WHEN YOU WERE A TEENAGER, you might have kept a diary hidden under your mattress. It was a place to confess your struggles and fears without judgment or punishment. It likely felt good to get all those thoughts and feelings out of your head and down on paper. The world seemed clearer.
You may have stopped using a diary once you reached adulthood. But the concept and its benefits still apply. Now it’s called journaling. It’s simply writing down your thoughts and feelings to understand them more clearly. And if you struggle with stress, depression, or anxiety, keeping a journal can be a great idea. It can help you gain control of your emotions and improve your mental health.
One of the best ways to deal with any overwhelming emotion is to find a healthy way to express yourself. This makes a journal a helpful tool in managing your mental health. Journaling can help you manage anxiety, reduce stress, and cope with depression.
When you have a problem and you’re stressed, keeping a journal can help you identify what’s causing that stress and anxiety. Once you’ve identified your stressors, you can work on a plan to resolve the problems and reduce your stress.
Tips to help you get started with journaling
• Try to write every day. Set aside a few minutes every day to write. This will help you write in your journal regularly.
• Make it easy. Keep a pen and paper handy at all times. Then when you want to write down your thoughts, you can. You can also keep a journal on your smartphone.
• Write or draw whatever feels right. Your journal doesn’t need to follow any structure. It’s your own private place to discuss and create whatever you want to express your feelings. Let the words and ideas flow freely. Don’t worry about spelling mistakes or what other people might think.
• Use your journal as you see fit. You don’t have to share your journal with anyone. If you want to share some of your thoughts with trusted friends and loved ones, you could show them parts of your journal.
Journaling prompts
• What do you feel anxious about right now?
• What situations or people feel stressful?
• How do you know you’re feeling stressed or anxious?
• List three positive things that happened today.
• How could you see your anxiety as helpful?
• Where do you feel anxiety or tension in your body?
Keeping a journal helps you create order when your world feels like it’s in chaos. You get to know yourself by revealing your most private fears, thoughts, and feelings. Look at your writing time as personal relaxation time. It’s a time when you can destress and wind down. Write in a place that’s relaxing and soothing, maybe with a cup of tea. Look forward to your journaling time. And know that you’re doing something good for your mind and body.
Daniel J. Jachimiak, BA, is a Feature Writer/Journalist and Speaker. Dan can be reached at djachimiak@ bex.net or 419-787-2036. ~ You can have a better life ~
