A question that often arises when I suggest journaling, is “What should I journal about?” The answer depends on what you hope to gain from it. This article suggests some of the ways in which journaling can be helpful as part of a self-care routine.
Journaling effectively enables you to process your thoughts and emotions. As a result, it can help you better understand yourself and make positive changes in your life. Journaling is also a type of self-care, allowing you to relax and unwind.
When you consider what to journal about, understand that there are endless possibilities of things to write about. But the point of journaling is to help you with an issue you’re having.
Whether it’s to identify patterns to your health condition, learn a new language, or overcome your inconsistent actions, journaling can help. Instead of thinking about what to journal about, think about what you’re writing about and your purpose for keeping the journal. Then choose topics that are meaningful to you and will help you grow and reflect on your life.
But what should I journal about?
Record your daily events and thoughts
Recording events and thoughts every single day is a great way to track your progress and see how your thoughts and behaviours change over time. It can also be helpful to look back on old entries to see how far you’ve come. Ensure you include dates and details (eg. pain scales) so you can remember.
Set goals and track your progress
Goal setting is imperative for journaling to work. If you have specific goals you want to achieve, journaling helps you to stay on track and keeps you motivated. First, write down your goals, what you’re doing to achieve them, and your progress along the way. Then, take the time to review occasionally to see how far you’ve come.
Work through stressful or difficult situations
Writing about it in your journal can be therapeutic when dealing with a challenging situation. It can help you work through your emotions and devise a plan of action.
Reflect on your successes and accomplishments
It’s critical to commemorate your wins, no matter how big or small. Journaling is an excellent method to reflect on your accomplishments and remind yourself of what you’re capable of.
Explore your creative side
Journaling can help you get the juices flowing if you’re feeling stuck creatively. Write down stream-of-consciousness style or try out different writing prompts to jumpstart your creativity.
Record actions on future goals
If you have a goal that you’re working toward, take the time to write about what you did each day toward that goal. Doing so enables you to reflect on your thoughts, improving future planning.
No matter what you choose to journal about, whether you’re seeking to increase your creativity or build better relationships, journaling can work for you. It also doesn’t matter what type of techniques you use. The important thing is that it brings you joy and helps you grow.
So regardless of your reasons for journaling, and no matter what you journal about, experiment to find what works for your journaling journey. Before you begin, simply know that it works and trust that you’ve chosen the right way for you – then commit to taking action!