Keeping a journal can be an asset to your mental health. It can save your sanity. Don't believe me? Well, try this little test.
Think about something that happened in the recent past that upset you. It could be an argument, a betrayal, and an angry client. Whatever it is, focus on how you felt; relive the experience.
How did it make you feel? Upset all over again? Well, now trywriting down what happened. Not only that, write down how you felt at the time, what you wished you'd done or said. Vent your anger if you need to. Put all your thoughts down on paper and write until you can't write anymore. Then assess how you feel.
I bet you feel better.
Writing in a journal is a safe place to rant
That's because writing down bad times and frustrations is a great way to release a lot of negativity in a safe environment. No one needs to know you have a journal in which you call your boss every name under the sun. It's your secret, your way of dealing with the negative thoughts and feelings that you associate with bad experiences in the past.
Keeping a journal is also great for coping with future worries. We are often emotionally "stuck" when it comes to past and imagined events. Worrying is a way of trying to deal with the unpredictable future and most of our worries are never warranted. But that doesn't stop them from making us feel unhappy.
Writing down your worries is a great way to focus your thoughts and analyse exactly what it is that you fear, worry about, want to improve or achieve and so on. Writing captures our myriad of thoughts on paper, containing them in a much more digestible way. When we worry, our thoughts tend to snowball and overwhelm us.
Writing gives us back our control. The act of writing puts you back in the driver's seat. After all, we should control our thoughts, not the other way round!
A journal can be your confidante
You certainly don't need to keep a journal religiously, writing in it every day, although it can definitely become a habit once you start. Instead, look on your journal as a means of talking through problems, ideas, hopes and fears without saying anything aloud. It can be your confidante, a nonjudgmental "listener".
Your journal is your private space where you can safely air your thoughts. If journaling ever becomes a chore then you simply need to stop writing in it until you feel the need to start again. Journaling should be something you find beneficial; it should never feel like another task to add to the list!
If you have never kept a journal before, all you need is a notebook and pen or, if you prefer, a Word document on your PC or a file on your Mac. Remember to keep it private; so don't mention your journal to anyone else in your home unless you know you can trust them not to read it.
A journal can lead to something big
I have been keeping journals since I was 12 years old and they are an amazing way to chronicle not only your everyday life, but also your dreams and ambitions. They help you better remember precious moments too.
I don't write in my journal every day and if I am busy I might not write for a week or two at a time. However, I usually come back to my journal because I feel the need to write and it's like returning to an old friend. Give it a go - I bet you will soon be hooked! And who knows - the experiences you write about might become a source of literary inspiration in years to come!
K Hutchings-Olsson is the author and owner of The Self-Help Sanctuary. The sanctuary offers an online haven for all your self-help needs, and is full of information, advice and tips. If you are looking to manage stress, create a successful life, build up your self-confidence or feel healthier in your body, mind and soul, visit The Self-Help Sanctuary and stay a while. You can find it here: http://www.theselfhelpsanctuary.com.
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