easy to open a notebook and pour your thoughts out in ink, the lack of consistency and habit is where most of us fail in our journaling ritual. 

However, it’s never late to write a new chapter. 

Let’s dig deeper into the art and science behind journaling and why it can work wonders for us. 

What is journaling?

Journaling is simply penning down your thoughts and feelings on paper or typing on an electronic device. There are no rules for recording your thoughts in a journal. However, journaling is mostly a daily exercise. 

A journal can complement therapy, life coach, and best friend.

Journal to the Self: Twenty-Two Paths to Personal Growth, a book by Kathleen Adams, shows how journaling can be used across all areas of our lives and why it has such extraordinary powers.   

So, what’s the right way to write a journal? 

There is no wrong way to write a journal; there’s no right way, either. Other than not doing it, there’s no way you can screw up journaling. 

You don’t need to be a good writer or know the right vocab or syntax. Write a dialogue, pen a poem, jot down half a sentence, draw a doodle or emoji, or unleash your creativity in art and powerful imageries that speak on your behalf. 

Just be your true, vulnerable self. 

What are the different types of journaling? 

There can be so many different ways to write a journal. 

Lynda Monk, the Director of the International Association of Journal Writing and co-author of Writing Alone Together: Journalling in a Circle of Women for Creativity, Compassion and Connection (2014), says, “I journal to gain clarity, make decisions, reflect on my life, process emotions, capture moments, and make meaning out of my experiences. I use journaling for self-care, stress management, and to cultivate joy in my life.” 

It should be a way of self-expression – no threads-attached, bare-all talk – where you learn to face your vulnerabilities and develop a coherent narrative. You can choose from several types of journal writing, such as:

• Stream-of-consciousness: Julia Cameron, in her book The Artist’s Way, a classic and must-read for anyone interested in journaling, advises beginners to write three pages of stream-of-consciousness writing every morning to clear the mental clutter. 

• Prompt-based journal: Explore International Association for Journal Writing’s (IAJW) monthly prompts or those by Write Your Journey. 

• Reflective journaling: Serene Sarah George, a mental health professional and co-founder of Reflective Conversations, finds reflective writing a big part of her self-work. “There is something powerful about seeing the intangible, wandering ideas take the form of words and come down onto a paper, serving as an aid for us to own our narratives,” Serene says.

• Gratitude journal: Kersten Pilz, a writer, writing coach and Founder of Write Your Journey, says, “Self-compassion is one of the superpowers writing made me discover along with gratitude.” 

Asma A, co-founder at Reflective Conversations, sums it up for us, “Therapeutic writing can range from free writing for a few minutes without any pre-planning to prompt-based reflections or just writing about your day. It can also take the form of lists (Things I miss about the hills/What brought me comfort today etc.). It can be descriptive (objects/people/experiences) or narrative (stories from the past, present, and your hopes and dreams for the future).”

The magic of journaling for your health and well-being 

Journaling offers amazing health and wellness benefits, from physical and cognitive to emotional benefits. 

An AMA study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology suggests that our psychological health improves when we accept our mental experiences. This is why journaling is linked to improved moods, reduced anxiety, and better stress management. 

Amy Hoyt, Founder of Mending Trauma, avers, “Journaling can be a great pressure-releasing valve when we feel overwhelmed or simply have a lot going on internally.” Journaling also helps people suffering from ADHD to streamline, navigate, and organize their thoughts easily. 

Our brains chew on thoughts, which can make us feel depressed or stressed. This is called rumination. When you write, you get those thoughts on paper, almost replicating a conversation. Your brain doesn’t realize that the conversation is not with a real person. But this does help your mind get rid of negative thoughts and concentrate on more productive ones. 

A Baikie and Wilhelm study found that expressive writing helped to lower blood pressure, improve lung and liver function, reduce stress-related issues and depressive symptoms, and improve overall psychological well-being.  

