When I first started journaling, I only wrote about cheerful things. I thought if anyone reads this, they’ll see how happy I am. I would sit and tap my pen, searching my mind for long, sophisticated sentences, as well. Onlookers might think — wow, she’s a brilliant writer. Neither strategy served me, and nobody has ever read my journals. So there’s that. They’re not that interesting to anyone else, so I told myself to drop all the pretenses and just free-write. Jot down whatever comes to mind. Don’t edit. Don’t judge. It took me a while. I had to put my editor in a timeout which helped.
“Whether you’re keeping a journal or writing as a meditation, it’s the same thing. What’s important is you’re having a relationship with your mind.” — Natalie Goldberg, Author and Speaker
Journaling involves the practice of keeping a journal that explores thoughts and feelings surrounding the events of your life. There are several ways to do this. Journaling, like stress management and self-exploration, works best when done consistently, but even occasional, sporadic journaling can be stress relieving. I like to focus on gratitude and emotional processing to reprogram the story surrounding an experience and the corresponding emotion.
Journaling is no longer old-fashioned, or just for people of a certain older-and-wiser age. Journaling does more than just help you record your memories or find self-expression. Turns out, It’s good for your physical and mental health, as well.
As the American Psychological Association says;
“Journaling can provide general wellness and self-improvement benefits, such as making you more self-aware, boosting creativity, and helping you build better habits. Journaling can help you better understand your feelings and emotions and help you manage stress. Writing about things that have frustrated or upset you can help you let go of…