Chances are that at some point in your life, in or out of therapy, you’ve had people suggest you take to keeping a journal. For many people, myself included, this kind of advice can feel intimidating. For me it was often about time and energy – writing in a journal felt like some kind of insurmountable wall, where if I got myself to start it, I’d end up having to spend ages looking at a blank sheet of paper until my brain got moving with something in mind. Fortunately, journaling is a lot more flexible than we might think; and that in turn means it’s quite a bit easier to work into your day.
For me, journaling is a creative venture. I’m a storyteller at heart and always have been, so when I journal, it’s typically by writing a scene as though it’s part of a book, often with fantasy or science fiction themes. The only thing the scene has to do is capture some part of how I’ve been feeling or what I was thinking of during the day. If I’m frustrated about something, it might be a fight scene straight out of a movie. If I’m a peace, I might write about walking along the seashore at sunset, and other things like that. The reason why this works is because one of the points of journaling is reflection. By writing about anything even slightly related to what you’ve been doing or feeling during the day, you invariably return to those thoughts and feelings. By writing, you end up helping yourself work through what you’re feeling, how you’re feeling it, and often why you’re feeling it as well. By the time you finish, you’ve usually gained a little bit of clarity on the matter – and often a feeling of peace about it, too.
That’s not to say that creative writing is for everyone. If you prefer to think more literally, try writing out a journal like a list of errands, summarizing what you did or felt today. This is best done in the evening but can honestly be done any time you have the time to spare. Even just by writing out a bullet point of things you’ve done in the smallest number of words possible, you’re reflecting – and it still can end up helping quite a bit.
When I journal, I often use the notepad app on my phone. It’s true that there can be some benefit to getting a pen-and-paper journal, but that’s only one option, and picking whatever’s most convenient for you can help you journal more reliably every day. If you have a public transit commute, journaling on your phone can be just a five-minute activity on your way home from work. If you have more time on your hands, you could bring a physical journal to a favorite café or restaurant and write out your experiences while enjoying a drink or a meal. There’s no one right way to journal and no one right time or place to journal either. Find out what works best for you, and what might have once felt like a chore can start to become a genuinely enjoyable part of your routine.
One of our practicing counselors, Anthony Rosado, offers his own clinical perspective on mindful journaling below: “Journaling can look different in a lot of ways. I usually encourage my clients to journal as a means of practicing being present, building insight, tracking change, cathartic venting, or all of those reasons. Journaling can simply be a reflection of the day and how you were feeling or thinking throughout the day, expressing what, if anything, stood out. Sometimes journaling can be a creative, narrative-style expression of our emotions or thoughts, where the journalist is writing a personal story or a poem, or even a letter. It can also take the form of visual art - drawing or coloring your emotions at the time of creating or making a visual collage.
Journaling can also be a way to practice gratitude and positive affirmation, where we reflect on what we feel grateful for or where we feel some self-compassion. We can also be mindful when we are reflecting on our thoughts, moods, and goals. We can journal by way of setting or checking in on those personal goals or by logging and reflecting on thoughts and emotions that stick out, navigating the connections they have and potential other ways to conceptualize a thought.
Journaling can focus on reflecting on a question or a topic, whether using guided prompts or focusing on a specific introspective subject. And if writing or drawing is not your thing, audio journaling may be worth trying, where you can record aloud any of these forms that would otherwise be written.
Mindful journaling, in whatever way one chooses, can be a really meaningful way to put words of visuals to what is in our heads or what we may be holding on to. It forces us to be present with ourselves and clear our minds for that moment. With mindfulness in general, it is important to engage in non-judgment and to do what works. I believe that journaling is an excellent opportunity to practice doing what works since there can be so many ways to practice journaling. The idea, though, is that we are building awareness while relieving stress and being good to ourselves. Sometimes, it can take time to get used to the idea of remaining in the moment and finding time to set aside to engage in some form of mindful journaling, but I would encourage those interested to explore what works for them through trying different things and then practicing consistency.”
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