Re-Authoring Your Story

Starting anything new can feel dauting and intimidating. Creeping self-doubt and a lack of trust in the process may be some of the thoughts racing through your mind as you begin a new habit. However, research has shown that smaller, more digestible tasks assist with the sustainability of habits. A healthy goal may include wanting to floss every night. Rather than approaching the task by tackling all your teeth, start with one tooth and go from there. This is less intimidating, and more likely to result in long-term habits.

Like flossing, journaling is a task that we know is healthy for us however, it is often avoided as it may seem daunting.

What is journaling?

Journaling is the process of writing one’s thoughts and feelings down to gain perspective and understanding. This can assist with processing and managing one’s thoughts and feelings in a healthy and safe manner.

Below are some realistic, digestible, and sustainable ways to begin and maintain your journaling process:

Putting pen to paper

Although we’re living in a world dominated by technology, the physical act of putting pen to paper has been shown to be more effective than electronically logging one’s thoughts and feelings. This process assists with cognitive and emotional factors such as better visualisation and a deeper connection with the words. Furthermore, this process allows your hand to connect with the words, opening space for you to focus on them, make sense of them, and learn from them. Writing with a pen, rather than a pencil is also beneficial as it boosts confidence. An additional perk is that journaling can also be viewed as screen-free time. However, if you would prefer to jot your thoughts down electronically, find what works best for you.

Stress Management

“There are thousands of causes for stress, and one antidote to stress is self-expression. That’s what happens to me every day. My thoughts get off my chest, down my sleeves and onto my pad.” – Garson Kanin

Self-expression is one of the ways in which we can managing stress, anxiety, and boost self-discovery. It also allows an increased ability to articulate and clarify thoughts and feelings. A research study that took place at a children’s hospital explored the benefits of journaling for healthcare providers, patients, and families. All participants of the study reported lowered stress levels after completing this journaling exercise:

1. Write three things you’re grateful for
2. Write the story of your life in six words
3. Write three wishes

A follow up study was conducted 12-18 months later and 85% of participants reported that the journaling exercise was beneficial. 59% persisted with managing their stress levels with journaling.

These statistics show some of the positive impacts of journaling, hopefully providing some encouragement to try these prompts out.

Assistance with health, wellbeing, and emotional regulation

A study reported that writing down your thoughts and feelings may assist with:

1. Fewer psychosomatic symptoms
2. Lower blood pressure
3. Improved emotional regulation
4. Enhanced wellbeing

Furthermore, a study of 70 adult participants with medical and mental health conditions reported that writing about positive experiences, such as gratitude, for 12 weeks assisted with distress levels and increased wellbeing.

A month after the study was conducted, participants reported decreased symptoms of mental health issues and increased resilience.

An affirmation journal may be one of the ways to express our gratitude and tap into our resilience. This may boost our mood, leaving us feeling uplifted.

Space from unpleasant thoughts

It is part of the human condition to be intermittently disturbed by our own thoughts. However, if these are not managed and become pervasive, they can manifest as physical symptoms. Journaling may assist with managing these distressing thoughts and can be viewed as a mindfulness exercise, allowing healthy distance and perspective. Like viewing one’s thoughts and feelings as floating clouds in the sky, they can be viewed differently once visually represented.

It may be helpful to begin your journaling journey with a prompt: “I have just had this thought X about Y that made me feel Z”. This may prevent the overidentification with one’s thoughts and assist with an increased understanding of one’s triggers.

Managing and processing emotions

Although it may feel tempting to avoid our emotions, unfortunately, there is no magic wand that will cause them to evaporate forever. If our feelings are not managed and processed, they may grow to the point where they start to feel overwhelming.

Journaling is a great exercise to try catch these emotions before they escalate, and this can be done in a safe and containing space of your choice. Naming your emotions is the first step, followed by observing them in a non-judgemental way. If your emotions still feel overwhelming after journaling, assess whether what you’re feeling is appropriate in relation to the situation and honour these feelings with compassion. If you’re struggling to process these emotions on your own, please contact your support system, or a mental health care provider you trust. As much as journaling is a helpful tool, there is no shame in asking for additional support when needed. A further perk of journaling may include enhanced social relationships as it may open space, clarity and increased understanding, not only for oneself, but for others as well.

Journaling as a tool to empower

So, what now? It may feel as though naming and writing one’s thoughts down is simple and perhaps ineffective, however, it opens the potential to get to know oneself in a deeper and more meaningful way. You may realise that your emotions are a form of communication: perhaps your anger in the present moment is rooted in an earlier experience, or your pain may push you to reach out to your support system.

“To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom”

~ Socrates

Journaling provides an opportunity to get to know oneself in a curious and non-judgemental way. It is also an opportunity to pause, reflect and reconnect. Although it may feel daunting, try it out and see how you feel before, during, and after.

Different approaches to journaling:

It is common to feel overwhelmed by the blank pages. Fears, anxieties, and concerns may begin to emerge however, below are some tips to help ground you during your journaling process:

1. Intention: Reflect on the reasons you’d like to begin this process. What kind of space would you like to create both internally and externally. Perhaps lighting a candle or sipping your favourite cup of tea while journaling could assist with easing some of your anxieties. It may also allow for the process to become one of enjoyment and a time for self-care. What are you wanting to process internally and how best can you utilise your journal to reflect and make-meaning of your thoughts, feelings, and experiences?
2. Prompts are one way to begin the process. These may include:
3. How am I feeling today?
4. What was the highlight of my week?
5. What did I struggle with and how did I manage it?
6. Tap into your senses and jot these down: what can you see, smell, hear, taste and touch?
7. Alternatively, free-associating is a way to tap into unconscious thoughts. This assists with identifying deep-rooted thoughts and feelings to bring them into consciousness. If this feels too intimidating, perhaps try writing your dreams down. Keeping a dream journal is another way to tap into our unconscious minds. We may begin to realise that our dreams are a form of deep communication.
8. Choosing a time and place to journal may assist with increasing this habit. Try journaling with your morning coffee, during your lunch break or before bed. Notice how this impacts you.
9. Routine: do you follow a routine? Would you like to? Perhaps, it could be helpful to be curious about your routine, or lack of routine, and question whether it is serving you. What other routines or habits would you like to reassess? Write it down and reflect.
10. Perspective: write about your thoughts and feelings in the third person. This may assist with viewing your experiences from a different angle.
11. Bucket list: write a list of places you’d like to visit and things you’d like to achieve. This may give you something to look forward to, especially when the present moment may feel challenging.
12. Forgiveness: write a list of grudges you may be holding onto. How can you try to let go and forgive? This may be towards others, or yourself and may open up a space for the experience to be viewed differently. Notice whether you feel lighter after this exercise.
13. The perfect day: what does the perfect day look like for you? Jot it down and try to actualise it.
14. Food diary: tracking your food intake and how it impacts your mood can be helpful with identifying any food triggers such as, which foods don’t agree with you, which foods give you energy, and which foods make you feel sluggish.

Your journal

This gift is for you to begin the re-authoring of your story in a way that fits best with your personality and experiences. Journaling should be as unique as you, whether this consists of using your blank slate for bullet journaling, drawing, doodling or mind mapping, the journey is yours to take. Remember, it is not how you journal but rather what you gain from the process of journaling that matters the most.