We're constantly looking for ways to improve our physical health by striving to eat healthier and making time to work out. But are we putting in the same effort into taking care of our mental health?
In today's time an age, many of us tend to neglect our mental health. From growing levels of workplace burnout to increased amounts of stress and anxiety, we often forget that our minds are just as important as our bodies.
Just as we do for our physical bodies, we can adopt small habits and changes to take care of our mental health. Amongst those habits, spending just 10mins a day to reflect about your feelings by journaling could improve our mental and emotional health by a significant amount.
The benefits of journaling on mental health
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Journaling is a fairly simple activity that can be done at any time, and even anywhere. An activity or habit that you can pick up and carry out on your own terms, it is indeed easy to pick up and commit to for your mental health.
1. Reduces stress
Journaling is a great way for you to relieve stress. By penning your thoughts, you can get things off your chest and onto paper. Anything that worries you, stresses you out or makes you anxious can go into your journal, and you'll feel much lighter once you've offloaded them into paper.
2. A place for self-reflection
With how busy life can get, it's normal to get caught up in a whirlwind of responsibilities, deadlines and worries. Journaling is a chance for you to slow down, catch your breath, and live each day intentionally instead of just living on autopilot. You can use a journal to write down your daily reflections, or you can choose to write just whenever you feel like it instead. Reflect upon the good and the bad, and jot down what you have learnt from all of these past experiences. A reflective journal can help you to identify important learning events that had happened in your life.
Look back at your day, appreciate the good times and learn from the bad time, an enjoy a pocket of peace while you journal.
3. Keeps your thoughts organized
Too much mental clutter can cause you to feel more anxious and stressed. Journaling allows you to sort through your messy thoughts and feelings, and stop you from heading into an anxious spiral.
Keeping your thoughts organized can also help you to problem-solve difficult situations in your life much faster. No matter what's on your mind, explore different journal topics like drawing healthy boundaries, cultivating healthy relationships, or developing body positivity; any topic that would best address your needs on any given day for you to reflect upon and gain some clarity about for yourself.
The power of journaling prompts
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These are just some of the many benefits of journaling on mental health! Everyone's journaling experience is different, after all. But what better way to find out than trying it out yourself?
For those who are just starting to journal, or for those who simply wish to try something new, why not get started with some journaling prompts? These are short sentences that you write thoughtful answers to in your journal, and are also good tools for self-reflection. Journaling prompts can span across a wide range of journal topics and can inspire you to come up with a few journal entry ideas that you would like to work with.
So, if you wish to incorporate journaling into your mental wellness journey, here are 30 mental health journaling prompts that you can try out!
30 Journaling Prompts For Mental Wellness
- List 5 things you're grateful for today
- Mentally, how do you feel right now?
- Physically, how do you feel right now?
- What are 3 things you'd like to improve about your life right now?
- List down 5 things that are currently stressing you out.
- What are 3 things you can do right now to alleviate some stress?
- Describe your perfect, most stress-free day.
- How did you feel today? What emotions did you feel?
- Write about 1 of your happiest memories.
- Write about the people that make you happy in your life
- Write a letter to someone who has negatively impacted you (but don't send it out)
- Write a letter of forgiveness to yourself
- What do you fear the most, and why?
- What have your fears and anxieties taught you about yourself?
- What are 3 things that make you angry and why?
- Write a list of 10 things you want to say to yourself during difficult times (and refer or add to this list when the going gets tough!)
- Make a list of comforting things that will help you on bad days.
- When was the last time you did something for yourself, and what did you do?
- Describe a time when you were stressed or scared, but things turned out alright in the end.
- What is something nice you did for someone else, and how did it make you feel?
- What is something about yourself that you'd like to change?
- List 5 reasons why you love yourself (and refer or add to this list when the going gets tough).
- What about yourself do you hope to change?
- Do you love your body and mind? Why or why not?
- Describe a place that makes you feel happy or peaceful. Visualize this safe space when you're stressed or anxious.
- Describe one of your most important or passionate goals.
- What are you proud of yourself for?
- What are 5 things you'd do if you weren't afraid?
- What are your boundaries? Have you been reinforcing them? If yes, how so?
- What are 3 of your long term and short term goals?
Staying consistent with journaling
If you're juggling a busy work schedule with nourishing your mental wellbeing, it can be difficult to remember to journal everyday. And when it comes to reaping the full benefits of journaling for your mental health, consistency is key!
With Journey, a digital diary app, you can set regular reminders to your device for journaling everyday.
You can even set email reminders on Journey! For email reminders, you can craft your journal entry for the day as a reply to the email, and it will be imported into Journey as an entry.
With Journey, a personal online diary app that allows you to free-write whenever you please, and also provides you with Coach Programs and templates for you to use as guides and bedrocks for your reflections, picking up the habit of journaling cannot be easier.
We hope that these 30 prompts will also inspire you and help you get started on journaling for your mental health.
Take charge of your mental and emotional well-being today! Sending love!