embracing the benefits of journaling

In wellness spaces or from your favorite TicToker, you might have heard about journaling. Journaling is brought up often as a means of practicing self-care, forcing you to slow down and take time to process life. But why exactly is it brought up so often? Could it really be THAT good? You’re not alone in wondering if this practice is helpful- so let’s talk about it! 

How do I begin journaling?
Despite what social media might convince you to buy, you don’t need all of the fanciest pens and notebooks to start journaling. (But if that’s what you want to buy to set you in the mood, go for it!) Take some time to wind down. Find a place where you feel safe and at peace to begin channeling your inner thoughts. Oftentimes people will journal in the comforts of their home. Some helpful questions to help you get started are:

• How was my day today?

• What’s one good thing that happened today?

• Is there a new goal I’d like to work on?

• I’m feeling _____. Why? What could have contributed to it?

Rest assured, there’s no right or wrong way to journal, so find your own groove and pace!

What are the benefits of journaling?
Journaling can be an effective way to practice self-care. It has been proven to provide a multitude of mental health benefits. Here are some examples of how journaling can help:

• Organize your thoughts. Sometimes there’s too much going on. With a cluttered mind, it can become difficult to make decisions, think options through, and figure out what you need to do next. It can quickly become overwhelming when there isn’t space to slowly digest everything that is happening. Practicing a few minutes of journaling daily can help you process what is going on and develop a healthy pattern of creating space to think things through. 

• Identify and track personal goals. Coming up with new goals can oftentimes be “the easy part.” The hard part is identifying steps to achieve these goals and sticking to them. Journaling can help you identify what new goals you would like to achieve, as well as the steps you would need to take in order to reach them. Journaling can help break down your goals into manageable steps so that it becomes easier to accomplish!

• Reduce stress. Life can be exhausting. With added daily stressors, life can quickly become overwhelming. It can be difficult to process everything going on in life if it’s not broken down into more manageable pieces. Journaling can help reduce stress by giving you a place to practice making space for you and your thoughts to co-exist. Journaling your thoughts can also help you identify what areas in life are causing the most stress, as well as what you could do to reduce it. 

• Identify and address negative self-talk. Some days are filled with more negative self-talk than others. Journaling can help you find release, as well as help identify what areas could use a bit more loving! 

Can journaling do anything for me physically?
Absolutely! Journaling has been shown to provide numerous physical health benefits, such as better moods, improved psychological well-being, lowered blood pressure, and reduced stress-related hospital visits. If the mental health benefits weren’t completely selling you, maybe these physical health benefits will. Overall, journaling seems to be incredibly helpful for many people. It’s hard to believe that writing your thoughts down can truly help you mentally and physically, but it’s amazing at what a little bit of intentional self-care can do for your body (and soul!)

growgood psychology has a team of therapists ready to walk with you as you begin journaling.
Ready to start growing? Our team of therapists are ready to help you get started. Whether you’re new to journaling or have been doing it for a while and want to process what you’ve been learning, our therapists are here to support you. Connect with us today to begin a new path towards healing!