Journaling
If you asked me two years ago if I liked to journal in my free time, I probably would have laughed in your face and told you I had enough writing in high school and college to make never want to pick up a pen and paper again. No, but seriously! Why on earth would I want to scribble on a page my emotional feelings when I could sit on the couch (eating ice cream, of course) watching reruns of Bob’s Burgers instead? Why would I ever write about how I felt when I could suppress my emotions watching Tina get her twerk on at the school dance time instead? (Ask me how many times I’ve seen this episode, I dare you!) It didn’t make sense to me……until I tried it!!!
Today, this is my ABSOLUTE go-to, favorite skill to use! I started doing it consistently and was able to become more in tune with my emotions. I even ended up loving it so much that I started writing poetry regularly and some stupid mental health blog you’ve probably never heard of. I’ve recommended it to almost every single one of my friends in a crisis, and now YOU!!!
Upset because you and your best friend got into a huge fight? Write about it! Devastated you didn’t get that dream job you interviewed and worked so hard for? Write about it! Furious because your boyfriend liked yet another bikini-clad girl’s picture when you told him it makes you feel insecure? Write about it …..and then yell at him! Anxious because you are #2095 in line for the Jonas Brothers reunion tour? Write about it! Distraught over Kim and Kayne West getting divorced?! Like how the hell is Kylie going to get Yeezy shoes for free now?! Write about it! Okay, you get the point! No matter your current state of mind, you can always grab a pen and paper to work it out.
Why You Need to Start: The Benefits of Journaling
Journaling comes with so many benefits, especially for mental health! Here are just a few ways journaling is the life-changing technique to improve your mental health:
Increases happiness/ mood
Relieves stress
Builds self-esteem
Alleviates your emotions
Tracks your days, emotions, and healing progress
Heightens your awareness
Organizes your inner thoughts and feelings
Gets to the heart of the problem
Makes it easier to make decisions
Recognize and comprehend negative thought patterns and triggers
Connects to your unconscious mind
Set and track goals for your mental health
Strengthens your emotional intelligence
And if that isn’t enough for you, studies have shown it even improves your immune system! According to a study done at UC Berkley, researcher volunteers who were given the task to journal every day about their daily lives and trauma for two months were had higher antibodies than those who didn’t. Sayyy What??!! Corona Virus who? (I’m kidding! Get your shot, kids!)
Tips to Start Journaling for Mental Health
So how do you start, you ask?! It’s easy!! First, you’ll need a pen/ pencil and paper. If those aren’t available to you at the moment, feel free to use your notes app, Google Drive, Microsoft Word, or any other program you might have for writing in digital form. If you are feeling like a maniac, you can use colored pens, emojis, and even doodle to have fun with it.
Allow a Safe Space for Your Writing
Probably the most important skill is creating a judgment-free zone for your emotions to spill on the pages. Often when we judge our emotions too harshly, we end up suppressing them. The whole point of this exercise is to allow yourself to overflow. Be that mentos and coke explosion you were always mental to be, girlfriend! Get everything out, no matter how ludicrous, so that it doesn’t rise to the surface at the wrong time. You will feel so much better!
Start With Journal Prompts!
If you are a newbie, I highly suggest using journal prompts to get the juices flowing! Some will be fun, some will be surprising, and some will drive you into emotional overload. Pick whatever journal prompts you feel called to that day. How to find them, you ask?! There are tons of ways. There are apps available like Reflectly and Jour, which give you daily prompts for reflection and self-care. You can also buy journals with premade prompts from Target, Amazon, and Marshalls! Or we can go to our good ol’ friend google. Just type in “journal prompts,” and there are literally hundreds and thousands of websites that will give you great ideas.
P.S. If you want to support the blog, feel free to check out our Instagram, where I will be posting weekly journal prompts (and you better believe they are gonna be good)! *shameless plug*
If You Don’t Know Where to Start, Just Do It! *Insert Shia Labeouf meme here*
If, for whatever reason, you don’t have access to find journal prompts, have no fear! You can write about your day, things you’re grateful for, the emotions your feeling, or you can just start writing. I’ve even started with “I don’t know what to write about” 30 times in a row until something pops up in my mind. If you are in a heated moment where you are overwhelmed by emotions, I recommend waiting until you feel more composed. Journaling will bring those emotions back to the surface.
Set A Timer
When you are just starting, it’s a good idea to set a timer. Set it for about 15-20 minutes, and don’t stop until you hear it go off. This is a great trick if you aren’t used to writing freely. Once you get the hang of things, you won’t be able to stop. Soon you’ll be writing and hysterically sobbing, remembering grandma told you Santa wasn’t real and your childhood came to an end without realizing your three hours late for work! I mean, if that doesn’t make you want to grab a pen and paper right now, I don’t know what will.
Repeat Daily!
Last, but certainly not least, repeat daily. For best results, do this every day. I suggest doing it around the same time whether that be morning, noon, or night for you. If you’re feeling crazy do it morning and night!
I promise you if you stick with it, you will see massive results in your mental wellbeing, and hey, you might even lower your blood pressure. What more could you ask for?!