In this blog post, I want to share my experience of a  journey that I embarked on only a year ago. It has already profoundly impacted my mental health and overall well-being. 

I'm talking about keeping a journal.

Life can be incredibly challenging at times. From work pressures to personal struggles, it's easy to get lost in the chaos. Personally, I was going through the worst phase of my life. That's when I stumbled upon the idea of journaling as a way to regain control of my thoughts and emotions. 

Spoiler alert: It worked wonders! (Read more about the benefits of journaling here). 

P.S.:  Use the rest of this blog entry as a bunch of prompts to help start your own journaling journey.. 

Get Started

I'll be honest; I had no idea what I was doing when I first started journaling. I didn't have any fancy notebooks or pens; I just grabbed a plain old notepad and started writing. No rules, no structure, just me and my thoughts. Contrary to what I had seen on the internet, my journal was NOT pretty and it was NOT in cursive handwriting! It was a stream of thoughts, just flowing out of my mind, and into my journal. From the very basic details of my day to a swirl of emotions, those first few pages were a legitimate representation of the inside of my mind. Although what I saw in front of me was a chaotic visual, it somehow helped me feel so much better. Like a heavy weight was lifted off my shoulders. This taught me that there were no right or wrong ways to journal, it was a journey that you could create for yourself, just the way you liked it. 

After the first few times of journaling, I wanted to make more sense of it and see how journaling could help me grow emotionally and understand myself better. On watching a few Instagram reels about journaling, I decided to address a simple question "How am I feeling today?" I jotted down whatever came to mind – my worries, frustrations, and even the occasional moment of joy. The question comes across as deceptively basic at first, but it beautifully cuts through the noise and simply addresses the core of your being. How do I truly feel? I didn’t often get to express that bit about myself on a regular day. But I could always jot down my feelings in my journal! 

It was liberating to have a safe space to express myself without judgment.

But don’t get me wrong, I didn’t just always write about things that bothered me. I gradually also started to capture moments that filled my heart with joy and gratitude. Those moments were mostly about the beautiful Southern California sunsets, my walks with my pup, or just a bird visiting us on our patio. These simple moments in life, I realized, meant so much more to me than I ever thought possible. And again, it was my practice of journaling that helped me come to this realization.

‍Reflect On Your Thoughts

One big benefit of journaling is the opportunity to reflect on your thoughts and feelings. Over time, I noticed patterns emerging. For example, I realized that I tended to feel more stressed on certain days of the week or during particular situations. Identifying these patterns allowed me to take proactive steps to manage my stress better.

For instance, I noticed that I often felt overwhelmed on Mondays. After some reflection, I realized it was because I was piling too many tasks on my Monday to-do list. Armed with this insight, I started spreading out my tasks more evenly throughout the week, and the Monday blues slowly disappeared.

Set Intentions for Yourself

Journaling also helped me set and track my mental health goals. I began by writing down small daily intentions, like "practice gratitude" or "take a short walk." These little goals added purpose to my days and helped me stay focused on my mental wellbeing.

I made it a habit to jot down three things I was grateful for each day. Over time, this simple practice helped shift my mindset toward positivity and made me more resilient in the face of challenges. (Here are simple gratitude practices you can include in your daily routine) 

Practice Self-Compassion

Life isn't always rainbows and butterflies, and sometimes it can just be a dark, gloomy hole. But when I took to my notebook and wrote about my struggles and setbacks, my journal never judged me. It became a safe space where I could be brutally honest with myself.

Instead of berating myself for my mistakes, or for the way I was feeling at the time, I learned to practice self-compassion. I reminded myself that it's okay to have bad days, feel a certain way, and experience setbacks. Journaling taught me to treat myself with the same kindness and understanding that I would offer a friend in a similar situation.

Track Your Progress

As I continued my journaling journey, I realized how valuable it was for tracking my progress. I could look back and see how far I'd come since those initial entries. It was like flipping through the pages of my own personal growth story.

Whenever I faced a particularly tough day, I found solace in revisiting old journal entries. It reminded me that I'd overcome similar challenges before and that I had the resilience to do it again.

A Final Note

Maintaining a journal for my mental health has been a game-changer for me and many others. It's no magic potion, but it's a powerful tool that has helped me better understand myself, manage my emotions, and foster a sense of wellbeing.

If you have ever considered starting a mental health journal, I encourage you to go ahead and give it a try. Take cues from this blog post and go with it. Remember, there are no rules, no judgments – just you and your thoughts on a blank page. It's a journey worth taking, and I hope it brings as much positivity and self-discovery into your life as it has into mine. 

Happy journaling!