What is Journaling and How to do it?

Get Accomplished with Heather

Journaling Tip’s for beginners and more seasoned writers.

Don’t underestimate the life-changing benefits of journaling. Learn how to start this pleasurable activity as a beginner or improve your scope as a more seasoned ‘journal every day kind of gal/guy.’ Make journaling work for you and journal like a pro.

So what is journaling exactly?

Journaling is an effective way to record and/or express your feelings, thoughts and experiences. It allows you to take a step back from everyday life and reflect on your thoughts and things that have happened to you or around you. Journaling can be done in many different ways.

Why would I even bother?

The Benefits of Journaling

It’s a great way to track your progress, celebrate successes and acknowledge failures. Journaling can help you get organised and prioritise tasks, as well as improve problem-solving skills and increasing creativity. Journaling can help you to gain insight into your own behaviours, thought patterns and emotions, therefore increasing self-awareness and helping you to identify areas where you may want to make changes. With a regular journaling practise you can boost your emotional intelligence.

You can reduce your stress and anxiety levels, with journaling being able to bring you clarity, help you to improve your boundaries, get you clear about what is important to you, make peace with challenges and enabling you to focus on the positive aspects of your life.

Whether it improves memory, or just gives you the space to remember things you may otherwise have forgotten in the frantic hustle of day to day life, I’m not sure, either way it’s certainly a bonus of journaling!

Journaling can gift you insights into your relationships! You can explore your connections with family, friends, colleagues and clients, as well as with different aspects of yourself, such as your inner child and inner mentor. Plus, journaling helps you to dig into relationships with broader topics, like money, abundance, receiving, challenges, illnesses, business, your vision and goals.

All these are benefits I can attest to having developed a regular journaling practice myself. I attended a year long Journaling mastermind with Carol Brennan of Journal with Carol. She has the most amazing prompts and I always came away with a much deeper insight into myself and my world.

Finally there may even be physical benefits to journaling! I have read that studies have shown improved immune function, reduced symptoms of asthma and rheumatoid arthritis and reduced blood pressure, plus improved sleep and a decrease in symptoms of depression and anxiety with specific journalling practices! Full disclosure, I cannot vouch for how good that research is as I haven’t read it myself, but I can quite believe it, as I can feel myself releasing resistance as I write each day. You can find the references at the bottom of this article.

Learn How to Start – Journaling Tips for Beginners – Start Journaling Now!

Start Journaling. If you do this now, you’ll be able to answer the question “What is journaling?”

How to start. Honestly? Just take a pen and paper and start writing. There are a ton of ways to approach journaling, and I’ll cover more of them in a mo, but don’t get overwhelmed, just take a blank page and try writing on it, jot down your thoughts and feelings as they come to mind without censoring them, keep writing until you have nothing left to say. I don’t want you not start because there’s so much information here. Starting is the hardest part and I want you to start receiving the benefits!

If you have writer’s block, write exactly that! “I don’t know what to write, my mind is blank, I have nothing to say, I’m not thinking anything…………..keep going, write exactly what you are experiencing in the here and now.

It’s often said that there’s no right or wrong way to journal. I almost agree with that, but not quite. For me, the only wrong way to journal, is if the writing is making you feel worse rather than better.

Sometimes journaling can bring up some uncomfortable feelings that we move through as we write, but if you notice that you’re feelings are moving in a downward spiral rather than in a motion forward, either try a different approach or prompt, or stop writing and speak to someone about your feelings and/or challenges. Whether it be a friend, family member colleague, coach or counsellor. There are plenty of people in the world who can, and want to help you, even if you don’t feel it right now. Go get the help you need, you deserve it.

Have you started yet? The act of writing is you committing to a better life for yourself. Go on, do it. This free flow, non-censored writing is called stream-of-consciousness writing. Don’t worry about spelling or grammar mistakes, just keep writing, get your thoughts flowing. It’s not for anybody else’s eyes, just yours. You can burn it afterwards if you want to. I’d Love to hear how you get on!

To Journal Effectively – Commit to a Daily Habit

Design your daily journaling habit with a writing routine.

The beauty of journaling is that you get to explore what way works best for you. Any journaling is better than no journaling, but if you commit to a daily journaling habit, you will reap the life-changing benefits that we’ve already covered.

