Journaling
Journaling can be a great outlet for stress. There are multiple ways to express yourself and the most important part is simply getting your thoughts out of your head.
STRATEGIES AND TIPS FOR JOURNALING
This is a personal choice. Some people enjoy writing it down in a physical journal,
possibly even decorating the pages. Others prefer to use technology, such as writing
in Word or on a Google doc. The platform is less important than the action.
Since the most important part is getting your thoughts and feelings out, some people
may prefer to write on a Google doc, then delete is right away. You do not need to
go back to review what you previously wrote if you do not want to, hence deleting
it is okay if you prefer.
Some people prefer to record themselves talking about what is going on instead of
writing it down. This may be particularly helpful if you have found talking to others
beneficial in the past. It can also help to hear you verbalize your thoughts out loud.
It is great for you to find your own pace. You may find that you prefer to write a
few times a day or once a week. See what works best for you!
Many of us enjoy expressing ourselves in more ways than just our thoughts from the
day. If you enjoy any other methods, or would like to experiment with one, poetry,
music, painting, and other types of art can be great places to start.
You may find it helpful to focus more specifically on what your exact thoughts and
feelings were at different times during the day. This may help you learn more about
your reactions and how you may reframe some of your thoughts.
- What are you thinking about right at this moment?
- What did you do today?
- What did you think and feel about everything that happened so far today?
- What were my successes?
- What was the most difficult part of your day?
- What emotion did you feel most intensely today? When did it happen?
- What did you do effectively to cope with a stressful moment?
You can explore different ways to journal and find what works best for you.
