Under my house is a box full of journals from when I was a teenager. It recently occurred to me that I probably should get rid of them before my tweenage daughter finds them and I end up being the bad influence.
My journal circa 1994I have kept journals on and off for my whole life. When I first started out they were a “dear diary” type situation where I wrote about things that were going on, dreams, bad teenage poetry, and I pasted things into it like movie ticket stubs, notes from boys, and whatever other weird and wonderful things graced my pockets in those days. It was good to get all of those thoughts out in a non-judgemental place (and really, I thought I was going to be famous one day so they would be my memoirs). I don’t ever have an intention to read them again, and I am more than happy to be beyond all of that teenage angst, but keeping them reminds me of the journey I have made from that place in my mind, to where I am now.
from 750 wordsSince then, my journaling habits have changed. Firstly, I no longer handwrite my thoughts — I prefer to type them as it’s way faster. I use a website called https://750words.com/ which is an online and private place to keep my thoughts. It has the added benefit of statistics that analyze my feelings, themes, and mindset each time I write. Having a notebook handy is also a great idea, and I have a friend who loves the ritual of writing in a journal using a quill pen and ink.
A journal is a helpful tool in mental health toolkit in the following ways:
Calming and clearing your mind;
Releasing bottled-up feelings and everyday stress;
Letting go of negative thoughts;
Exploring your experiences with anxiety;
Writing about your struggles and your successes;
Enhancing your self-awareness and teaching you about your triggers;
Tracking your progress as you undergo treatment (Star, 2018).
When journalling as an adult I would often stare at a blank screen with an equally blank mind and not know where to begin; this is where journal prompts come into play. Journaling prompts are a jumping-off point to give you a clear direction when you start writing. You can end up anywhere from this point, but it is a start, and you can let a stream of consciousness take over. As a life coach, I understand the importance of journaling to relax the mind and make way for new concepts and goals. This is why for the next few months I will be publishing a Sunday Journal Prompt on my Facebook page, Authentic Self Group, and Website. Come join in!
Want to know more about how to discover your true self, beyond the layers of what others expect you to be at home, at work, and socially? Join my Authentic Self — The personal revolution Facebook group here — share with a positive and supportive community how you went with asking for help.
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