Why journal?

Journaling can be therapeutic for anyone who wants to make changes in their life, but it can also help you stay motivated. On days when you're feeling down or lazy, journaling can help pick you back up again. It will remind you of what you're working for and why it's important to keep going.

If you're interested in making healthier lifestyle choices, journaling can be very helpful. Research shows that journaling has been shown to reduce stress levels by as much as 68 percent.

According to the Red Cross, “51% of adults who felt stressed reported feeling depressed, and 61% reported feeling anxious. Of the people who said they had felt stress at some point in their lives, 16% had self harmed and 32% said they had had suicidal thoughts and feelings.” Journaling can also help lower blood pressure, decrease pain levels, and improve sleep quality. WebMD recommends person to identify their “stress triggers” and keeping a journal to log anxious times and see if individuals can determine a pattern as well as find ways to remove or lessen those triggers.

Trying out new things is one of the most rewarding parts about living a healthy lifestyle - but keeping track of what worked for you might not be so easy if it only happened once or twice. So make sure to write down those little victories. If they feel big now, they'll feel even better later when you look back at all the progress you've made.

Get started with these steps

What should I write about?

Start writing! Write anything and everything - thoughts, feelings, quotes, memories, idea, affirmation …whatever comes to mind. It doesn't matter if it makes sense at first because over time you'll start making connections between what you're writing and how it relates to other parts of your life. The best part about journaling is that it's completely customizable. Write from your perspective or from the perspective of someone else in your life. Write about what's going on in your life right now or something that happened years ago. The only rule is that each entry has to be dated so you can keep track of how your thoughts change over time.

What kind of notebook should I buy?

Find a notebook that speaks to you - You'll want to find a notebook that you love. This is a journal, so it's a personal thing. Pick a notebook with colors or textures or themes that make you feel good and associate the notebook with positive feelings. You can even customize your own to make it more special.

How long should I write for?

You don't have to write a lot every day, but the more you write, the more benefits you'll get. Some people only write for a few minutes a day, while others can spend hours journaling. The most important thing is that you're writing daily. You can start off with just 10 minutes a day.

What is the best time to write?

Many people choose to journal at the end of the day, but there's no wrong time to write if it works for you. Some people prefer to wake up and write first thing in the morning.

It's really up to you and what best suites your lifestyle. Just make sure that you find a time where you can invest some time and focus on your thoughts and feelings.

Tip - Carry your journal with you everywhere - so you can record important moments as they happen. This will help you remember things when they become distant memories.

Conclusion

Starting a journal is a fantastic way to take care of your mental health. It can help with stress management, feeling more balanced and with your overall emotional state. But it’s not as simple as it sounds. In fact, most people never start a journal because they don’t know how to make the most of it.

We hope this guide has helped you get started. But don’t stop here. Keep learning about how to make the best use of your journal for your mental health.