The Proven Mental Health Benefits of Journaling and Writing
It turns out that the journal you started when you were young may be what allowed you to survive high school. Through writing out your feelings about issues that caused you stress or negative emotions, you are able to process them and better develop an understanding of how to move forward with those emotions.
Journaling doesn’t require you to be a skilled writer; you just need to be able to communicate through your own writing. It doesn’t need to make sense, abide by any sort of grammar standards, nor does it need to be politically correct or socially acceptable. It is a space reserved for you to confess your darkest secrets and reveal your true inner self.
Journaling and writing have a number of mental health benefits. From relieving anxiety to managing depression symptoms and alleviating stress, setting aside time to journal about your day can empower you to be a better version of yourself.
Managing “Monkey Mind”
Those who suffer from anxiety have a tendency to spin out on things that may not seem like an issue to someone else experiencing the exact same situation. They will replay conversations they had and dissect every word that was said to search for hidden meanings or wind themselves up in anticipation of things that have yet to happen.
The anxious brain is often referred to as the “monkey mind.” It bounces all over the place, unable to concentrate at times, performing what can seem like completely irrational behavior. Creating a safe, comfortable space to sit and journal could serve as a tool for taming that monkey mind.
Writing during times you are feeling anxious, stressed, or depressed can empower you with a better understanding of what may have triggered you to feel that way. It can also help you to prioritize your fears, stresses, and concerns as you are experiencing them. After you have been removed from those triggering moments, it is easy to forget why you were upset in the first place. Revisiting journals, later on, will open a window of understanding for yourself so that you may avoid triggering scenarios in the future.
How to Start a Journaling Habit
With the health benefits of journaling being so abundant, you may want to begin practicing today, but aren’t sure how. Staring at the first blank page of a new journal can feel intimidating, especially if you are prone to anxiety.
You don’t have to fill the first page with beautiful prose or deep thoughts and feelings. Scribble a mess of lines, write your name or pseudonym on the first page just to get you started and some ink in your new journal — it may help to break it in so you can move forward.
If you have never had a journal or have always kept one in your bedside table to track your sleep, try applying some of the following to your journal practice:
- Make a schedule, or don’t: If you find journaling to be helpful for your personal mental health, treat it like going to the gym. If you do well with rigorous schedules, commit to doing it at a certain time every day and set a timer. If schedules make you anxious, do it when you feel the need and just write until you feel empty. Some writing is better than no writing and, much like going to the gym, we often most benefit from doing it when we don’t feel like it.
- Be prepared: It is nice to have a dedicated journal that keeps all of your thoughts in one place, but sometimes you may feel the need to write when you don’t have it handy. Be the scout of writers and always be prepared. If you can’t always carry a notebook, at least carry a pen. You can always find surfaces to write on — napkins, coasters, and scrap paper are always abundant.
- Give yourself prompts: If you are drawing a blank on what to write about, look up writing prompts online. You can even just come up with a random word and start writing about it to see where it takes you.
Blessing Yourself With Self-Care
Americans are so busy and we are often too quick to brush aside our need for self-care. However, even the busiest and most successful CEOs recognize the value in reserving time for their hobbies and allowing themselves to be creative. It helps to relieve stress and enables you to create a healthy work/life balance that results in a more productive work life and happier personal life.
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America says that 18.1% of adult Americans suffer from anxiety and/or depression every year. It is incredibly common, as well as manageable. Many people are turning towards CBD as an all natural treatment for their anxiety symptoms that may be of benefit combined with your journaling habit if you experience anxiety.
Try making yourself a cup of calming lavender tea with CBD and post up in your favorite chair with your sacred journal. You will be pleasantly surprised by how you feel after just a 15-minute session. Making space and time to write every day, no matter how much or how little, can help you feel more emotionally stable. Do yourself a favor, pick up your pen today.
