Are you a complete beginner when it comes to journaling? Maybe you don't know where to start, what to do, what the point is, or maybe you just want to find out more about it. Whatever the reason, you've come to the right place!

 

 

What is Journaling?

Journaling is the act of recording your personal thoughts, feelings, insights and more, and this can be done in a variety of creative ways! Some individuals prefer to write a small paragraph, sentence or chapter each day, whilst others may wish to draw, voice record, scribble, or use an app on their phone. However you choose to do it, the concept of journaling remains the same.

 

 

What's the point?

Dedicating five minutes or so each day or week to stop and truly reflect on how our experiencing has been, how we've felt and dealt with challenges that have come our way, provides us with an opportunity to develop a greater connection with our truest self. This can play a role in confidence and self esteem, as well as establishing personal boundaries. 

Journaling can help us to prioritize our fears, problems and concerns, as well as begin to recognise and connect better with the things we feel grateful for, that bring a sense of joy in to our lives. Tracking symptom day by day can help us to understand and recognise any triggers, and as a result we can learn ways to better manage. 

Through journaling we can begin to recognise and challenge reoccurring thought patterns, providing us with an opportunity for identifying negative thoughts and self talk, and recognising and incorporating positive self talk.

It's a mindfulness act, which incorporated daily has proven benefits to our emotional and mental health and wellbeing.

 

 

Questions you could ask yourself if you don't know where to start!

 

How am I feeling today?

 

How does my body feel today?

 

What did I learn from today?

 

What's been on my mind the most today?

 

What are the possible solutions to the challenges I've been facing recently?

 

How did .................... really make me feel?

 

What's something I'm proud of today?

 

Remember how you choose to express this is completely up to you! Trust your instincts and try not to overthink it, this is a process, take your time, sometimes just putting pen to paper is the first step.