The Pen Is Mightier Than The Sword
Self-Care February Day 19: Why journalling is such a powerful toolIf you’ve been following along with these blogs, you’ll have noticed me mention journalling quite a few times. The reason why is pretty simple – it’s an incredibly versatile tool which has so many benefits.
I’ve been keeping journals and diaries for most of my life. I draw a mild distinction between the two; a diary is a simple record of what’s happened, whereas a journal has a specific purpose and examines your thoughts, feelings and life from various perspectives. There can be a lot of overlap between the two, and the self-reflection of a diary can be highly therapeutic, but in this blog we’re going to look specifically at journalling.
You can write or type your journal. Heck, you can even draw if you find images a more effective way of expressing yourself or speak your thoughts into your phone. Personally, I prefer the connection I get from hand writing my journals, but I know that many people these days find it easier to type. This is your journal, so do whatever works for you. It should feel fun, not a chore, so make it as easy as possible for yourself to get started.
Why journal?
- Journalling can reduce anxiety. One study found that people with various medical conditions and anxiety who journalled for 15 minutes a day for just three days a week over a 12-week period reported an improvement in their mood after just a month. This enhanced feeling of wellbeing continued to improve over the rest of the study.
- Journalling can reduce obsessing about an event. Writing out your feelings about an emotional or traumatic event can help you break out of the pattern of constantly brooding over what happens, although there is a caveat. Some studies have found that writing about a traumatic event immediately afterwards may make you feel worse – so play Tetris instead until you feel ready to journal.
- Journalling can give you a different perspective. When you explore a difficult situation through writing, you can understand what happened in greater depth. This can allow you to view things from different angles, giving you a different view of what happened.
- Journalling can help you control your emotions. Brain scans of people who regularly wrote about their feelings have shown that they are more capable of staying in control of their emotions than those who just wrote about a neutral experience. (Pro tip: the same study also showed that writing abstractly about your feelings had a more positive effect than describing them in great detail.)
- Journalling can make it easier to open up. Having the ability to write freely without fear of judgement about a difficult time can help you gather the strength to reach out to others for help, which can help the healing process.
How to get started
Hopefully by now you’ll be persuaded that journalling is a good thing for you to do, but you may be wondering how to get started. I’ve covered many ideas in previous blogs, but here’s a few more thoughts for you:
- Experiment to find what works best for you. I’d always recommend starting with pen and paper. This gives you more freedom to write, draw, do whatever you need. But if you find it uncomfortable or worry about others finding it, feel free to go with documents on your computer or voice notes on your phone.
- Don’t be afraid to destroy your work. If you’re concerned about privacy or someone else reading what you’ve written, it’s okay to destroy your journal entry once you’ve finished it. I like burning things – it can release that emotion even further.
- Build it into your schedule. You’ll find it easier to get journalling if you make it a habit. Find a time of day which will work for you – I used to journal on the train to and from work back when I was working in offices, but now I journal last thing at night. You might like to journal in the morning to set yourself up for the day.
- Don’t overwhelm yourself. This is your journal, so you don’t have to try to impress anyone with length. You might like to start with a bulleted list on a particular theme, like your wins for the day of the things you’re grateful for. You could decide you’re going to jot down three-five things or you could set a timer for five minutes and write until it goes off. Keep it light and simple and you’ll find it much easier to develop a habit of journalling.
- Use the type of journal which works for you. I have a lot of beautiful notebooks which I dedicate to different purposes. You might not want to use a pretty notebook because it doesn’t feel right. You could just use a simple A4 refill pad, post it notes, whatever makes most sense for you. There’s no judgement here!
- Play with it! You might like to write freeform about a major event, exploring it from different angles. You might like to write a letter from your future self discussing how you feel about it many years later. You could write a wonderfully evocative piece about something which happened which you feel grateful for, describing how it impacted on all of your senses. You could draw a cartoon. Don’t be afraid to be creative while exploring your options.
- Use journal prompts. If you find the idea of a blank page overwhelming, there are plenty of journal prompts available online to get you started. Alternatively, you might like to buy a journal with prompts and work through those as you become accustomed to the practice of journalling.
- Release expectations. I can’t tell you what the results will be from your journal. Nobody can. A journal is not a substitute for professional help if that’s what you need. But you may be surprised at how effective it can be in supporting you to process your thoughts and feelings, to help you develop a more positive approach to life.
We will be doing some journalling exercises as we Journey Through the Chakras. Time is running out to secure your place, so book now before I close the doors!