I journal every weekday morning and sometimes at the weekend. You can join me live in my daily practise for free if you’d like! It’s a great way to make it a habit. More about that later.

You could journal at the same time every day, setting yourself an alarm as a reminder. Or, commit to X minutes a day at any time that fits in with your life. Think about setting a recurring reminder on your digital calendar until you’ve embodied the practice as a habit.

Many people journal a gratitude list before they go to bed, this is what studies have shown to improve sleep. Others prefer to journal first thing in the morning. I find journaling in the morning really sets me up well for the day, I always feel calmer after I journal. Maybe your lunch break might be a better time for your journaling process? What do you think would work for you?

You might want to create a ritual where you make yourself your favourite drink, and journal in the same place each day. It could be in bed, the kitchen, the lounge, a café, in your office. Or equally you might like to change it up and journal in a different place each day. There’s a lot to be said for a change of perspective.

It really doesn’t matter when or where you do it, so long as you do it! Find a time and place that suits your life and personality, find your own routine, it’ll make journaling work better for you.

Plain Paper, Beautiful Notebook or Digital Device?

Plain Paper

There are pro’s and cons to each of these options. If you write on plain paper, it’s super easy to burn afterwards if you’re concerned about other people seeing what you’ve written. Of course you won’t be able to read your old journal entries either if you’ve disposed of them.

I tend not to read back over old journals even though I do have the last couple of years worth. I used to journal when I was in my twenties and was very depressed. Many years later I found those journals and reading them made me feel very sad. I chose to burn them and no longer choose to look backwards, but am open to that changing in the future. You get to choose what you do with your writing.

Beautiful Notebook

I LOVE to have a beautiful notebook to journal in. Writing in a journal feels like a luxurious gift to myself. I’m happy to invest a significant amount of money in a notebook whose paper is a pleasure to write. For me it has to have just the right mount of flexibility in the cover to not feel too hard, but to still support the pages if I’m writing in bed or on my knees. You get to choose what’s important to you.

It might be affordability or conversely luxury, it might be the colour, pattern or design on the cover which is important to you. Style may be more important to you than substance or practicality. For me it’s both and I’m currently obsessed with Filofax A5 refillable note books. Experiment with different types of notebooks/journals until you find one that feels really good to you.

What is Journaling? A photo of 3 sparkly filofax journals.

Digital Device

If the only way for you to journal is on a digital device then do that. For Sure, writing or recording on a digital device whether a computer, laptop, tablet or phone is WAY better than not writing at all. Typing often works better for people with dyslexia or other forms of neuro-diversity. If you don’t like writing and hand writing isn’t for you, then type, or even record on audio.

Hand Written versus Digital Pros’ and Cons

If writing with pen on paper is a possibility for you, do that.

The act of writing physically slows you down, which in turn slows down your thinking. This may allow you to engage with your thoughts more deeply than when typing. You may therefore benefit from insights and perspectives that you could have missed had you typed the same thing.

Research has also shown that handwriting may help with memory retention and recall. If your journaling includes planning your time and building your to-do list, hand writing may be the best option. You’re more likely to action the things you’ve recorded if you can remember them!

The physical act of writing has been shown to activate different parts of the brain and have different effects on both cognitive and emotional processing compared to when typing.

When writing by hand, you engage a complex network of neural circuits involving the motor cortex, sensory cortex and cerebellum, among others. These are the areas that coordinate fine motor movements and spatial awareness, allowing you to form the letters and words on the page. At the same time, writing by hand engages areas of the brain associated with language processing, memory and attention.

Conversely, when you type on a keyboard, the neural circuits involved are more focused on motor planning and execution, with less involvement from areas related to spatial awareness and sensory processing. Typing also tends to be a more automatic and less effortful process than writing by hand, which could make it less engaging for certain types of cognitive and emotional processing.

All that said. I repeat, if typing rather than writing means you’ll do the journaling, then do that! You need to make this work for you.

Digital Apps

If I’m out and about without my journal, I use my notes app on my iphone. You can equally use the the mic at the bottom right of the screen to dictate the words onto the screen. I have it hooked up to icloud so it magically appears on my laptop when I get home.

There are plenty of journaling apps available online. I can’t recommend any of them because I haven’t used them, but here’s a list of some that you might like to explore. Let me know if any of them are any good!!!

