I Promise, Journaling Helps
Remember way back in the day when we had diaries — private little books where you could write down your thoughts and dreams? Back then it may have been about the cute kid in class who looked at you, or what you were really thinking about your best friend, or secret dreams about winning the spelling bee. (Ok, so maybe I was a geek and dreamed about winning the spelling bee!) And the coolest diaries were the ones that had a little lock with a tiny key that you kept in a secret place … and prayed that you didn’t lose.
Journaling, to me, is basically the adult version of the diary. It’s no less personal and it’s definitely equally important.
Whether you’re 10 years old worrying about whether the other kids like you and will want to eat lunch with you or your 40 years old and worrying about what your boss is thinking, why your kids are acting out or what’s really on your partner’s mind, we all have a plethora of (sometimes crazy) thoughts that go around and around in our heads and need to come out. And that’s where journaling can come in.
The great part about journaling is that it’s one of the few areas of life where no one is going to judge you. There’s no one single right way to journal. And if one of the most private things that exists is your thoughts. Then journaling your thoughts can and should be on the top of that list too.
Proven benefits of journaling
We know that people have used journals and/or diaries to log events of the day or new discoveries and theories or travels and experiences for centuries. But in the 1960s, journaling took on a different meaning and began to get attention for its positive impact on mental well being.
It was then that psychologist by the name of Dr. Ira Progoff from Drew University in New York began to create and encourage the use of the “Intensive Journal Method”.
It involved using a loose leaf notebook originally divided into 16 — and later 21 — sections to help people access different parts of their lives. The process was an outgrowth of Progoff’s clinical work in which he discovered that patients who wrote in journals were better able to work through their issues. He developed and formalized the Intensive Journal Method to help more people help themselves. Today, Progoff’s work continues thanks to workshops organized by Dialogue House Associates in Ohio.
University of Texas psychologist and researcher James Pennebaker also holds tight to the idea that journaling can benefit well-being — both physically and mentally. His work has found that journaling can help strengthen immune cells, decrease the symptoms of asthma and arthritis, and release intense emotions that can lead to disease.
Another study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology found “… writing reduces intrusive and avoidant thoughts about negative events and improves working memory. These improvements, researchers believe, may in turn free up our cognitive resources for other mental activities, including our ability to cope more effectively with stress.”
According to Pennebaker, the key is in expressive writing which helps simplify and organize sometimes complex thoughts and memories.
So, where do you begin?
As I said, the best part of journaling is there’s no right way — and there are plenty of different styles to explore until you find the one that works for you.
Just write aka stream of consciousness
Get a pen or pencil. Get a notepad and just write. Simple.
Write as long as you want or as short; write as much as you want or as little. Just write what feels right.
Start with anything that comes to mind.
Sometimes I even start with, “I really have no idea what to write today …” and then let your mind go from there.
Maybe you heard or read a quote that’s been stuck in your mind that you want to go a bit deeper on. Maybe a friend or family member is struggling or celebrating and you want to give some weight to your thoughts around that. Maybe something interesting — or even not so interesting at first glance — happened that day. How about something you’re grateful for — or 3 to 5 somethings. Whatever is on your mind is worth taking some time to unravel.
If you’re taking this approach, don’t feel like you have to set a goal of time or length. I’ve been known to stop mid-sentence in my journaling because either I just can’t go further in that moment or it brought a sense of clarity that meant I could move onto something else that was more time sensitive and needed my attention.
Remember — no rules. Just write.
Set a clock
Some journalers find that setting a 20-minute clock — or whatever time feels right — is the best way to be productive with journaling. It’s a way to be accountable to not do what I do and get up in the middle of the thought or decide that it’s too much to think about at that moment.
Setting a timer can be a way to time box yourself and make what might feel overwhelming a bit less scary and intimidating.
Like starting to meditate, it may be easiest to start with 5 minutes. Give that a try for a day or two or five and then add on from there.
I’ve found something like this useful when I know I want to journal before I dive into the workday but I know I really should get to work. I’ll give myself a set amount of time, let my brain go, get my thoughts in order so that I can focus, and then, when the timer is up, I can get to work with a clearer head and the knowledge that I took time for me.
Take your journaling digital
Sure, you could use just a Google doc or Evernote or something like that, but I’ve become a big fan of the website 750words.com as a place to write and keep my writing safe and sound.
It’s nothing fancy. The name of the site is based on the idea that the average page has 250 words and that three pages worth of writing is a good amount to get you to start to open up your subconscious.
For me, the site gives me somewhere to go to write, in a way that is not intimidating, at least for me. It tracks the word count as you write so you see the forward momentum and know how far it is to the finish line. It also tracks your progress in a way that reminds me of a bowling alley scorecard with x’s and slash marks so you can see a pattern of writing — or not writing. And, of course, there’s a little celebratory animation when you hit the 750 word mark to give you a little serotonin boost.
A few other things about 750words: there’s a monthly challenge, a tally of the number of people who have written that day, and it even tracks the time it takes you to write. The site has a small fee to pay for admin costs, but I find it totally worth it.
One hint — make sure you have the right time zone in your settings because it will cut you off at midnight — even if you’re halfway through your daily journaling.
Day One is similar to 750words but maybe a bit swankier. It offers a daily prompt like “What’s your favorite exercise or sport?,” tracks the weather and location and with a premium subscription you can add photos, videos, audio and even transcribe audio to text and link to your Instagram account. There’s clearly a reason it’s won numerous awards. This definitely takes journaling to a new level.
Journal apps
Still not sure where to start and want some help? Of course, like everything else, there’s an app for that.
I’ve been focused in this article on free-form writing as a method of journaling. But if you want or need something more focused than that, there are plenty of apps out there to help you.
I use the 5 minute journal which is focused on gratitude. You fill out the sections morning and night but what’s really cool about it, is that it also includes a prompt-ish approach with a quote or something to think about that may inspire you when you’re at a total loss.
Daylio goes to the extreme of no writing required. It’s entirely emoji and icon driven from how you feel to what you did that day.
Grid diary is a nice happy medium. You use a template of 8 questions or customize it and each day you answer the same questions about what you did or what’s on your mind.
Make it yours
Look. When it comes right down to it. Journaling is highly personal. Like relationships or raising kids, it’s going to be different for everyone because it comes from your one-of-a-kind unique heart and mind.
You have to do what feels right for you. But if I can leave you with one last thought, journaling can be life changing. It can be your best friend and a light in a whole lotta darkness and it can start to lift the fog that you struggle to see through.
I’m not a scientist and can’t tell you want happens in your brain that makes journaling work, but what I can tell you is that I’m a real person with a lot of jumbled thoughts, and I know that the days I journal, I feel much more whole on the inside and am a much better person on the outside.