What is Journaling? 

Journaling is the act of recording thoughts, feelings or experiences. It can take on various forms but it is really just a way to get things out of your mind and into another medium. It could be something written with pen and paper, an audio recording, or even a typed, digital entry. You can use apps, notebooks, google docs, or many other forums for recording your ideas. At the end of the day, the important thing is to pick a medium that works for you. 

If you’re not sure, the classic handwritten entry into a physical notebook is a great place to start. And personally, I find there is a lot of benefit to putting pen to paper in a physical way that doesn’t quite exist in other formats. Again, it depends on your goals for journaling and what will actually help you follow through with the practice of doing it. 

What are the benefits? 

There are so many benefits that can be gained from starting a practice of journaling. 

Building self awareness. In my opinion, this is by far the greatest benefit of journaling. When you start writing things down, you can begin to notice things about yourself. You may realize there are patterns to your behavior that you hadn’t caught on to before. You may improve your ability to name or recognize emotions you never realized were there. As your self-reflection deepens, you broaden your ability to understand yourself as well as others. 

Better problem solving. As you document your thoughts, feelings, or emotions, you might find yourself able to see situations through a new perspective. This can open you up to more creative solutions and approaches to problems or relationships in your life. 

Improving mood. Often, when you are able to write out your thoughts and emotions, you can start to feel less overwhelmed. By getting the thoughts onto the page, sometimes it allows our minds to have a break. We don’t need to hold on to it anymore because we’ve found a place for it to rest. In addition to processing negative thoughts or experiences, a journal can be a place to celebrate positive moments in our lives or things for which we are grateful. Revisiting these entries can be a mood booster on a tough day. 

Preserving memories. A journal can be a record of experiences and cherished moments in your life. It can be a place to record celebrations, accomplishments, and milestones. You can add photos, ticket stubs, or other sentimental items from the experience to preserve little details you might want to recall later.

How to Get Started 

1. Pick a journal: This could also entail choosing a medium. If you want to go digital, decide how you will do that (app, notepad, google docs, etc.). If you are going traditional pen and paper - select a notebook you find appealing! 

   Again, I will give my recommendation for a classic handwritten journal. The act of having to write something out automatically slows down your thoughts. You probably can’t write as fast as you can type. It is very easy these days to space out while typing. But when you are physically writing something you have to put more thought into it and it can help you process what you are writing while you are writing it. That is part of the benefit and helps build the awareness I talked about earlier. 

2. Decide when you will do it: If you are trying to start a habit of journaling, it can be helpful to write at the same time of day each day. Think about when you are most reflective or when you are most likely to have a few, uninterrupted minutes to write out your thoughts. 

3. Make it accessible: Pick a place to keep your journal where you will see it, ideally in the spot where you want to actually do the writing. If you have to rummage around the house or deep in a drawer, you are less likely to dig it out and start the process.

4. Set a time limit: It can be overwhelming to consider writing pages upon pages or for long periods of time. Luckily, I wouldn’t recommend doing either! The point is to get some thoughts out of your head onto the page. Spending 10-15 minutes can be plenty. Upwards of 20 minutes and you might find it to be counterproductive. The time limit is not a hard and fast rule, but pay attention to how you are feeling. The point is for it to benefit you, so if you find yourself feeling pressured to fill a certain amount of time or space, try to take a step back and do a little less. 

5. Let it be messy: Sometimes perfectionism can get in the way of getting started or keeping it going. Your journal doesn't have to make sense! Let the ideas flow, draw pictures, use short phrases or create bullet points. It doesn’t have to be pretty or even readable sometimes. Don’t be afraid to have terrible handwriting, switch from print to cursive, mix and match pen colors, spell words incorrectly, and scratch out ideas if you need to. This journal is just for you. Let it be what it needs to be, organically, in the moment. 

What to Write

Sometimes it can be hard to think about what to write when you are starting out journaling. I think stream of consciousness is a great way to go but that might be hard for you. You might find yourself censoring or second guessing. That can get better with time. 

If the stream of consciousness approach seems too unstructured or intimidating, you could start with a prompt. Some examples of prompts could be: 

• List of things you are grateful for today

• Three good things that happened this week

• What brings me joy? 

• Bullet points of emotions I’m feeling right now

• A favorite memory

• A list of goals or experiences to have in the future 

A quick internet search will give you an abundance of ideas for journaling prompts. You may even find lists themed to building self-awareness, gratitude, or creativity. Find what feels good and helpful to you.  

Journaling is just one tool in the toolbox for learning about yourself, processing emotions, and problem solving. If you try it out and find it helpful, that is awesome. You may even deepen the insights you get by exploring them further in therapy. If that is something of interest to you - reach out! If journaling isn’t your cup of tea, that is okay too. If it isn’t serving you, you don’t have to be the kind of person that journals. There is no rule here and the most important thing is figuring out which tools work best for you! 

Summary/TL;DR

Journaling can help you build self-awareness, process emotions, and reduce stress. Start by choosing a medium that suits you and setting aside a few minutes each day. It doesn’t have to be perfect—let your thoughts flow freely without judgment. Writing even briefly can lead to better problem-solving and a clearer mind. If it feels helpful, great—keep exploring your thoughts through journaling. If not, it’s just one of many tools available for personal growth.