A Practical Guide to Journaling for Mental Clarity & Recovery

Journal It

Whether you’re a natural writer or not, you’ve probably experienced the power of words at some point. Perhaps it was a novel that changed your perspective, an article that made you think twice, or a simple greeting card that conveyed the perfect message. Written words can impact us, move us, draw us to action, or give us a soft place to land. So if you’re living life through a tangle of anxiety and depression or the burden of addiction, you may find that one of the best first steps you can take towards healing is putting your thoughts down on paper. Learning how to journal…literally clearing your mind of all it carries…can be a tremendous help in your recovery process.

Curate the Narrative

Your story is your’s to tell and journaling gives you the opportunity to create a narrative for what you’ve experienced. Using written language to express yourself can be as therapeutic as talking over your situation with a friend. In fact, perhaps it’s even more beneficial in the end because it provides a written record of your life, giving you a hindsight view of what you’ve faced, how you faced it, and allowing you to spot triggers, solutions, and patterns as you reread what you’ve written. If you’ve never considered yourself a journaler, a few habits will help you create a routine of jotting down your innermost thoughts:

1. Journal the same time every day.
   Leave your notebook by the coffee machine or on your nightstand. Spend a few minutes every morning writing down your hopes for the day and recording a brief overview of what happened yesterday.

2. The medium matters.
   Invest in a journal or notebook that gives you joy. Set aside a special pen to use solely for your journal. These items don’t need to be expensive…simply pleasant to use.

3. Paper or pixels?
   If you find it easier to type, don’t hesitate to use your laptop or phone to express your thoughts. While many people may find it more therapeutic to put pen to paper, if physical writing is a hindrance to you, don’t let it keep you from keeping a journal. Getting words down is the chief goal.

4. You are the curator of your journal.
   You may decide to only write down your concerns, stressors, and challenges. Or you may choose to write down an overview of each day. Or maybe interlace your thoughts with inspiring quotes or even sketch some pictures. You decide.

Meditation + Journaling

The art of slowing down and picking up a pen will guide you towards health – mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Some journals serve as letters back to oneself, others read more like a letter to someone else. There is no wrong way to do it! Use the voice that comes most naturally to you. Making journaling easy and enjoyable will be the number one reason you keep returning to it as part of your healing process….so intentionally choose the easy, enjoyable thing.

Since studies have shown that meditation drastically aids the healing process, you may consider blending meditation or prayer with your journaling. If you have trouble focusing during prayer, writing your prayers may become an important part of your daily practice. Ask God to help you, write encouraging Scriptures to help you stay inspired, and make a list of ways He’s answered your requests, blessed you, or revealed Himself to you. You’ll find that your relationship with Him will grow as you center your thoughts and build better habits of self-care.

Give yourself space and time to be expressive. The art of slowing down and picking up a pen will guide you towards health– mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Put It Into Practice

Feeling overwhelmed by a journal?

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Grab a smaller journal like “A Line a Day” and make a habit of jotting down two or three sentences each day. Journal entries don’t need to be long and wordy to be effective and impactful. Set yourself up for success by giving yourself a small amount of space to fill, rather than a bunch of lined pages.

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Verified Reliable Sources for the Content in This Article:
Journaling for Emotional Wellness via University of Rochester Medical School