Journal writing for therapy? Maybe somebody can be a little confused about it. But it’s true. Journal writing can help you to reduce stress and anxiety, and understand yourself and your emotions and feelings.
I believe this activity can even help you to become a better person. A better version of yourself. The best you possible. Who doesn’t want that?
Oh, yes, but how? I hear you asking. I will explain everything you need to know and how can you help yourself through journaling. Journal writing can become a therapy that will let you release stress and heal yourself.
Journal Writing For Therapy
What causes stress for you? Why are you so stressed? Journaling is a great tool that can help you to understand your thoughts, feelings, and emotions.
Journal writing also is good for organizing your tasks, and it helps with stress management. You can plan when you need to finish specific tasks, and in that way, you avoid more stress in your life.
If you want to release something that holds you back, you need to write it down.
What kind of journal?
I always prefer paper and pen, because in this way I can much more easily express my feelings, thoughts, and emotions that sometimes flood my being.
An analog form of the journal seems more personal to me. But maybe for you, it’s different, and you want to use a digital journal to write down your thoughts.
You even could try an online journal, if you don’t mind sharing your thoughts more publicly.
CLICK HERE if you need to buy a notebook for journaling
Here you can read eight tips on how journaling can help you with stress relief. What can you do?
1. What do you want to write about?
You need to decide what you want to write about. How does stress make you feel? How do you experience stress in your life? And how often? What do you feel? Identify your stressors and what makes you stressed.
Are you overwhelmed when stress comes like I am? Do you have physical symptoms of stress that cause an uneasy feeling in your body?
2. Just start writing
Yes, sometimes it’s that easy… Take your pen to start writing and channel your thoughts from the brain without judgment or being critical of yourself. You can start with a simple sentence.
I can give you an example: This is one of the greatest days of this year because I feel free of stress. Or maybe this is one of the days that you feel tension. It is up to you how you start.
3. Re-read your entry
Always it’s good to read what you have written because that helps with reflection and self-understanding. Maybe there is something that you can do, some action to take, and you will feel better afterward.
4. Evaluation
If you want to understand yourself better, you need to evaluate not only your actions but also your thoughts and emotions.
How did you feel?
What did you do today?
How was your day?
Write everything that comes to your mind about a specific day and action.
Do you know how important is to write about your dreams and goals? How can you reach them? Who are you, my friend? What do you want in life and wish for others?
Why do you think I write a journal? It is not because I want to improve my writing or something like that. I would love to understand myself. Sadly, many of us don’t know ourselves. Then how can we understand others and this world? It truly seems impossible.
But if you understand yourself, you don’t need to understand anything or anyone else because you feel clarity and you aren’t driven to please everyone. Most importantly, in this case, you would deal with stress more effectively.
Chronic stress can cause too much pain and illness so if journaling can help with that, why don’t you take this chance?
5. Be creative
I have seen people being afraid of being creative. Too often people want to follow the rules and norms and not think with their heads and be creative. Creativity is your birthright. It is who you are. Why don’t be open to it?
I suspect that many of you love to draw or paint and express your emotions and thoughts this way.
Even if you think that you are not good at drawing or painting, take the chance and try it. Nobody needs to see it. It is your journal, and only you will see it.
If the creative activities can help you to express and understand yourself better, you need to try. No, you should try it. I believe it will be beneficial to you.
Use colors! Paint! Paste photos or flowers into your journal, if it is meaningful for you.
6. Be detailed
You need to examine your thoughts, emotions, your worries if you want to understand and finally overcome them. Who doesn’t want to get rid of stress and anxiety even if for a little while?
7. Treat your journal like a friend
Think of your journal as a close friend who wants to hear what you want to say and cares about your emotional well-being.
In this way, you can feel the therapeutic effect of sharing experiences, and it helps you to let go of emotions and thoughts that hold you back.
8. Read your journal from time to time
It is important to re-read your journal and compare things that are bothering you now with the things you wrote some time ago. This helps you to see your personal development.
Conclusion
Journaling is a good tool for healing yourself, and letting go of your worries and stress.
Journaling is a therapy that you can use to understand yourself better.
Specialists in psychotherapy also use journaling as a tool for therapy to help people deal with situations and emotions that impact their ability to function and understand themselves. If you are willing, journal writing will help you mentally and emotionally.
So do you want to try using journaling as a therapy for stress relief? Or are you already writing a journal? How do you feel about it? Does it help you to reduce stress and anxiety? Do you feel more clarity in your life? I would love to hear about your experience. Let me know below!
I like to hear from you, so please leave me a comment below to let me know how this post helped you.
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Thank you!
Until next time, my friend! Have a great day!
Linda Mo
Founder of How To Reduce Stress Naturally