Journaling can have a positive impact on your mental health regardless of whether you’re a great writer or not. Being good at it isn’t the point. Doing it is.
How Does Journaling Improve My Mental Health?
Journaling is a method of self-care that helps people understand their trauma and clarify their emotions.
It has been proven to improve sleep, build a stronger immune system, and process trauma.
How Often Should I Journal and For How Long?
When people think of writing in a journal, they think it must be a daily task. This may be true for people who like to regularly write. However, if you don’t write on a regular basis, you can try journaling as an exercise during moments of stress or trauma. During this time you should write for 15-30 minutes for 3-4 days.
What Do I Write About?
Journaling is a time to let go and explore your emotions. For many it helps clarify traumatic situations. You don’t have to write specifically about trauma. If you are struggling to find a topic here are a few:
1. Make a list of goals
2. Write about someone you are grateful for
3. Write a detailed description of your dream day
The 54321 Challenge
Write 5 things you saw, 4 things you heard, 3 things you smelled that day, 2 things you ate, and 1 unique texture.
Below is an infographic on Journaling that you are free to share or download for yourself as a reminder or reference so you can incorporate journaling into your life as a way to boost your mental wellbeing. Remember to take care of YOURSELF.
Download INFOGRAPHIC as a PDF
60 Journaling Prompt Ideas
For additional ideas on what to write about, try these:
- List 5 things causing you stress, but that YOU have the ability to change
- What three ordinary things bring you the most joy?
- Describe what a perfect, stress-free day looks like for you.
- How is the way you deal with stress different now than when you were younger?
- Discuss 5 things you wish others knew about you.
- Write about what you love about your life right now – think of only positive things.
- If you could write a letter to any one fear, which one would it be?
- What has your stress taught you about yourself?
- Write one paragraph about what made you happy today.
- Identify three short term goals and one long term goal.
- What is a self-care strategy you’ve always been curious in trying?
- What inspires you?
- Meditate quietly and focus on your breathing. Then write a journal entry about your current state of mind.
- Share gratitude for 3 people who are supporting you at this point in your life.
- Make a list of 15 things that make you happy.
- If someone (friend or stranger) asked for help with their anxiety, what would you say to them?
- What are your best character traits?
- Write down three to five things that trigger feelings of anxiety in you and identify one to three coping strategies you can attempt to implement in response to these.
- Pick one positive word you’d like to focus on today and describe what it makes you feel or what you associate with it.
- Write down a list of ‘regrets’. Either throw them away or toss them into a fire. (Let go of past regrets & move on).
- What are some internal thoughts that make you feel worse?
- Write a short love letter to some object or place that makes you happy.
- Describe a situation in which you helped someone else. How do you think it made them feel? How did it make you feel?
- Write about the last time you cried. What caused you to cry?
- Write about the last time you laughed really hard. What was so funny?
- List three obstacles lying in the way of your contentment or happiness. Then, list two potential solutions to begin overcoming each obstacle.
- What three things would you share with your younger self? What three questions would you want to ask an older version of yourself?
- What self-care strategies have you used in the past? Rate them from 1-10, 10 being the most effective and helpful, 1 being the least.
- What areas of self-care do you need to improve?
- Write a letter to your body (e.g. a love letter, a list of complaints, an apology, etc.)
- When is the last time you did something for someone else? What did you do and how did it make you feel?
- Write about how different you were 5 years ago (or 10 years ago, or 20…etc.).
- What place makes you feel most peaceful? Describe that place using all five senses.
- What are some negative things in your life you give too much energy to?
- Write a message for yourself on bad days.
- Make yourself 10 promises and detail each one.
- Write a letter to the future YOU.
- Identify one area where you’d like to improve. Then, list three specific actions you can take to create that change.
- Describe yourself using the first 10 words that come to mind. Then, list 10 words that you’d like to use to describe yourself. List a few ways to transform those descriptions into reality.
- Describe a hardship you have had. How does it make you feel reflecting back on it? What do you feel you learned?
- What makes you feel fulfilled?
- Draw a picture of what anxiety means to you.
- What difficult thoughts or emotions come up most frequently for you?
- What are three things that can instantly disrupt a good mood and bring you down? What strategies do you use to counter these effects?
- What are your strengths in relationships (kindness, empathy, etc.)?
- Write a letter to someone who has done you wrong. Discuss what they did and how it made you feel. Try to forgive them and rip it up if it feels right.
- If you could achieve anything in your life, what would it be?
- What five traits do you value most in potential partners?
- Write a list of songs that always cheer you up? Turn them into a playlist.
- Write a short story about someone with the same amount of stress you have – how do they overcome it?
- What things are you avoiding dealing with?
- Write a letter to someone who has been a negative influence in your life.
- Write a letter to someone who has had a positive influence in your life.
- Name and describe an accomplishment you want everyone to know about.
- Write about the people in your life that make you feel the most “at ease” and what they do to make you feel that way.
- Describe your favorite thing to do when feeling low.
- Write a poem (that DOESN’T HAVE TO RHYME), describing the exact opposite of yourself.
- Describe what love means to you in detail.
- Physically, how do you feel right now?
- What do you need right now?