Daybook.
Journey.cloud.
Daylio.
750 Words.
GoodNotes.
Momento.
Grid Diary.
Diaro.

Types of Journaling – More Ways To Journal

There are many options open to you. Some of the most popular ways to journal are –

Stream of Consciousness Writing

So we got started with stream of consciousness journaling, it’s writing down whatever’s on your mind, without censoring or correcting, either until there is nothing left to write, or you can set yourself an alarm and write for a set amount of time.

Gratitude Journaling / Appreciation Journaling

You either list, or write in more detail, things you’re grateful for or appreciate. It may be things from that day, things that you can see, things you have experienced, things you are looking forward to, anything at all that you appreciate.

Doodling/Drawing/Painting

Rather than writing, you can doodle, paint or draw.

Mind-mapping

Grab a piece of paper (the bigger the better,) write everything on your mind in circles all over the paper. You can colour code each item/theme and draw lines between items which are related. For example, you may have several things you need to do in town. You write ‘town’ in one circle and each of the things you need to do in town gets written in a circle surrounding the ‘town’ circle. Then draw a line between them to join them up. Check out this blogpost for a photo illustration.

Morning Pages

Was created by Julia Cameron writer of “The Artists Way.” It involves filling three pages of stream of consciousness writing first thing in the morning every day before doing anything else.

Journaling Prompts

Write an answer to, or reflection on prompts written in advance by yourself or someone else. This can often help you to see things from a different perspective. It’s helpful if you’re feeling stuck for where to start, or when stream of consciousness writing isn’t appealing to you. I have included a bunch of prompts at the bottom of this page for you to use. They were generated by ChatGPT ai. (Which I adore using as a research assistant!)

Dialoguing

Is a practice that involves writing a conversation where you are the author of both participants. It can between different parts of yourself. For example, you might write a dialogue between your “inner critic” and your “inner champion,” your “fearful self” and your “courageous self,” your “inner child” and your current self. You can also dialogue with body parts, symptoms, or illnesses (might sound a bit odd, but give it a go, it’s amazing what can come out!) You can also dialogue with a person you know, either personally or from afar. Or something inanimate outside of you such as your business. You write both parts of the conversation, it can be surprising to hear what responses appear on the page! You can write both parts with your dominant writing hand, or you can write one part with your non-dominant hand. You get to choose.

Bullet Journaling

Is a whole customisable system that combines, goal-setting, planning, to-do lists and note taking all in one place. It uses symbols and different page spreads to organise your whole life in one notebook called a bullet journal. I’ve had clients who have successfully merged the planning system I share in my programmes with bullet journaling which worked really well for them. You can check out bullet journaling at https://bulletjournal.com

Letter Writing

Write a letter to someone you know, part of yourself, a place or a thing, real or imagined, alive or dead, past present or future. This is not to send, it’s just a way of expression all your thoughts and feelings on a subject. It’s ok to express feelings which we may consider ‘negative’ such as anger or even revenge. It’s a way to move through those feelings. You can also write to your future or past self. Don’t send the letter. It is just for you.

Use of Colour/Changed Fonts

Make journaling fun by using colour and/or mixed fonts.

Scripting

Write a story about how you’d like things to be for you, whether it’s your ideal day, ideal life, ideal relationship, ideal work, let your imagination run wild and dream big!

Story Telling/Creative writing

This type of journaling involves using your imagination and writing skills to create stories, poems, or other creative works. I always find it easier to follow prompts for these types of writing, but again, let your imagination run wild and have fun with it.

Make it a Habit

Every weekday morning, (8am Paris Time) I journal live in my Free Facebook group for 10 minutes.

It’s a silent session, but if you value connection, transformation, service, integrity empowerment, abundance and love it when you feel Accomplished, you can come and join me and other folks in my hangout room.

It’s a great way to have accountability for your journaling practice (we meditate for ten minutes too!)

Join my Free Group – Get Accomplished With Heather Here.

Round up – Journaling Tips for Beginners

Journalling regularly brings you amazing wellness benefits. Your journal can help you get focused, problem solve, remember more, decrease stress and anxiety and so much more.
Starting a journal is the hardest part. You can start you first journal TODAY!
Your journal allows you to get in touch with your creative side and emotions.
Remember you’re writing just for you, no one else gets to see your writing.
Make journaling part of your daily routine, do it in a way that suits you.
What is Jounaling? Now you know!
Join my Free Facebook Group – Get Accomplished With Heather Here. You’ll find journaling prompts every week day.

