5 Powerful Mental Health Journal Lists That Will Transform Your Daily Life!
Journal Lists for Mental Health: Embrace Peace and Positivity
Psst…come here a second. Let me let you in on a little secret…
Journaling is one of the most powerful things you can do to boost your mood and mental health. I know it seems simple. You just have to pick up a pen and write or open an app and type (my preferred method).
The thing is with the continuous rise of mental health issues around the world, there is no better time to be intentional and tend to your mental health.
Your mental health affects everything you do so it’s paramount that you keep your mind in check.
That’s why I love journaling.
Journaling, I love to say, is a mind declutter, and it gives you a powerful platform to process emotions, reduce stress, and boost your overall well-being.
For Christian women, journaling can also serve as a spiritual practice that draws them closer to God and usher in peace and positivity.
I hope you’re ready to explore the 5 amazing journal lists that will skyrocket your mental health and help you embrace a peaceful and positive mindset because we are about to start right now!
Does Journaling Really Improve Mental Health? Here’s My Story…
Many assume that journaling is all about writing, well no! That’s just one part of the story. I used to think that way too. But after journaling myself, I saw the light and understood exactly what it was.
Journaling is a therapeutic tool you can use to understand and manage your emotions. By incorporating mental health journaling into your daily routine it can serve as a safe space for self-reflection, prayer, and gratitude.
Quite a few years ago, I was in a dark head space mentally and emotionally.
I didn’t pray and I didn’t cry. I willed myself not to feel.
Of course, this is a next-to-impossible feat to pull off long-term, and eventually, the dam broke and I had to deal with the pent-up emotions that I had been holding inside.
If it hadn’t been for my relationship with Jesus and my love for writing and journaling, I’m not sure how I would have gotten through that period.
Being able to write everything I was feeling meant I no longer had to carry my burdens alone. I could cast my cares not only on the Lord but also on the pages of my notebook and let them shoulder my pain.
I hope this has given you a little bit of an idea of how transformational a journal can be and why you need to start one ASAP…I would start with the mental health lists I’m going to talk about next.
5 Types of Journal Lists for Mental Health
I hope by now, you will agree that journaling for mental health (link) is a no-brainer for everyone, especially Christian women. However, there are some journal ideas that are more beneficial for mental health than others.
Let me share the best journal lists for mental health with you so you’ll know where to start.
1) Gratitude Lists
Gratitude lists are journaling lists that you cannot do without. Christian journaling for well-being must incorporate gratitude. It impacts both your emotional and mental well-being tremendously.
Gratitude lists help build a positive mindset, as you always have one thing or the other you’re grateful for. It also keeps you optimistic about what’s to come.
When you have a gratitude journal list, it highlights the positive things in your life and gives you a new perspective on the parts of life that need improvement.
You might be wondering how to start a gratitude journal. Here are 15 Gratitude Journal Prompts All Christian Women Should Know which will help you get started in your gratitude journaling journey!
2) Mood Tracking Lists
On your journaling mental health journey, mood tracking is key. Tracking your mood provides deep insight into your mental health, by identifying patterns and triggers that affect your emotions.
This is very important as it facilitates self-awareness and helps regulate your emotions.
Mood tracking lists are important as they highlight people, places, or things that affect your mood positively or otherwise. It also improves self-awareness as it gives you better insight into your emotional state as you go through the day.
Tracking your mood can help you recognize patterns that trigger you and provide probable solutions to handle them, which helps give you good mental health.
Examples of mood tracking prompts you can use include:
daily mood tracking (you can use a scale rating 1-100% or 1-10, mood changes per hour, etc.)
identifying triggers (what event/activity affects your mood positively or negatively, identify specifics, people, places or things that affects your mood).
3) Affirmation Lists
Positive affirmations are a powerful tool that helps improve mental health and emotional well-being. For Christian women this is more than just mere words, it’s a spiritual exercise that helps you absorb and affirm all of God’s promises for your life.
By consistently reaffirming positive words and God’s promises, we can reconfigure our brains to focus on the positives of our lives and everyone around us.
