What does it mean to journal?
Journaling is about looking inward and exploring what makes you tick. It is an incredibly flexible practice that is easily tailored to your needs.
Here are some types explained in more detail:
- Morning pages: This is a more regimented form of free-form journaling. It involves handwriting a few pages of thoughts first thing in the morning. This is considered a stream-of-consciousness method and is meant to illuminate thought patterns and unlock creativity.
- Mindfulness journaling: This type of journaling is a way to get out of your own head and connect to the present moment. It Involves describing your current surroundings or emotional experiences in detail—paying attention to all five senses.
- Free-form journaling: This is what most people perceive when thinking of journaling. This "Dear Diary" form is about writing about whatever's on your mind that day—the good, the bad, and the ugly.
- Licensed clinical psychologist Elena Welsh, Ph.D., sees value in this approach, however, she notes it tends to be more time-consuming and can reinforce existing unhealthy thought patterns when not reread with a critical eye.
- Gratitude journaling: Writing down things that you are grateful for. They can be about your health, family, or smaller things like your morning cup of coffee or a funny conversation. The idea behind it is that by bringing awareness to positive situations, you're training yourself to notice them more often. Experts note it is helpful to express gratitude for setbacks as well, and share your gratitude with others.
- This method has been researched most extensively for its role in mental health.
- Other types of journaling include:
- Mood check journaling - Goal is to do a quick check in with yourself and your emotional state. It involves writing down how you're feeling in a particular moment.
- Bullet journaling: Combines elements of a calendar, to-do list, and notebook allowing you to reflect, plan, and daydream all in one place. Learn all the ins and outs of bullet journaling here.
- Dream journaling: This is about writing down and analyzing your dreams from the night before. Likely, you'll start to remember your dreams more clearly and might even get some insights.
- Guided journaling: Those new to the practice of journaling might want to check out guided journals with built-in prompts and reflection exercises.
Benefits of Journaling
The benefits of journaling was discussed in a previous post. Here is a quick overview in case you missed it:
1. Increased emotional awareness.
Research shows that emotional awareness has been shown to decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression.
2. Improved mood.
Journaling—particularly gratitude journaling—may improve mood over time.
Calling your attention to positives likely helps restore this balance.
3. More mindfulness.
4. Better health overall.
Beyond reducing stress and boosting mood, research has shown that expressing gratitude may help lower blood pressure, deepen sleep, and improve self-reported health overall.
5. More resilience.
Journaling can be especially helpful during hard times.
6. Self-discovery.
Last but not least, journaling can help you get to know yourself a little better.
One last benefit of journaling is it allows you to dream big and then take actions toward your dreams.
