How to Journal: Helpful Journaling Tips for Beginners
Journaling is a method of de-cluttering your mind by writing all of your thoughts, ideas and feelings on paper. It's a space for you to write everything that is going on in your head. What thoughts keep appearing while you were meditating? What is annoying you at the moment? What are you enjoying in your life?
Benefits of Journaling
The evidence of the benefits of journaling points to its effectiveness in helping people identify and accept their emotions, manage their stress, and develop strong mental health.
It has even been shown to impact physical well-being; avid journal writer and journalist Michael Grothaus notes that there are studies suggesting journaling can strengthen the immune system, drop blood pressure, help you sleep better, and generally keep you healthier (2015).
What are the reasons for successful people to journal?
- vent and express thoughts and feelings in a healthy, constructive manner
- increase self-awareness
- create clarity for decision-making
- celebrate successes
- heal emotional pain and trauma
- manage stress and prevent burnout
- gain broader and multiple perspectives
- practice writing in a non-judgmental setting
- improve creative thinking
How often?
We recommend journaling daily, however it depends on your personal situation and need to do it. It's similar to exercise, the more often you exercise the more benefits you can get from it. If you go on a one-off 26 mile run, you would not expect to experience life-changing health benefits from it... more likely a couple of blisters and resistance to sign up to future marathons invitations! Journal for 3 minutes to begin with, and build up slowly. Remember, slow-down-to-speed-up!
Tips
Don’t try to do this perfectly. That is not the aim. The aim is to get all of your thoughts out of your head and onto paper. Then have a read through, cross out things that you might disagree with and circle/highlight things that are maybe re-occurring that you can discuss with your coach/therapist.
Sometimes the blank page can be intimidating, so in our Morning Mindset Journal we have included coaching questions / journal prompts to give you a gentle nudge. For example, here are some journaling prompts to help you get started:
- Right now, I am feeling…
- During meditation, I kept thinking...
- My mind is full of...
- I am stressed about...
We also recommend that you write down your goals as if they have happened. This way your mind will subconsciously think you have already achieved them... so through the law of attraction you are more likely to achieve them.
Think of it this way, if you keep thinking you have to stop drinking coffee... chances are you will end up drinking more coffee as you will be constantly thinking of coffee!
So, if one of your goals is to become financially free - write “I am so thankful that I am a financially free!” everyday. By doing this, you are more likely to see new opportunities & take them to make this a reality, whilst everyone else is too busy thinking negative thoughts.