Journaling Prompts

I’m a massive fan of ChatGPT ai. I asked it to list some journaling prompts for us to use and here’s what it came up with. Enjoy!

What are some of the things you’re grateful for in your life right now?
What is journaling and how can it help me?
Write about a time when you overcame a difficult challenge.
Describe a place that makes you feel calm and relaxed.
What are some of the things you’d like to accomplish in the next year?
Write about a person who has had a positive impact on your life.
Write about a time when you felt proud of yourself.
Describe your perfect day.
What are some of the things you’re currently struggling with? How can you overcome them?
Write about a time when you took a risk and it paid off.
What are some of the things that make you feel happy?
Describe a dream you’ve had recently.
Write about a time when you made a mistake. What did you learn from it?
What are some of the things that you’d like to learn or improve upon in the future?
Describe a person who has had a negative impact on your life. What did you learn from that experience?
Write about a person who has inspired you and explain why they have had such an impact on you.
If you could go back in time, what advice would you give to your younger self?
Write about a time when you had to make a difficult decision. What did you learn from that experience?
Describe a place that you’ve always wanted to visit. What do you think you would like about it?
Write about a time when you felt a sense of accomplishment. What did you do to achieve that goal?
If you could have any job in the world, what would it be and why?
What is your favourite book or movie? Write a review of it and explain why you enjoyed it.
Write about a person who you consider to be your role model. What qualities do they possess that you admire?
What is your favourite thing to do in your free time? Write about why you enjoy doing it.
Write about a time when you experienced a major change in your life. What were the positive aspects of that change?
If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be and why? What questions would you ask them?
What are some of your personal values and how do they influence your decision-making?
What are some of the things that make you feel the happiest and most fulfilled in life?
Write about a time when you faced a major challenge and overcame it. What did that experience teach you?
What are some of the things that you are most proud of in your life so far?
What are some of the things that you would like to change about yourself or your life? How can you work toward making those changes?
Write about a time when you received constructive criticism. How did you react to it and what did you learn from it?
What are some of your strengths and weaknesses, and how do they affect your relationships with others?
What are some of the things that you would like to achieve in the next five years? How can you work toward those goals?
What are some of the things that you are most passionate about in life? How can you incorporate those passions into your daily life?
What are some of the things that you appreciate most about yourself? How can you show yourself more self-love and compassion?
Write a conversation between two strangers who meet on a train and strike up a conversation.
Write a conversation between your current self and your past self. What advice would your current self give to your past self?
Write a dialogue between your current self and your future self. What would your future self say to you about your current life?
Write a conversation between your rational self and your emotional self. How can you balance these two aspects of yourself?
Write a dialogue between your confident self and your insecure self. How can you boost your confidence and overcome your insecurities?
Write a conversation between your adventurous self and your cautious self.
Write a dialogue between your optimistic self and your pessimistic self. How can you cultivate a more positive mindset?
Write a conversation between your forgiving self and your judgmental self.
Write a dialogue between your creative self and your practical self. How can you balance these two sides of yourself?
Write a conversation between your independent self and your dependent self. How can you find a healthy balance between autonomy and interdependence?
Write a dialogue between your grateful self and your entitled self. How can you cultivate more gratitude and appreciation in your life?
Write a dialogue between yourself and a friend who is going through a difficult time. How can you support and encourage yourself and them?
Write a dialogue between yourself and a coworker who you’ve had a disagreement with. How can you resolve the conflict and move forward?
Write a conversation between yourself and a mentor who you look up to. What advice do they have for you and how can you apply it to your life?
Write a dialogue between yourself and a stranger who you have just met. What do you want to know about them and why?
Write a conversation between yourself and a romantic partner. How can you improve your communication and strengthen your relationship?
Write a dialogue between yourself and a public figure who inspires you. What would you want to ask them and how can you apply their advice to your life?
Write a conversation between yourself and a therapist or counsellor. What issues do you want to discuss and how can they help you work through them?
Write a dialogue between yourself and a spiritual or religious leader who you admire. What insights can they offer you and how can you deepen your spiritual practice?
Write a conversation between yourself and a former teacher or mentor who had a major impact on your life. What lessons did they teach you and how can you acknowledge their influence?
