Journaling For Mental Clarity: How This Writing Craze Can Boost Your Mental Health
Last Updated on 01/02/2023 by Nicky
How To Start Journaling For Better Mental Healthy & Clarity
You’ve probably heard that journaling is all the rage right now, especially when it comes to mental health and gaining mental clarity.
Personally, I’m loving it because I love journal writing (like physically writing with a pen).
But if you’re new to this craze and don’t know where to start then I hope this post will help point you in the right direction.
Anytime I’m having a hard time processing my thoughts, writing is my go-to and I hope it will become yours.
Here’s what we will cover today :
– What is journaling
-What are journaling printables
-How does writing in a journal help your anxiety
– How to stay inspired to journal consistently
-Figuring out why you want to start journaling
– Setting realistic journaling goals
-Learning which medium works best for you
-How to stay inspired to journal
Oh yeah, and this post contains affiliate links to great products that will help you in your health journey. I will get a commission if you decide to buy from these links but I’m only recommending products that I feel confident about.
Want to read Journaling For Mental Clarity later? Click here to save it to one of your mental health Pinterest boards!
– What is journaling?
Let’s be real here. Journaling is just a fancy way of saying writing in your journal. I know, I know.
We may want to make it more complicated than that because there are different kinds of journals.
But still, journaling is just a shorter way of saying, I write in my journal on a regular basis.
Now of course there are many different kinds of journals that you can start, like gratitude journals, bullet journals, fitness journals, etc.
In my opinion, all kinds of journals work to improve your mental health because you’re expressing yourself, you’re putting your emotions & thoughts down on paper, you’re being creative, etc.
Here’s a blog post about ways to jazz up your journals if you’re stuck on where to start!
Want to read Journaling For Mental Clarity later? Click here to save it to one of your mental health Pinterest boards!
– What are journaling printables?
Of course, you can totally go to Amazon and buy a journal and start writing in it. But those blank pages can be intimidating.
So instead you can go online and find printable journal pages that already have lines, journal prompts, and so much more.
Here is a link to my store that contains different types of journaling printables: HAYC Store!
They are like beautiful worksheets that you can use to creatively pull yourself out of the depression and anxiety-filled pit you’ve fallen into.
There are all kinds of journaling printables…Bible study printable, fitness printables, bullet journaling printables, and of course mental health journal printables.
– How Does Writing In A Journal Help With Mental Clarity?
It’s hard to explain how journaling helps give you mental clarity but I will try…
I know for me, when I have thoughts on top of thoughts all fighting for my attention, it can be overwhelming and mentally taxing.
It’s like you don’t know which thought to tend to first. But once I have my pen in hand, my thoughts start to calm and relax.
Maybe it’s because the thoughts feel acknowledged and special so each one gets its own paragraph in my journal.
Whatever the reason, journaling is truly a gift from God for our mental sanity! And it does make sense that journaling does help boost your mental health.
– Journaling gives you power over your thoughts
Many negative emotions and symptoms can be improved through the power of a journal entry.
Using this form of expressive writing puts you back in control of your feelings. It helps you sort out why you feel restless or why you can sleep or focus.
Knowing why you are feeling a certain way is often the first step to knowing where to go to get help.
But there’s even more to it than just this…
Journaling is also an amazing way to set and track your goals (and having goals and purpose in life also helps you increase your mental health) (source).
Start by identifying what you want to journal about (hint: it can be multiple topics, not just one), and use these ideas as journaling prompts for the next time you sit down with your notebook.
And if you’re worried that yours won’t be as pretty as some of the ones you see on Pinterest and Instagram, don’t.
You don’t have to do a fancy bullet journal! Or if you do a bullet journal, it doesn’t have to look like it belongs in the MOMA.
Just be creative for your own pleasure and don’t feel pressured to be perfect. That does NOT help your mental clarity…just saying.
