Journaling is my favorite form of therapy.

I first started journaling in college as an outlet when I was feeling down and I was pretty inconsistent with it. 

However, last year I started to get into it more and I journal almost daily now whether I am in a good mood or a bad. It has become very therapeutic because I am able to get all my thoughts on paper and process all of my emotions.  This may sound weird but I used to struggle with identifying my emotions, but with journaling and some other things I feel much more in tune with myself.

It has also helped me become comfortable with sitting in complete silence. I used to always want some type of background noise on to distract me, but not anymore. I genuinely enjoy being in complete silence. It’s when I feel the most peace. 

When should you journal?

I journal anytime I feel the desire, but I have found journaling in the morning starts my day off on the right foot because I start the day with writing things I am grateful for, my intentions for the day, and spending time with God.

With that said, I have found so much benefit in journaling throughout the day and at night because I feel like those are the times I experience the most emotions as I am interacting with more people, work, and any other encounters you can think of. Whenever, I feel like I need to get something off my chest and I need to vent that is what my journal is for.

Also, I have scriptures in the back of my journal to quickly reference to help me reframe my thoughts. 

What do you journal about?

There are so many different things I write in my journal.

I will write: 

• Gratitudes
• Thoughts and Feelings
• Things I enjoyed or did not enjoy from the day 
• Bible notes 
• Goals

The list goes on and the great thing about journaling is there is no format. How and what you journal about is up to you. Its a no judgement zone where you put pen to paper and write whatever you feel in the moment. 

I truly believe journaling is something everyone should do, and these are the benefits I have found with journaling.

Benefits of Journaling

1. It helps me disconnect from social media and reground myself

It brings peace to start the morning off with myself and my thoughts instead of hopping on the internet first thing in the morning. This helps me avoid being overwhelmed with other peoples thoughts, bad news, etc.  My day overall is better when I can set the mood. 

2. It helps me to process my emotions

Journaling allows me to just sit with myself and reflect on whatever happened throughout the day. I am able to write and find the root cause of some of the emotions that I am feeling. For instance, if I feel angry, why I am angry? What happened? Am I really angry or am I disappointed, sad, embarrassed, etc. 

3. It helps me keep track of things going in my life (I can reflect on past me)

I actually still have my journal from college that I came across recently. It was cool to see how much I changed but also how I am still the same. It feels special to reminisce on past experiences and see those moments through the eyes of my past self. 

4. It helps you start or end your day on a good note

5. Reduce anxiety and stress

If you feel overwhelmed, put it all on paper. Write for as much as you need to until you feel better. Journaling is unrushed time where you dont have to feel the need to impress anyone. No matter what you write, you can’t get it wrong. 

6. It helps you to become more comfortable with silence

Journaling in complete silence is the best because it allows you to think and write without interruption. Overtime, you’ll just be sitting their enjoying the silence of the day and enjoying your own company. 

7. It helps you become a better version of yourself

Instead of talking about what you want to do, journaling helps you get your thoughts on paper, uncover what could be holding you back, and create a plan to move forward. 

There are so many benefits with journaling and I don’t think I will be stopping anytime soon. I enjoy whipping out my pen and journal. We have moved to doing a lot of things digitally, so this is one of the few things I do the old-fashioned way. I enjoy having something tangible to write on and it allows me to get away from my computer or phone and the distractions that come with it.

Where to find a good journal?

A good place to find an affordable and cute journal is TJ Maxx or Marshalls. That is where I have gotten my latest journals. They are always around $10 or less. 

However, if you prefer to buy a journal online I have included a few that I like below.