Write a dialogue between your mind and your body. How can you listen to your body’s needs and take care of your physical health?
Write a conversation between your healthy self and your unhealthy self. How can you make positive changes to improve your overall health and well-being?
Write a dialogue between your energetic self and your lethargic self. How can you increase your energy levels and overcome fatigue?
Write a conversation between your active self and your sedentary self. How can you incorporate more physical activity into your daily routine?
Write a dialogue between your hungry self and your full self. How can you practice mindful eating?
Write a conversation between your rested self and your exhausted self. How can you prioritize getting enough rest and sleep?
Write a dialogue between your flexible self and your stiff self. How can you improve your flexibility and mobility?
Write a conversation between your strong self and your weak self. How can you build strength and endurance through physical activity?
Write a dialogue between your relaxed self and your tense self. How can you manage stress and tension in your body?
Write a conversation between your confident self and your self-conscious self. How can you cultivate a positive image and love yourself?
Write a short story that begins with the line, “The sun had just set and the shadows were growing longer…”
Imagine a world where humans have the ability to communicate telepathically. Write a scene where two characters have a conversation using only their thoughts.
Write a poem about a flower that has special significance to you. Use descriptive language to paint a vivid picture in the reader’s mind.
Write a character profile for someone you see every day, like a neighbour or a co-worker. What are their hopes, fears, and dreams?
Imagine a world where time travel is possible. Write a story about someone who travels back in time to meet their ancestors.
Write a letter to your younger self, offering advice and words of encouragement.
Write a scene where two characters are stuck in an elevator together. What do they talk about and how do they pass the time?
Write a story that takes place in a post-apocalyptic world. What challenges do the characters face and how do they overcome them?
Write a descriptive essay about your favourite place in the world. Use sensory details to bring the location to life.
Write a story that begins with the line, “The clock struck midnight and everything changed…”
Identify a problem in your community or locality and brainstorm potential solutions. What actions can you take to address the issue?
Write about a situation where you felt stuck or overwhelmed. What steps can you take to break down the problem into smaller, more manageable parts?
Think about a decision you need to make. Write a list of pros and cons to help you weigh your options and make an informed choice.
Write about a time when you faced a difficult challenge. What strategies did you use to overcome the obstacle and how can you apply those strategies to future challenges?
Identify a habit or behaviour that you want to change. Write about the triggers that lead to the behaviour and brainstorm strategies to help you break the habit.
Write a letter to someone you’re having a conflict with. Use “I” statements to express your feelings and propose solutions for resolving the conflict.
Write about a goal you want to achieve. Break the goal down into smaller, achievable steps, and create a plan to reach the goal.
Identify a skill you want to develop. Research resources that can help you learn the skill, such as online courses or workshops and create a plan for practicing and improving.
Write about a time when you experienced a failure or setback. What did you learn from the experience, and how can you use that knowledge to move forward?
Write about a challenge you’re currently facing. Use creative problem-solving techniques like brainstorming, mind-mapping, or visualisation to generate potential solutions.
Think about a decision you made in the past that didn’t turn out as you had hoped. Write about what you would do differently if you could go back in time and make a different choice.
Identify a goal you’ve been struggling to achieve. Write about the obstacles that are preventing you from reaching your goal, and brainstorm strategies for overcoming those obstacles.
Write about a time when you experienced a communication breakdown with someone. What can you do differently in the future to improve communication and prevent misunderstandings?
Identify a problem you’ve been avoiding or procrastinating on. Write about the reasons why you’ve been avoiding the problem and brainstorm strategies for tackling it head-on.
Write about a relationship that has been challenging for you. Identify the issues that are causing the difficulty and brainstorm potential solutions for improving the relationship.
Think about a time when you experienced a conflict with someone. Write about how you can use active listening and empathy to better understand the other person’s perspective and find a resolution.
Identify a skill or quality that you admire in someone else. Write about how you can develop that skill or quality in yourself.
Write about a time when you received feedback that was difficult to hear. What steps can you take to receive feedback more effectively and use it to improve?
Think about a decision you need to make that involves weighing multiple options. Write about a decision-making framework you can use to evaluate the pros and cons of each option and make an informed choice.
Write about a problem you’re currently facing and then brainstorm ten different ways you could solve the problem. Evaluate each potential solution based on its feasibility, potential outcomes and impact.