Journaling can also develop a positive attitude and provide a creative way to ‘process difficult life events and increase self-awareness and understanding.’ This helps us stay organized, plan better, and improve memory and cognition. 

Asma says, “As an individual and a therapist, I have often advocated the healing touch of writing and journaling for mental health.

Writing, as I see it, can be a powerful tool to keep in our emotional wellness toolkit. A tool we can use to detangle our thoughts and make sense of our experiences, uncover our strengths, question, discover, get acquainted with ourselves in new ways, cope, and to grow. 

Though some people feel naturally inclined to journaling, I believe you do not have to be a prolific writer in order to begin translating your thoughts and feelings into words, for it’s a skill, too, that can be honed with practice. To me, it seems more like having a new friend you slowly get comfortable around. A safe space to be!”

How can you get started: journaling resources and tools  

Here are a few quick tips to get started with journaling:

• Set aside 10 minutes daily for your journaling session. 
• Pick the simplest yet most interesting tools to write down your thoughts. 
• If you are uncomfortable with free writing, start journaling using prompts or join groups where people practice writing together. 
• Anchor a suitable time, preferably when you go to sleep or wake up, to develop a habit of writing.  

The internet is a treasure box of great resources, books, and groups where you can gather tips and tools to start your journaling journey. 

• Books: Besides the ones we already discussed, Emma-Louise Elsey, Founder of Fierce Kindness, suggests some gems which any beginner can peruse to get acquainted with journaling.   

• The New Diary: How to Use a Journal for Self-Guidance and Expanded Creativity by Tristine Rainer: The original instruction book on modern-day journaling with a foreword by Anais Nin! 
• The Creative Journal: The Art of Finding Yourself by Lucia Capacchione is packed with many journal exercises. 
• One to One: Self-Understanding Through Journal Writing by Christina Baldwin: Filled with the author’s personal journaling examples, the book shows how journaling can be used for self-knowledge and growth.   

• Journaling apps and tools: While physical journals won’t ever lose their sheen, mobile apps, and journaling tools are handy for journaling on the go. 

• 750words:  based on the idea of morning pages from The Artist’s Way. 
• Ohlife: Reply to the email you receive daily, and the app stores your response. 
• OneWord: Quick Journaling tool with a one-word prompt and sixty tools to pour your heart out. 

• Journaling groups: Serene suggests a few groups to us: “’Journeying,’ a space held by Hank Nunn Institute, and ‘Writing affirmations for the meh’ run by Mithra Trust are examples of ongoing group spaces that can make journaling a more contained experience and also fosters community. I would recommend giving these spaces a try if you want to try your hand at journaling.”

If you have read till here, I hope the piece inspired you to begin journaling and explore your creative side. Grab that pen and paper, for it’s time the words listened to you and the paper spoke your thoughts!

References

Wurtz, H. M., Willen, S. S., & Mason, K. A. (2022). Introduction: Journaling and Mental Health during COVID-19: Insights from the Pandemic Journaling Project. SSM – Mental Health, 2, 100141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmmh.2022.100141

Catalino LI, Algoe SB, Fredrickson BL. Prioritizing positivity: an effective approach to pursuing happiness? Emotion. 2014 Dec;14(6):1155-61. doi: 10.1037/a0038029. Erratum in: Emotion. 2015 Apr;15(2):175. Erratum in: Emotion. 2016 Apr;16(3):319. PMID: 25401290; PMCID: PMC5533095.

Baikie, K. A., & Wilhelm, K. (2017). Emotional and physical health benefits of expressive writing. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 11(5), 338-346. https://doi.org/10.1192/apt.bp.105.001245

TEDx Talks (2018, June 26). The power of expressive writing | Tim Wilson | TEDxUniversityofVirginia [Video]

International Association for Journal Writing (n.d.). Free journaling resources. Retrieved July 13, 2023, from https://iajw.org/free-journaling-resources/