The Art of Journaling
February 14, 2024
Writer: Ivette Flores
Editor: Chloe Robinson
Around five years ago, I began journaling with the intention of discovering more about myself. At the juncture between middle and high school, I sought after a more thorough understanding of who I was– what I valued; what I was good (or bad) at; what made me happy, sad, or angry. Journaling soon became an outlet for me to express my emotions. If I felt defeated because I hadn’t followed through with something, I would write about it. If I was overthinking an everyday interaction, I would write about it. Journaling became a way for me to express rather than repress my growing emotions. Later, it became habitual for me to write down what I was grateful for each day, and my journal quickly became a gratitude journal. Although I’ve regrettably become less consistent in my journaling habits, it’s my goal to break in a new notebook in 2024. Journaling and expressing myself may not always be the easiest thing to do, but it truly helps me become more centered, more aware, and a lot more at peace.
Put simply, journaling is about writing and putting your thoughts on paper, usually with the goal of expressing what is within. You can journal for 1 minute, 10 minutes, 1 hour, or even more – there is no time limit, and no right or wrong way to do it. You can journal about what you’re grateful for, what you hope to accomplish, what thoughts are running through your mind, what you’re proud of, what you can improve, what made you happy or angry or sad or excited … there truly aren’t any rules, which is part of what makes journaling so beautiful. I find that sometimes using journal prompts can also be immensely helpful, as they can be a great guide to what we may want to journal on. In the end, there is no right or wrong way to journal, nor should someone consume themselves with the aesthetics of journaling – just find what brings YOU the most benefits.
Those who journal (myself included) claim it has brought them a plethora of positive side effects, and not surprisingly, there have been multiple studies that prove this. Doctors and scientists agree that journaling can (WebMD.com, 2021):
• Reduce anxiety
• Encourage awareness
• Regulate emotions
• Improve the awareness and perception of events
• Help one break away from a nonstop cycle of obsessive thinking
These benefits don’t come from journaling about something specific, but just from journaling in general. Although sometimes the benefits of journaling are noticeable immediately after getting my thoughts on paper, sometimes it takes a few weeks of journaling for me to notice a change in my reactions – I find myself thinking, before, I would’ve handled this situation this way, but now I handle it in this much better way. Or hey, I just feel ~different~.
Starting to journal (just like starting any habit), can seem overwhelming, and I admit, can be very challenging at first. But the key, and what I’m reminding myself of as I begin journaling constantly again, is to simply start small. Commit to 5 minutes every day, or maybe 10 minutes twice a week. Write about your deepest secrets or your favorite jokes, but simply write. If you don’t feel like writing, doodle. If you find that you prefer typing, type. Find what works for you by experimenting with different forms of journaling – be curious about what you’ll discover about yourself. Maybe one day, you find yourself wanting to give up on journaling (throwback to my “journaling doesn’t even work” days). Maybe one day, something completely life changing makes its way to your paper. Maybe one day you and those around you notice something has shifted. Maybe, just maybe, this is the year we all incorporate it into our lives and see for ourselves the magic it can bring.
References
Mental health benefits of journaling. (2021, March 25). WebMD.
https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-health-benefits-of-journaling
