How to journal for mental health: 7 tips to get started
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, CDCES, MBA
Explore the benefits of journaling and 7 tips to start your own practice. Plus, how to keep a journal in order to decrease anxiety and boost your mental health.
Journaling can be a powerful and accessible tool for enhancing mental health. It can offer a place for self-expression, reflection, and personal insight. Writing down your thoughts, feelings, and experiences on a regular basis can provide a private, safe space to explore yourself and your experiences. Whether you're navigating daily life, coping with stress, or seeking deeper self-understanding, journaling can help.
What is journaling?
Journaling is the practice of regularly writing down your thoughts, feelings, experiences, and reflections. It’s a way to support your mental health, explore your inner self, understand your emotions, and express thoughts that you might not feel comfortable sharing with others.
Some might use their journal as a diary to document daily events and their reactions to them, while others might use it as a tool to explore their innermost thoughts and feelings, away from anyone else's judgment or expectations.
How to start a journaling practice in 6 steps
Beginning to journal for mental health can be a personal and rewarding practice that can help support your mental wellbeing.
1. Choose your medium
Select a traditional notebook, a digital app, or a document on your computer. Choose a format that you find inviting and convenient, one that you're likely to use regularly.
2. Create a routine
Find a time of day that suits your schedule and dedicate it to your journaling practice. Whether it's morning reflections or evening summaries, a consistent routine can help incorporate journaling into your daily life.
3. Find a comfortable space
Choose a quiet spot where you can write without interruptions to enhance your journaling experience. This could be a cozy corner of your home, a park bench, or any place you feel at ease and free from distractions.
4. Write regularly
Aim to write in your journal daily, even if it's just a few sentences. Regular writing helps to develop the habit and makes journaling a core part of your mental health routine. Don't worry about the length of your entries. What matters is the consistency of your practice.
5. Let go of judgment
Approach your journaling with an open mind and heart. This is your private space, so release any concerns about grammar, spelling, style, or negative self-talk. Write freely and honestly, expressing whatever comes to mind.
6. Be authentic
Express your true thoughts and feelings in your journal. The more honest you are with yourself, the more beneficial journaling can be. Whether you're grappling with difficult emotions or celebrating joys, let your journal be a space where you can be completely authentic.
8 benefits of journaling for your mental health
Journaling can bring many benefits to your mental health, self-awareness, and emotional balance.
Self-awareness: Writing can help you observe your thoughts and feelings objectively, notice patterns in your behaviors, and offer insights into your actions and reactions.
Therapeutic effect: Journaling can be a form of self-therapy, helping you process emotions and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety during challenging times.
Stress relief: Regularly recording your worries can alleviate stress and promote mental clarity.
Problem-solving: Articulating your thoughts and feelings on paper can help you discover new perspectives and solutions to issues you're facing.
Emotional intelligence: Articulating your emotions can help enhance your ability to understand and manage them.
Mindfulness: Journaling can keep you grounded in the present moment, which is the foundation of mindfulness.
Recording and remembering: Recording your personal journey can allow for reflection on your personal growth and changes over time.
Immune system support: Expressive writing may have physical benefits, including a stronger immune system.
7 tips to deepen your journal practice for mental health
Here are some tips to deepen your journaling practice, which can enhance its mental health benefits.
1. Dive deeper into your emotions
Instead of just recording events or daily activities, focus on exploring your emotions. Ask yourself why you felt a certain way about an event or interaction. This deeper exploration can provide insights into your emotional triggers and help you manage your emotional responses more effectively.
💙 Connect with what you’re actually feeling and practice Labeling Emotions during this episode of the Daily Jay.
2. Be mindful
Try to be fully present while journaling. Mindfulness can turn your writing into a meditative practice, helping you center your thoughts and feelings in the moment. Observing your thoughts without judgment can enhance your self-awareness and emotional regulation.
💙 If practicing mindfulness is new to you, check out the 7 Days of Calm series to get you started.
3. Use prompts
If you're ever stuck on what to write about, try journaling prompts. These cues can provide a structured way to explore different areas of your life, thoughts, and feelings. Journaling prompts can spark creativity and help uncover aspects of your experiences you might not have considered. Here are some example prompts to get you started:
How does my body feel right now?
10 things that bring me joy are…
How did a recent challenge make me stronger?
When do I feel most connected to myself?
I dream of a future where…
4. Reflect on your progress
Look back at your previous entries to gain a sense of progress and personal growth. Seeing how your thoughts, feelings, and attitudes have evolved over time can also highlight patterns in your behavior or thinking that you might want to change.
💙 Explore The Power of Reflection to help you get more out of the work you’ve done in during this Daily Jay session.
5. Journal for gratitude
Dedicate part of your journaling practice to gratitude. Writing about things you're grateful for can shift your focus from negative to positive, improving your mood and overall sense of wellbeing. Gratitude journaling has been linked to increased happiness, reduced negative thoughts, and a more positive outlook on life.
💙 Need a reminder each day to practice gratitude? Try Calm’s Gratitude Check-in feature.
6. Set goals and track achievements
Use your journal to set personal goals and track your achievements. Writing down your goals can clarify them and increase your commitment to self-improvement. Celebrate your achievements in your journal to boost your motivation and self-esteem.
💙 Learn how mindfulness can unlock creativity to support your journaling during the Cognitive Flexibility session of the Daily Jay.
7. Explore different journaling styles
Experiment with different types of journaling to find what best suits your needs. Whether it's bullet journaling, stream of consciousness, or structured reflective writing, different styles can offer new perspectives and benefits.
How to journal for mental health FAQs
How do I start journaling for mental health?
Starting a journal for mental health is a simple process that can bring many self-care benefits. Choose a notebook or digital app where you feel comfortable expressing your thoughts. Dedicate a specific time each day for journaling, and find a quiet, comfortable space where you can write without interruptions. Start by writing about your day, your feelings, or any thoughts that come to mind. There’s no right or wrong way to journal—the key is consistency and honesty in your self-reflection and self-expression.
Is journaling good for mental health?
Journaling can be highly beneficial for mental health. It can be therapeutic, allowing you to express your thoughts and feelings, leading to increased self-awareness, emotional release, and stress reduction. Journaling can also help you identify and process emotions, track triggers and improve your responses to them, and nurture positive self-talk. It can also aid in setting goals, solving problems, and making decisions, contributing to overall mental health.
How do you do a self therapy journal?
A self-therapy journal is a personal space where you can explore your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors without judgment. To create a self-therapy journal, start by writing about events that affected your mood, describe how you felt, and explore the reasons behind those feelings. Reflect on your reactions and consider alternative ways of handling similar situations in the future. You can also use journaling prompts to explore deeper thoughts and feelings, set personal goals, and monitor your progress. Regularly reviewing your entries can provide insights into patterns and growth over time, enhancing your self-awareness and emotional wellbeing.
Calm your mind. Change your life.
Mental health is hard. Getting support doesn't have to be. The Calm app puts the tools to feel better in your back pocket, with personalized content to manage stress and anxiety, get better sleep, and feel more present in your life.
