Whether you use it as a way to keep track of your day or as your own personal therapist, journaling provides a rare opportunity to be 100 percent open and honest with yourself. So no wonder it’s now a popular way for many people to start or end their day.

If you’ve ever written in a journal before, you’ll know that putting pen to paper allows your unobstructed, thoughts and feelings to flow straight from your head to a more permanent place.

Rather than internalize the problems and questions that plague you, keeping a journal provides an outlet to find a solution to your jumbled headspace.

You have the opportunity to find clarity and ask yourself how you feel about a subject or situation and question why you have those feelings without judgment or criticism.

Journaling both provides you with the perfect channel to express your emotions and can aid in relieving anxiety and other negative emotions through processes of awareness not only in yourself, and others in your life, but the reasoning behind those feelings. The beauty of journaling is that there is no right way to do it. If you’re looking for a specific how-to list, you’ve come to the wrong place, because it really can be as simple as picking up a pen and word-vomiting how you feel onto a blank page.

That being said, trying to figure out what you want to write about can be an intimidating process. Some common things you might find it useful to journal about are:

  • Present or past situations you feel challenged by
  • Habits and patterns that you find are repeating themselves
  • Habits and patterns that you want to start implementing
  • Relationships: past, current and future ones you wish to foster
  • Goals, ones you’ve reached or are reaching for. What’s worked?
  • Motivation, and how you find it. What distracts you, why?
  • Dreams, long-term dreams or the ones you have in your sleep
  • Passions, interests, and hobbies
  • Change and your response to it
  • Growth and evaluation of how you’re growing
  • Love: romantic, platonic, familial
  • Your life purpose

Journaling can also be an excellent avenue to explore and build self-esteem. By writing daily intentions, giving gratitude for the people in your life and reminding yourself of the things you admire most about yourself, you can put that attitude out into the world and into something tangible. You’d be amazed at how effective this can be.

The process of journaling can also be a useful tool for anyone trying to organize their life. Using and having a small journal where you can write out to-do lists, reminders, schedules, notes and thoughts you have throughout the day can be another helpful way to feel like you’re decluttering.

At Working Against Gravity, we encourage and promote mindfulness techniques such as journal writing, meditation and a variety of other relaxation techniques to aid in creating a healthy lifestyle as you reach your nutrition goals. 

You’ll be amazed at how incredibly valuable and powerful putting pen to paper can be, but even if you’re just looking to boost your wellness in other ways, we’re here to help.