“Are you journaling?” I ask everyone during those first getting-to-know-you sessions. This is frequently met with some sort of eye-roll, sigh, adamant “NO”, or half-hearted reasons why not. I ask my clients to try. To trust me that it can, at worst, be a tool for use in session to remember things that occurred. At best, it can change your views of yourself and your life experiences, providing a long list of benefits. I explain that journaling is a place to write down your thoughts, feelings and experiences without judgement, giving you the chance to look at them from different angles and the opportunity to think about them from a distance. Most do try, and those that do always tell me later that it helped them learn about themselves.
The benefits of journaling are many. Journaling can help manage anxiety, reduce stress, and cope with depression. It improves your mood by helping you prioritize issues, tracking patterns, and providing an opportunity for positive self-talk and identifying negative thoughts and behaviors. Journaling can help you identify what’s causing your negative feelings and work out a plan. And all of that without the worry of someone judging you. Which means you can be completely honest. It can help you get to know yourself in new ways and see yourself in a new light.
“BUT IT TAKES TOO MUCH TIME AND I’M SO BUSY!” You say. Trust me, I understand. That’s why I am going to tell you all you need is two minutes. You can, of course, write for longer. But even two minutes can allow you to reap many of the benefits I mentioned.
If you are struggling to come up with what to write, here are some easy and quick options:
List 3 good things- this is a great option for people who tend to be negative. It reinforces that some things ARE good.
List 3 thoughts - a way for you to look for patterns in your thinking.
List 5 words to describe the day- a bit more abstract, but an enjoyable way to track your feelings and thoughts.
Write about one moment- literally. Just one moment of the day. It doesn’t have to be important.
Dream Theme- If you are a person who remembers their dreams, jot down a few quick themes from your dreams when you wake up. Not full scenarios, but brief snippets. It can help you see the thoughts and feelings you aren’t dealing with during the day.
Status update- imagine your journal is the non-judgmental social media venue of your choice. Write a status update every day. Since nobody but you will see these, it’s an opportunity to say whatever you want.
Tell a story- write in the third person. This removes our own personal judgements about ourselves and can lead to new insights and feelings.
Happy Journaling!
By Lindsay Brunswick, LPC