Journaling for Your Mental Health Journey

How many people can say they journal frequently? Journaling can take stress off of your mind and body by releasing pent-up emotions in the form of free-writing.  Free writing is putting whatever words come to your mind directly onto the page. Whether it is feelings of inadequacy, frustration, sadness or even joy.

• Journaling, and more specifically free-writing should be done on a piece of paper, with a pen or pencil to actually release your feelings.
• Write without lifting the pen until you have the feelings you need to express on the paper.  This type of journaling doesn’t need to look pretty, or be legible. It is primarily to release feelings.
• Don’t let your conscious mind take over. This may sound strange. But write no matter what you feel. All your weird thoughts. Keep writing. All your completely non-sensible words. Do whatever you can to keep it flowing.
• Don’t plan to share it. This will allow you to truly write everything you are feeling or thinking.

Journaling can help you clear your mind for a good night’s rest, or allow reasoning to spill onto pages instead of into a fight. It also allows for creative juices to start flowing and continue to flow as long as you continue to write.

Video Overview

Journaling Prompts for Mental Health

There are some prompts you can use to assist in your mental health journey. Here is a list of some that you may find helpful.

• What is going on with me?
• What makes me happy?
• If I know I could not fail… what would I do?
• The last time I felt this way, I…
• What doesn’t work for me is…
• I wish I could change…
• What I need to accept…
• The most important thing in my life is…
• What bugs me is…
• The most important thing in my life is…
• If I could say one thing to ___ I would say…
• I know when I feel bad because…
• I would rather…
• What do I need to let go of?
• Who do I admire and why?
• What negative things am I thinking about myself?
• What can I do to expand my horizons? Draw it.
• How can I  manifest my creativity and imagination?
• 5 things that bring you joy.
• What is your happiest memory?
• What do you fear the most?

When you begin to journal your feelings you will feel relief.  Journaling allows you to have an outlet for feelings, emotions, and stresses in your day to day life.