How To Start Journaling For Mental Health

journal journaling Dec 27, 2022

If you're wondering how to start journaling for mental health, look no further than this video and blog post!

How To Get Started With Journaling For Mental Health

Journaling is a great way to express your thoughts and feelings, and it can be a great way to work through difficult emotions. To get started, all you need is a notebook or journal and a pen, and some privacy.

Start deciding what time of day you can regularly commit to writing, we have to get quite practical with this if you're serious about regularly contributing to your journal. Some people find that mornings are easiest, while I personally know that never works because the dog needs to go out, and I have clients right at 9am. Other people can find time in the evenings or right before bed. Schedule your time, block it out on your calendar, and treat it like it's an important meeting that you can't miss. It IS an important meeting, only it's with yourself.

Journaling Ideas For Beginners

Using SAVORING in your journaling practice is an excellent tool to incorporate, even if you're a beginner. Think how amazing it's going to be to look back on a month or a year's worth of journal entries that have three or four memories and feelings written in them?! Recalling things like this is the cornerstone of self-esteem.

Journaling Tips - Use S.T.E.P Daily

STEP is an acronym for SAVORING IS TAKING EMOTIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS - here’s how you do it.

Take a mental snapshot whenever you have a flicker or a spark of happiness - holding onto the sparks is a way we balance the scales every day.
Write them down - anywhere, and when you don’t be a robot, FEEL the feelings again, recall what that felt like, there has to be an emotional piece to this.
Don’t write the same things every day, look for new experiences, no matter how small to increase the variety of nutrients you’re putting back in the soil.

Journaling Stickers - Printable Journaling Prompts

If you want regular journaling prompts that you can stick into your journal and then write about, take a look at our Post-It Note therapy guide. Each week we send you journal prompts AND process questions to deepen your exploration into your inner growth.

How can I get started with journaling?

Journaling is a great way to express your thoughts and feelings, and it can be a great tool for self-reflection and personal growth. To get started with journaling, all you need is a notebook and a pen. You can start by writing down your thoughts and feelings about your day, or any particular event or experience. You can also write down your goals and aspirations, or use journaling as a way to track your progress towards them. You can also use journaling to reflect on your experiences and learn from them. Whatever you choose to write about, make sure it is something that is meaningful to you.

How often should I journal?

The frequency of journaling is entirely up to you. Some people prefer to journal daily, while others may prefer to journal once a week or even once a month. The important thing is to find a journaling routine that works for you and that you can stick to. Consider setting aside a specific time each day or week to write in your journal, and make it a priority. Journaling can be a great way to reflect on your day, process your thoughts and feelings, and track your progress.

What are some journaling prompts?

Journaling can be a great way to express yourself and reflect on your thoughts and feelings. Here are some journaling prompts and journaling ideas to get you started:

1. What are three things that I am grateful for today?

2. What is something that I am proud of myself for?

3. What is something that I want to accomplish this week?

4. What is something that I am struggling with right now?

5. What are three positive things that happened today?

6. What is one thing that I can do to make today better?

7. What is one thing that I can do to be kind to myself today?

8. What is something that I am looking forward to?

9. What is something that I can do to make a difference in the world?

10. What is something that I learned today?

Kapp, S. (2018). The benefits of journaling for mental health. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-science-success/201801/the-benefits-journaling-mental-health

Lyubomirsky, S. (2005). The consequences of happiness. In F. A. Huppert, N. Baylis, & B. Keverne (Eds.), The Science of Well-Being (pp. 179-196). Oxford University Press.

Pennebaker, J. W. (1997). Writing about emotional experiences as a therapeutic process. Psychological Science, 8(3), 162-166.

Pennebaker, J. W., & Beall, S. K. (1986). Confronting a traumatic event: Toward an understanding of inhibition and disease. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 95(3), 274-281.

Smyth, J. M. (1998). Written emotional expression: Effect sizes, outcome types, and moderating variables. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 66(1), 174-184.

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