The Benefits of Journaling
Countless studies have shown that journaling is a powerful way to boost our mental and physical health. The process of putting a pen to paper has many well-being benefits. Also, you don’t have to be a great writer to start a journal. I’ve compiled a list of reasons to start journaling daily.
1. Journaling Can Reduces Stress.
Boosting our ability to cope with intrusive and upsetting thoughts is one of the key benefits of journaling. Expressive writing is a tool that can help you cope with depression and reduce anxiety. A 2018 study from the National Library of Medicine found that adults who completed a 15-minute online journaling session three days a week for 12 weeks were less likely to ruminate on their anxious thoughts and better able to move past them.
2. Journaling Keeps Your Memory Sharp.
Many of us are over-committed and feel life is too hectic. Our fast-paced living can promote forgetfulness and lead to feelings of spaciness. A 2001 study in the journal of the American Psychological Association found that journaling can improve your working memory. By writing about thoughts and feelings, study subjects reduced the number of intrusive and stressful thoughts they had throughout the day, freeing up mental space for memory.
3. Journaling Cultivates Gratitude
Journaling what we are grateful for can also act like a “forcefield” against anxiety and the blues. When we focus on gratitude, our world is open to feelings of more happiness, improving our physical health. We tend to sleep better and are able to strengthen our relationships with others, making us more resilient.
4. Journaling Improves Your Physical Health
It’s safe to say that our mental health and physical health are linked. Those who journal daily notice an improved immune system functioning. Many see lessened symptoms of asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. In fact, results from a groundbreaking study published by Dr. Pennebaker and company in 1988 suggest that journaling about negative or traumatic life experiences can boost your immune system.
8. Journaling Helps You Better Sleep.
Are you counting too many sheep at night? Many people are finding themselves unable to fall asleep due to an over-active mind. People who spent just five minutes before bed writing down their to-do list for the day ahead tend to fall asleep more quickly than those who do not.
Getting Started
We’ve established that journaling is good for you — physically, mentally, and emotionally. Now, where do you start? For some, it’s easy to pick up a pen and start writing. For others, not so much. If you want to journal but find yourself stuck and staring at a blank page, I’ve put together several tips to help you get started.
Set aside a dedicated space in your home and time for yourself to journal. Consider lighting a candle and be sure to put aside any “screens.”
Journal with pen and paper – no computer. Pick up a lined paper notebook or a bound journal. Put a date in the heading of the paper where you are writing.
Begin with a “brain dump” getting out all of the stressful “junk ” that is floating around in your mind.
Don’t censor yourself. Just move the pen across the paper and write. Don’t preoccupy yourself with managing perfect grammar, or spelling.
Write down three things you are grateful for and why.
Jot down any A-ha moments or creative ideas that surfaced.
Happy Journaling,
Jenny
Interested in joining us for some guided journaling? Join us for our upcoming Forest Bathing experience - Journaling Amount the Trees on October 15, 2022!
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