How to Journal For Mental Health
Journal Entry: June 08, 2024
Do you remember when I first started writing in here? I wrote about my day at school, my homework, my family, and my dreams. It has been almost 8 years and I love journaling! I get to talk about anything I want in a safe and private space. I looked up why journaling makes me feel better and it turns out there are hundred of benefits of journaling like:
Privacy: You can keep your fears, dreams, big questions, and memories in your journal without having to share it with others. When I’m going through a lot and feel very upset, I don’t always feel like talking to others. So I turn to my journal and write about what’s upsetting me. It doesn’t even have to be perfect - I’m the only one reading it!
Routine: Sometimes life gets really crazy and scary. Making sure to journal for a few minutes everyday is like an anchor for me. No matter what is going on, I can count on my peaceful minutes of journaling. It’s something I look forward to!
Creativity: A blank piece of paper (or more) all for you! You can do whatever you like: Sse any color to write with, add drawings, write as much or as little as you want, write about any topic or focus on one thing, write to yourself or to someone else, and so on. Journaling can be fun if you make it - be creative with it!
Personally my favorite part of journaling is that I can look back on what I wrote years ago to laugh at how silly I was or be proud of how much i’ve grown.
i’ve tried out so many different ways to journal in the past, but none really helped me. After all, journaling is a personal activity meant to help me. It might not be what works for someone else. It may take time, but journaling can be a great way to check in with yourself and how you are feeling. Are you feeling sad? Happy? Is something bothering you? Did something exciting happen? I like to start my journal entries with these kinds of questions, just to get everything off my mind and relieve some stress.
Then, I like to write down some things that I am grateful for. Gratitude is tricky, but a beautiful feeling. Everyday there are small actions, things, or even people that keep us going and keep us happy, but we don’t always recognize it. By writing down 2-3 bits of life that make you happy or a better person, it helps to forget the bad parts of life. It may feel silly at first but trust me - you’ll realize how loved you are and how the world can be amazing.
The third part of my journal entries are my goals for the day. These can be anything: making my bed, cleaning my room, singing my favorite song, or doing something nice for someone else. The key is to think about what makes you feel good and what your dreams are. I like going for walks in nature so one of my goals is to get outside for a few minutes everyday and explore.
Lastly, I sometimes write down some positive sayings. For example, if I am feeling anxious, I write down “ I am okay. I am safe. Tomorrow will be a better day” a few times and take in deep breaths. I have found lots of positive sayings on the internet, but sometimes the best ones are the ones i make for myself.
That’s my journey with journaling and some of the reasons I like doing it. It is an important part of my life because it helps with my stress and negative emotions. I hope you give it a try too!