Related: Here are 20 list ideas you can keep in your journal…and if you wanted you could have a specific journal for each kind of list and not just a section of a journal for each list).
– How To Stay Inspired To Journal Consistently
So like I said, journaling can be a great way to stay motivated and productive which always brings me joy.
To make sure that it remains a habit (but again don’t put pressure on yourself please!), it’s important to have an idea of what you want to accomplish.
For instance, do you want to write down your thoughts about your day? Do you want to document your health and fitness habits? (I have a fitness & weight loss journal, for instance).
Maybe you don’t think writing in a fitness journal would be related to your mental health but let me tell you…if you are physically unhealthy, then this is something that weighs on your mind constantly and you need an outlet to deal with those thoughts!
Plus, if you have determined WHY you want to journal, you are more likely to keep up with it.
Want to read Journaling For Mental Clarity later? Click here to save it to one of your mental health Pinterest boards!
– Reasons why a person may want to journal
- Reduce stress
- Cope with depression
- Promote healthy self-awareness
- Release thoughts that are crowding their brain
- Understand the problems or fears they are experiencing
- Give mental clarity to a mind full of jumbled thoughts
- Create goals to achieve tasks or reach their dreams
You may very well have more than one reason to begin a journal – the more the better!
Want to read Journaling For Mental Clarity later? Click here to save it to one of your mental health Pinterest boards!
– Setting Realistic Journaling Goals
It’s important that you don’t get too hard on yourself when you start journaling. Burnout is easy and often happens, even if you enjoy writing.
If you’re not used to getting your thoughts down on paper (or a screen) then you may quickly resent daily journaling and want to give up. Many people start journaling by writing 10-15 minutes each day.
If you’re not sure how to get started, set a timer for 5 minutes. You can always increase the time once you’ve established a good writing routine and get better at putting your thoughts into words.
Some writers swear the best time to write is in the morning when we can purge our negative thoughts before getting on with the day.
I don’t do that though so journal at whatever time works best for your schedule. If you don’t have time in the morning, try writing during your lunch break or before bedtime.
Remember that it’s okay to skip a day if you need to; mental exhaustion is a real thing! The idea is for journaling to be a calming and relaxing experience…not another thing you feel obligated to do.
So if you can’t journal every single day…just start up again the next day.
– Deciding Which Journaling Medium Works Best For You
Traditionally, a journal is a paper notebook but you don’t have to limit yourself to that. You can write your thoughts down on paper, journaling printables as I mentioned before, or in a document on your computer.
You could even use the mobile app of your choice to keep track of all the things you’re grateful for this year (I recommend Trello, personally)!
However, at the end of the day, there really is something magically therapeutic about physically writing with a pen in your hand.
But if this method is not practical for you then by all means choose to go digital as this still carries health benefits of its own.
Want to read Journaling For Mental Clarity later? Click here to save it to one of your mental health Pinterest boards!
– 7 Tips To Use Journaling For Mental Clarity
So now it’s time to talk about how to journal for mental clarity. Use the tips below to help you sort out and make sense of all the thoughts running through your head that you can’t process.
Tip #1 – Prompts are your Friend
There are many journaling prompts online that will give you increased mental clarity and peace of mind.
A simple reflective question such as “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” can give you the nudge you need to fill your 10 minutes of writing time.
You can also pick up a guided journal from Amazon or a journaling printable.
These journals are typically filled with questions and prompts to help inspire you on what you should say.
Here are some positive affirmation journaling prompts to get you started: 10 Positive Christian Affirmations Journaling Prompts For The Girl Struggling To See The Good In Herself
Tip #2 – View Journaling as a Habit, Not a Hobby
You don’t want to stress about journaling too much,
If journaling is something that seems like a chore, it’s harder to stick with. But when you see it as an important part of your day, there are long-term benefits for mental health.
Just focus on why you started journaling in the first place so that it doesn’t feel like a burden!
Tip #3 – Remind Yourself Every Day
The perfect reminder for journaling success is your mobile phone.