References

I asked ChatGPT to reference the scientific aspects of this blog, the parts which weren’t written from personal experience. I have not read this research myself, but you might be interested for further reading.

Physical benefits of journaling and references to scientific studies that support these benefits:

Improved Immune System: One study found that writing about a stressful experience for just 20 minutes a day, three days in a row, resulted in better immune function compared to a control group. (Reference: Pennebaker, J. W., Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K., & Glaser, R. (1988). Disclosure of traumas and immune function: Health implications for psychotherapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 56(2), 239-245.)
Reduced Symptoms of Asthma and Rheumatoid Arthritis: Studies have found that expressive writing can lead to improvements in physical symptoms for individuals with asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. (References: Smyth, J. M., Stone, A. A., Hurewitz, A., & Kaell, A. (1999). Effects of writing about stressful experiences on symptom reduction in patients with asthma or rheumatoid arthritis: A randomized trial. JAMA, 281(14), 1304-1309; 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.)
Reduced Blood Pressure: One study found that expressive writing resulted in a significant reduction in blood pressure for individuals with elevated blood pressure compared to a control group. (Reference: Chung, Y. F., Wan, T. H., & Chen, S. A. (2005). The effects of written emotional expression on ambulatory blood pressure and overall blood pressure levels in patients with hypertension. Psychosomatic Medicine, 67(2), 270-275.)

Some studies that suggest journaling can help improve sleep. Here are a few references:

One study found that participants who engaged in a nightly gratitude journaling practice reported better sleep quality and longer sleep duration compared to a control group. (Reference: Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 377-389.)
Another study found that participants who wrote about their worries for 20 minutes before bed for four consecutive nights fell asleep more quickly than a control group. (Reference: Gerin, W., Davidson, K. W., Christenfeld, N. J., Goyal, T., & Schwartz, J. E. (2006). The role of angry rumination and distraction in blood pressure recovery from emotional arousal. Psychosomatic Medicine, 68(1), 64-72.)
A third study found that participants who wrote about positive experiences for 15 minutes before bed for three consecutive nights experienced improvements in sleep quality and quantity compared to a control group. (Reference: Jackowska, M., Brown, J., Ronaldson, A., & Steptoe, A. (2016). The impact of a brief gratitude intervention on subjective well-being, biology and sleep. Journal of Health Psychology, 21(10), 2207-2217.)

It’s important to note that these studies focused on specific journaling practices and may not apply to all types of journaling. Additionally, other factors beyond journaling (such as sleep environment and lifestyle habits) can also impact sleep. Nonetheless, these studies suggest that journaling can be a helpful tool to promote better sleep.

There are several studies that suggest that journaling can help improve symptoms of depression and anxiety. Here are a few references:

A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found that expressive writing (which often involves journaling) was associated with significantly reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety among participants. (Reference: Baikie, K. A., & Wilhelm, K. (2005). Emotional and physical health benefits of expressive writing. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 11(5), 338-346.)
Another study found that a daily gratitude journaling practice was associated with improvements in symptoms of depression and anxiety among participants. (Reference: Seligman, M. E. P., Steen, T. A., Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2005). Positive psychology progress: Empirical validation of interventions. American Psychologist, 60(5), 410-421.)
A third study found that participants who engaged in a daily journaling practice focusing on positive experiences and emotions experienced reductions in symptoms of depression and anxiety compared to a control group. (Reference: Burton, C. M., & King, L. A. (2004). The health benefits of writing about intensely positive experiences. Journal of Research in Personality, 38(2), 150-163.)

It’s worth noting that these studies used different journaling practices and focused on different populations, so the findings may not apply to everyone. Additionally, journaling should not be considered a substitute for professional treatment for depression or anxiety. Nonetheless, these studies suggest that journaling can be a helpful tool for promoting mental health and well-being.

Please don’t get overwhelmed by all the information here. The best way to get started is to just pick up a paper and pen, and start writing! I’d Love to see you in my Facebook group and I’d Love to hear how you get on. XXX