Affirmation lists help boost self-esteem, groom a positive mindset, and reduce stress.
Affirmations have the power to counter negative thoughts and project positive thoughts, while also empowering you with the right motivations to reach your goals.
Here are a few examples of affirmation prompts you can use:
self-esteem and confidence prompts
health and well-being prompts
success and abundance prompts
4) Prayer Lists
There is no denying the power of prayer in maintaining good mental health. Adding prayer to your journaling journey provides a structured approach to communicating with God. It is important as it can help you reflect on personal growth and attaining peace and clarity.
When you combine prayer and journaling, you build a significant spiritual fortress that shields you from troubles and aids your connection with God.
Examples of prayer prompts you can leverage to embark on a successful mental health journaling journey include:
gratitude
guidance
wisdom
intersession
personal growth
If you want a deeper dive into how to create a prayer list, please take a look at these resources:
3 Reasons Why You Ignore Your Prayer List & How To Create One You’ll Love!
Start Writing Your Prayers & These 3 Things Will Happen+ 35 Prayer Writing Tips!
The Secret To Organizing Your Prayer Life & Growing Closer To God!
5) Reflection Lists
Self-reflection journaling may seem scary and that is understandable. Our past is often filled with good and not-so-good experiences, but it is a powerful tool for maintaining good mental health.
It not only centers on past events and experiences, but it also helps you analyze them and gain a deeper understanding of who you are and who you want to be.
With the right attitude to reflective journaling, you can make significant positive changes to your life.
Reflecting improves your critical thinking ability, helps you process emotions well, and eliminates the feeling of being overwhelmed, it sharpens your mind helping you identify solutions to issues that seem to be repetitive.
Examples of reflective prompts include:
- daily reflection (highlight of the day, and the most significant thing that happened during the day)
- emotional reflection (what emotions did you express more, what triggered them)
- relationship reflection (how did I relate with others today, how can my relationship with others improve)
How to Get Started with Mental Health Journaling
Obviously, one of the first things you have to do is get a journal. It can be digital or paper. The beauty of journaling is that there are no rules to follow.
You can be creative and do what works best for you. My preferred way to journal is by using a digital journal that I created using Trello but there are many apps you can use like Notion or even just a Google Doc.
When you have chosen your journal, it’s nice but not necessary that you establish a routine. I say it’s not necessary because I do not have a fixed journaling routine and it would be hypocritical of me to say that you should have one.
However, many people do suggest that this is the best way to journal. I say don’t put pressure on yourself to be perfect otherwise you are defeating the purpose of mental health journaling in the first place.
Journaling enthusiasts also suggest that it’s best to have a fixed time when you are free from distraction but I’m going to keep it real…I don’t do that either. I journal whenever I feel like it. It is what it is. But could you derive even more benefits from journaling if you were more disciplined about it? Absolutely!
Now we can talk about what to write or I suppose, how to write. Be expressive. Don’t hold back on what you feel even if what you feel is scary…remember, there is no judgment here. No one ever has to see it so be authentic, and express yourself fully in your journal.
There is no right or wrong answer to the mental health journey. As long as you freely express yourself and your deepest feelings you are good to go.
Conclusion On Mental Health Journaling
Now that you have a good understanding of how journaling can help improve good mental health, it is safe to assume you don’t need further push to start journaling.
Journaling helps you have a fulfilling and balanced life. You can remain levelheaded and make clear and intentional decisions in every situation. Mental health journaling helps you realize your self-worth and how powerful you are.
If you are feeling like it’s too much to do on your own, leverage some of the journal lists provided in this post. Explore all and find which one works best for you. And naturally I have even more mental health journal posts to share with you that will give even more detail about how to dive into this world:
How To Do A Brain Dump In Your Bullet Journal To Elevate Your Mental Health!
9 Unique Travel Journal Ideas And How It Boosts Your Mental Health
9 Items For Your Calming Anti-Anxiety Toolbox To Help Boost Your Mental Health On The Go!
50 Journal Prompts For Mental Health That Will Help You Process & Elevate Your Thoughts!
