Writing down your thoughts and feelings in a journal is a great way to support resiliency, improve mental health, and manage stress, depression, or anxiety.
Journaling helps improve your mood by:
- Prioritizing problems, fears, and concerns
- Tracking symptoms so you can recognize triggers and learn ways to better control them
- Providing an opportunity for positive self-talk and noticing negative thoughts and behaviors
Try these tips to get started with journaling:
- Write regularly. Set aside a few minutes in your schedule every day.
- Keep a pen and paper handy at all times. That way when you want to write down your thoughts, you can. You can also keep a journal in a computer file.
- Write whatever feels right. Your journal doesn’t need to follow any certain structure. It’s your own private place to discuss whatever you want. Let the words flow freely.
- Write in a place that’s relaxing and soothing.
Once you get into a habit of writing, you’ll start to look forward to your journaling time. You’ll also be doing something good for your mind and body each time you put your pen to paper.
Find more information on important health topics and advice from health experts at Lakeland on our blog.
Go to spectrumhealthlakeland.org/ask-the-experts