It's been a rough few days for me, causing me to be very anxious and out of my zone. Stress and lack of sleep is taking the best (or worst) of me. I browsed different self-help tips on the internet and got my hands into journaling. I got my pen and a blank notebook I have in my drawer and started writing anything.
Journaling helps.
I used to not understand journaling, or have it synonymous with keeping a diary, which I was not a fan of. But oh well, the internet made me understand that those were two different things. For starters, Diary is for how my day went, while journaling is for how I was throughout the day. I have a little comparison later in this post.
I am still playing around the concept of writing all my thoughts and feelings. Also, even though I am a typing, in my gadgets all the time type of person and journaling with an app is an option, I strongly feel that a pen and paper is such a breath of fresh air and is much easier to get comfortable with.
Unlike some people I see journaling, I am still not big on being “creative” with it, certainly not yet into decorative or scrapbooking aspects. Just some little writings with a messy handwriting of a 3rd grader, just whatever that makes me at ease venting or giving myself comforting advice.
It’s a tedious commitment…
I know, it surely will take some time, energy and headspace to keep a journal, let alone start one. The idea could be overwhelming, but once you start writing things out, you’ll start to get in the zone and won’t even notice the time and the length. Also, if you’re really that dedicated to keeping yourself on track and build a habit and routine, commitment will be the least of your problems.
What I write?
My thoughts and feelings - The building block of every journal. Where I record situations and how I dealt with them. From how I was happy I bought something off my wishlist, how upset I was seeing the electricity bill, why I think snoring at sleep should be illegal, up to why I am shocked about a neighbor’s dog pooping on my porch.
The highlights of my day - I don’t have to list everything down, but make sure I note the memorable, “one for the books” situation. Could be positive as being invited for an interview by my dream company, or negative as my favorite mug broke. A situation where you felt strong emotion or opinion with.
My wins for the day - As much as a journal is a free space for your stresses, sadness, and worries, don’t forget to look at the silver lining and share your wins, achievements, what made you happy, what are you excited about and what you enjoyed. That way, you’ll be more motivated and inspired. Did you make a friend? Did you revisit an old hobby? Tell more.
Friendly letters to myself - I never forget little side remarks to myself in my entries like “no need to worry, everything is under control”, “there’s better chance tomorrow”, “you did great”, “you’ll do better next time” etc. This helps me with overcoming my worries. It is like my sad self and my supportive self is having a conversation. Have some words of reassurance with yourself.
My plan/goal/progress for the upcoming days - Also nice to share in what are I am looking forward for the upcoming days, what am I excited for, etc. Journaling those plans and goals also helps me not forget them, be more excited and appreciate my efforts as I anticipate for that goal. Maybe you’ll be making your prom dress and you’ll look back saying how worth it it was.Diary and Journal (3 things)
Diary is about your day; journal is about you.
You can say that you attended a reunion and talked to your old friends in your diary, but you can journal on how you missed them and how they reminded you of the good old days.
Journals aren't day sensitive unlike diaries.
If missing a day in your diary makes you feel guilty, you'll feel less of that in your journal. You can skip a day, or have multiple entries or topics for a day, your call.
You're free to do both.
Technically, diary and journaling used to be considered the same thing. Usually, people combine the events of their day and how they felt. The only difference is that journaling is less restrictive and more freehand.
Benefits of Journaling (for me)
Emotional well-being: Journaling can help you identify and process your emotions, process them and find your emotional strengths and weakness. By writing down your feelings, you can gain a better understanding of them, which can help you manage them more effectively.
Stress reduction: Writing in a journal can be a form of stress relief. When you write down your worries, fears, and concerns and whatever upsets you. You may feel like you're unburdening yourself and getting off some emotional load, which can help reduce your stress levels.
Relaxation and better headspace: Journaling can be a meditative hobby and a good me-time activity or exercise. It helps you relax, ease yourself, clear your mind, and have a time away from whatever bothers you. You can even have a calm music on while you journal.
Self-discovery: You get to learn something about yourself, whether an advantage or an opportunity to improve. You may get a clearer idea on why you behave or react a certain way. You can even look back later on and realize something in yourself that just make sense.
Self-Improvement: You’ll do better on how you deal things in the future, given that you were able to identify your behaviors, strengths, and weaknesses, as well as you have an idea what to improve. Journaling helps you identify your wins and motivations on how you handle situations.
Self-reflection: Journaling can help you reflect on your life and experiences. By writing about your experiences and thoughts, you may see the bigger picture on a situation and gain insights into your behaviors, motivations, and patterns of thinking.
Improved memory: Journaling can help improve your memory by allowing you to capture and remember details about your life and experiences. Aside from that, just the sole purpose of developing a routine or habit, helps you improve your memory.
Increased creativity: Writing in a journal can also help boost your creativity. When you write freely, without worrying about judgment or criticism, you may be more likely to come up with new and innovative ideas.
