Journaling

Journaling to Relieve Stress

I am sure many of you have heard that journaling can relieve stress. Sometimes it feels as if you are getting something out in the open just by writing it down. When you first start journaling you just write about what happened during your day. The goal is to dig deeper and express feelings in your writing. Expressing feelings of anger, sadness and anxiety in your writing is like taking it out of your body and looking at it. It is like getting something “off your chest” without yelling it out at someone. Start slowly and you will see how this daily ritual adds to your calmness and ultimately your overall well-being.

Start by journaling about ten to fifteen minutes each day. Concentrate on the events of your day that are really causing you stress or anxiety so that you can calm down each night and feel slightly rejuvenated. This is a perfect opportunity to write about your fears and concerns about current situations in your life. I found it particularly helpful during Covid when I wanted to release the anxiety that I felt by being in lockdown and away from everyone I love.

You can either write in a journal or keep a journal online. Personally, I prefer the journal because the act of writing also gives you a sense of releasing anxiety and feelings, and you can see your words come to life in front of you.

Journaling allows you to clarify your thoughts and feelings, which helps to gain some valuable self-knowledge. It is also a productive problem-solving tool. For example, when writing you can hash out a problem and come up with solutions more easily on paper. I compare it to writing a pros and cons list. Once you start writing your ideas keep flowing.

When you write about a traumatic event it can help you process it by fully releasing the emotions involved, and by detailing all the parts of the event which ultimately makes you see it more clearly.

Health benefits of journaling have been scientifically proven to:

• improve overall cognitive functioning

• strengthen your immune system response

• decrease the symptoms of arthritis, asthma, and other health conditions

• counteract some or sometimes many of the negative effects of stress

Journaling is a highly effective tool for stress relief. It can take several forms, so there are many different options that can work for you. If you already have a favorite journaling habit, don’t stop! But you may want to try something new in addition to it or as a variant. Here are some additional ideas to help you with journaling:

•Emotional Release:

You can write about your emotional responses to events that have happened throughout the day as a way of coping with the stress and deciding what to do next in a situation. This will help you process what you are feeling and even consider more positive options to deal with this situation. When writing about positive experiences, it allows you the ability to highlight and treasure all of the positive feelings you may have for the good things that have happened in your day. By continuing to expand on the positive you can manage the negative things that happen in your life. This will increase your positivity, which is an important aspect of managing your stress.

•Start a Gratitude Journal:

Some people keep a daily gratitude journal where they list some aspects of each day for which they are grateful. This is a highly effective strategy for relieving stress because it helps you to focus on what you have in your life already and create a more positive mood at the moment. Both of these can build long-term flexibility. A bonus benefit is that you are left with a written record of the many wonderful things that have happened throughout your days, so if you're feeling down in the future, you can cheer yourself up with a few pages of reminders of the things you are grateful for. Some people add special quotes to their gratitude journal. I have used a gratitude journal with preprinted quotes on each page. We should always remember to be grateful especially after the year we have had.

•Bullet Journal:

Some people simply keep journals to keep track what they need to do each day. These will include goals they have, memories they create, and other things they don't want to forget. Writing things down can help keep your mind feel uncluttered and help you to remember what's important to you. Some people recommend putting your list together before bed so the thoughts have left your mind ready for a deep sleep. This can relieve stress as well. Being more organized and balanced is a great way to feel less stress in your life. Plus, so many people have a fun time creating fabulous pages in their bullet journals.

If you find yourself not able to keep a regular schedule with journaling, it is not mandatory to do every day. You don't have to journal every day in order for it to work for you. Perhaps setting aside longer writing time a few times a week will prove to be highly beneficial for you. You don’t want to stress about not having enough journaling time. Of course, journaling on an as-needed basis brings benefits as well and helps improve your overall mental health.

Sometimes we stop journaling for a while because life gets in the way. There is no hard fast rule that says you cannot start again whenever you want. In fact, I have had to go away on mini-trips for family business and have stopped periodically over this past year. When I go back to it, I notice I spend more time. In fact, when I am away, I make notes on my phone to remind me of topics I want to get into during my next journaling time. Whatever works for you is what is best for you.

I hope you enjoy journaling as much as I do….

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