We know that through expression, both oral and written, individuals can express thoughts and feelings and be reflective. This can increase one’s insight, self-awareness, and understanding.
Journaling can be structured in a variety of ways to achieve different outcomes. For example, using prompts to encourage us to dig deeper into learning about ourselves or free-flowing to simply encourage self-expression. Journaling can be used to rewire the brain in helpful ways to support our mental health if we do it habitually. For example, if I begin journaling daily about what I’m grateful for in my life, my brain begins to become rewired to see the positives in situations in the day to day. Doing a bulleted format for listing things (e.g. places I want to travel, favorite bands, etc.) promotes self-exploration and learning (and opportunity for self-loving!) and also reduces anxiety because of the redirected focus it offers and concentration required. Journaling can also help to keep us on track with goals and daily intentions. Jotting down our goals and intentions and steps we’re taking each day as we work toward these goals can help keep them in the forefront of our minds (*think – law of attraction) and through having an awareness of the obstacles we face each day, we can address the things that keep us from getting there. It can also simply offer a cathartic release; like a brain dump, which helps to free up the mind for other things.
Journaling is essentially a form of communication with ourselves, and more often than not, we don’t tend to do a lot of honest, genuine communication with the self. Yet who is more important to get to know than oneself? Maybe give it a go and see what flows?