Improved communication skills: Journaling can help improve your communication skills by allowing you to practice expressing yourself in writing.
Goal setting: Journaling can also be a helpful tool for setting and achieving goals. By writing down your goals and tracking your progress, you may be more likely to achieve them.
Tips (+ What I do)
Nothing beats pen and paper, but you do you.
I personally prefer pen and paper to journal because it gives me a very comfy, zen, and meditating feel unlike keyboards and computer screens that I find a bit stressful and pressuring (add that I work with computers too, it's chaos. I need somewhere else to find peace which pen, and paper gives me) But it's my personal preference though. Maybe you are someone different and prefers journaling on your phone. Do what makes you comfortable.
Let the pen write, don't pressure yourself.
A goal of Journaling is to be more natural in communicating yourself. Think of it as if you're talking to a friend. Of course, you wouldn't want a very forced or uncomfortable conversation, especially on topics you feel genuine about. Sometimes it's better if you will be less mindful or anxious on what you write. You'll see that it's like the pen is flowing in itself. Be free what you want to share and have less worries. There are no rules, you're doing just fine.
It doesn’t have to be that long.
No, you don’t have to write an entire college essay for the day. It's not necessarily a rundown of everything, but an overall generalization/conclusion on how it went. If you’re that busy or not in the mood to write, at least starting with minimum 4 sentences will do. In fact, if you're really that long-winded like me, you can either split into sections or have multiple entries throughout the day. If you want to develop a habit, you don’t need to start big, go for little steps you’re comfortable with.
Tone things in a more positive way.
It's tempting to make your journal into a pity party, but we have to remember that a goal of journaling is to make ourselves feel better. Sometimes you can see the silver lining of things. You were hurt because your partner dumped you? Make it seem that it's also a good thing because they're not the one for you yet and you have a chance to be with better people. Don't be harsh on yourself. Your emotions are valid, and journaling and writing things down helps you see the bigger picture.
Give advice to yourself.
Let's say you are writing down things like how a friend upsets you and you're realizing that there's also something wrong on your part and you learned that you reacted unfairly at the time. You can note that what it was not the right thing and say what you wish you could've just done instead and assure that you learned to not do the same mistake. Also, comforting words (telling myself that I'm doing just fine and better days are coming when I feel hopeless) helps too.
Write as if you're talking to a friend.
This advice is inspired by a film I just watched, and it made a lot of sense. Think of it as if your journal is a friend whom you go whenever you're feeling down, or whenever excited to throw the good news. Maybe you have some gossips. You can't keep all your emotions to yourself, and it will feel nice to have someone to let it out to, and your journal can be your friend to-go. Heck, you can even give it a name. And all your secret is safe with this friend.
Please don't forget the positives
Give yourself some credit. You had some wins, take note of those as well. Did you like doing a chore all of a sudden? How did you feel? Did you hear from someone you haven't talked to in a while? What did you talked about? Did you do a favor for a friend? What was it? Journaling isn't always about finding comfort when you feel sad or helpless, it's also for celebrating achievements, no matter how big or small. What makes it an achievement for you? What's your favorite part of it.
Get a journal notebook you really want to write on.
A common misconception is getting a very fancy schmancy notebook to journal on, which is not always the case. As a result, someone could get overwhelmed with their notebook design and not write on them at all. To let you know. Any notebook works, even if that scrap old school notebook do, as long as you are comfortable to write on it. And if you're into planning to journal to write on a stylish, artsy, designed notebook, your call. As long as you're ready to ink those pages.
How to start getting into Journaling
Starting a journaling practice can be easy and straightforward. It’s very simple. Here are some steps to help you get started:
Choose a journal: Select a notebook or journal that you like and that feels comfortable to write in. You can choose a plain notebook or one with prompts or exercises to guide your writing.
Set aside time: Decide on a regular time to journal. This could be in the morning or before bed, or whenever you feel most comfortable and have some free time. It doesn't need to be a long time, even just 10 minutes a day can be beneficial.
Find a quiet space: Choose a quiet space where you won't be interrupted or distracted. This could be your bedroom, a quiet coffee shop, or a park bench.
Decide on a focus: Decide on a focus or intention for your journaling. This could be anything from reflecting on your day to exploring your emotions or setting goals.
Start writing: Begin by writing freely about your chosen focus. Don't worry about grammar or spelling, just write whatever comes to mind.
Be consistent: Try to journal regularly, even if it's just a few times a week. Consistency is key to making journaling a habit.
Remember, journaling is a personal practice, so there's no right or wrong way to do it. Just focus on writing honestly and authentically and enjoy the process of getting to know yourself better through your writing.
Final Thoughts
Journaling, or the act of regularly writing down one's thoughts, feelings, and experiences, can provide many benefits. It helps you improve your mental health, manage your stress, and be more present. Overall, journaling can be a valuable tool for personal growth and self-awareness and can provide many benefits for emotional and mental well-being.
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