Several clients over the years have let me know that they aren’t quite sure how to journal. Journaling is often mentioned as a psychological tool for self-reflection to help improve one’s mood and anxiety. Journaling is the act of regularly writing (or drawing!) about your thoughts, feelings, and memories. This helps us to feel more organised, to make more reflective decisions, to live our values daily, to be more in touch with our needs, and to celebrate the wins.
However, it can be hard to know where to start! There are so many different types and ideas about journaling that one can easily get overwhelmed and not even begin. So, by making sure you are choosing a type and form of journaling that best suits your personality and schedule, you’ll be more likely to stick with the practice and reap the benefits.
Here are 5 simple steps to help you use journaling to improve your self-awareness, focus, self-compassion, mindfulness, creativity and self-care:
1. Choosing the type of journaling that best suits your needs
There are a vast number of different kinds of journaling approaches. Below are some examples to choose from. Which ones resonate with you most? Remember you can combine different elements to make your journal the best fit for you.
- ‘Stream of consciousness’ writing for self-reflection
- Using a specific journal prompt
- Making a short bulleted list of important things/ experiences
- Writing a detailed description of each day
- Using writing and/or adding an artistic flair (eg: mixed media, paint, collage, embroidery…)
- Organising your external world
- Themed journaling (eg: Gratitude, Travel, Food or Nature journaling)
2. Keeping track of daily activities
Journals can help us to increase our awareness about our daily intentions, weekly achievements, and longer-term goals. If an area of growth is to keep better track of your appointments and calendar, then you can use your journal as a daily diary, a task manager or to-do list or as a space to create monthly, weekly, or daily logs as you go. When we write things down, we are so much more aware of how productive we are. And are more likely to keep ourselves accountable!
3. Building gratitude into your practice
No matter what form your journaling might take, gratitude is a helpful ingredient. Although it may not resolve depression or anxiety all by itself, being able to identify at least one or two things that we are grateful has been proven to modestly improve our well-being.
4. Adding creativity
Adding a creative element to your journaling can help to broaden your perspective and think about situations from alternative perspectives. Sketching or using a variety of mediums can unlock hidden inspiration. It can also help to make your journaling experience more mindful and fun. Remember, you don’t need to be ‘good’ at art to enjoy visual and art versions of journaling. Choose your favourite pens, coloured pencils and markers, or grab your sewing and embroidery kit to explore different creative effects throughout your journal.
5. Expanding your awareness
Sometimes we may not have time in our busy weeks to dedicate much time to journaling. By using journaling to explore less frequent experiences, such as a bushwalk or an overseas trip, you can amplify your enjoyment and mindfulness of the moment. In addition, you will have a record of memories to reflect on even when the experience might be over! Nature, travel and food journaling are helpful ways to build a deeper appreciation and curiosity for the world all around you.
With these tips in mind, try to set aside some time to gather your creative tools together and test out what form of journaling inspires you most. Journaling, like most habits, requires a certain amount of dedication and time to be most effective. Investing time in yourself is a worthwhile exercise! Check out the following list of journal prompts to get you started:
Journaling is a wonderful adjunct to engaging in a therapeutic process with a mental health professional. The clinicians at the Centre for Effective Living are able to help you incorporate different strategies like journaling into your daily living to improve your well-being and to live in more effective and present ways.
Michelle Nortje (M.A. Clin Psych, B.Psych Hons, B.Ed.Psych Hons, BA) is focused on establishing a therapeutic relationship that is safe, trusting and supportive. Michelle aims to use integrated psychological tools and approaches in order to help her clients make sense of their difficulties, gain insight into their patterns of behaviour and relating, and work towards co-constructed and workable goals. She uses Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Positive Psychology, mindfulness-based approaches, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Attachment theories and psychodynamic theories in order to tailor the therapy to best suit the client’s needs.
Michelle’s clinical training and diverse experience have equipped her to intervene in a variety of mental health issues and age groups. She has gained experience working as a clinical psychologist across non-profit, government hospital, school-based and private settings. Across all her roles, Michelle has expanded on her interest in working with children, adolescents and adults experiencing a range of mental health difficulties such as anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, adjustment difficulties, trauma and grief.
Michelle is dedicated to consistent professional development by engaging in peer consultation groups, receiving regular supervision and expanding her knowledge through frequent webinars and courses in order to ensure effective interventions with her clients.