Set an alarm for a time you should be free to journal, or at least at a time you can reset the notification in case it doesn’t work in the future.
Once you have incorporated a consistent journaling practice into your daily routine, you may find yourself no longer needing an alarm as a reminder.
Tip #4 – Change your Surroundings
Sometimes just a change in scenery can make it easier for the words to flow. Move to a new room in your home if you feel stuck.
Try journaling at a different time of day if the habit starts to feel more like a chore. Step outside your home and give journaling in the park or at a coffee shop a try.
You never know what kind of inspiration may hit when in a new environment.
Sometimes it’s just not easy to get the words flowing.
That’s why you need to change your scenery every once in a while.
If you’re feeling stuck, try journaling in a new room, at a different time of day, or outside! You never know what kind of inspiration may hit when in a new environment.
Tip #5 – Make a list of all the different issues you are confused about
Okay, so all these thoughts are swirling through your head and it’s driving you crazy. You sit down with your journal but you feel stuck and don’t know where to start.
If this is you, I suggest just making a simple list.
Don’t make it complicated.
Be explicit!
Write at the top of the page: “These issues are driving me crazy right now!!!!” and then list them all.
Don’t stop and feel guilty or second guess whether or not you should put an item on the list. If it comes to mind then it should be on the list so write it down!
Tip #6 – Write a separate page for each item on your list
Now that you know what problems in your life are chaotic, confusing, and depressing, create a separate page for each issue you wrote down.
Then write down why this issue is making you feel that way.
Or if you don’t know why it’s making you feel that way write that down too and just let your mind wander freely around this issue without censoring yourself. This is meant to be a cathartic activity, not a guilt-inducing activity.
If you don’t want to write about a certain issue don’t worry about it. Move on to the next item on your list.
Tip #7 – Look for possible solutions to your issues
My hope is that as you write and begin to categorize your issues, you’ll see patterns forming and even possible solutions to your problems.
If you do see some solutions in your writing then start implementing them in your life!
If not, don’t worry!
Just keep writing (and praying) and at the very least you’ll have a healthy outlet for your thoughts and feelings.
– Will You Start Journaling For Mental Clarity & Health
Journaling can be beneficial once you get started.
Journaling once a day can be hard, but it can be very beneficial for finding mental clarity when the stresses of life start to engulf you.
With these tips and proper planning, you should find it easy to devote a small portion of your day to write about your thoughts, feelings, and plans.
– Download A Free Mental Health Journaling Bundle!
If you’re someone who struggles with your mental health, I have a free journaling bundle to help you express your worries and fears through writing.
Just enter your email address below and the link to the Renew Your Mind journaling bundle will be sent to your inbox!
If Journaling For Mental Clarity has helped you, please share it on social media!
More HAYC Posts About Journaling For Mental Health
25+ Beautiful Adult Coloring Pages Christian Women Can Use To Boost Their Mental Health
9 Fun & Creative Things To Write About In Your Journal!
9 Creative Ways To Jazz Up Your Boring Journals & Boost Your Mental Health!
20+ Creative Lists To Write In A Journal When You’re Bored Or Anxious
– Check Out The Journaling Printables In Our Store!
Medical Disclaimer: While Healthy As You Can strives to provide the most accurate information, anything you read on this site is purely for informational or entertainment purposes and should NOT be considered medical advice or as a replacement for a doctor’s care, diagnosis, appointment, advice, etc. I am not a medical professional at all. Any information, tips, or ideas that you try as a result of reading this blog is tried at your, the reader’s, own risk.
Mental Health Disclaimer: While I care deeply about your mental health, please know that I am NOT a licensed medical professional, therapist, counselor, social worker, or mental health professional. Any advice here is not to be taken as medical advice or a diagnosis. IF you need to talk to a licensed mental health professional you can use online-therapy.com (affiliate link) or call a mental health hotline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
