What is journaling?

What is journaling?

At its simplest, journaling is writing to help yourself. For some people, that is writing to do lists, for others its processing their emotions in the written form.

Journaling is often associated with “Dear Diary” and writing our deepest darkest secrets and emotions. But that is the cliché that we see in movies. If it works for you and that’s what you would like, power to you. But if it doesn’t, don’t be scared from journaling because of it.

You don’t need to have secrets to write a journal; you don’t need to talk about emotions to write a journal; and you don’t even need to write in a notebook!

Why do we journal?

The most common use of journaling is to process our feelings. In our society, we have a tendency to repress our emotions or express them in unproductive manners. For example, when someone frustrates you or makes you angry, you could pretend that it didn’t annoy you — i.e. hide and push down your emotions, or you might burst out in anger. It is often very difficult to react in a measured manner, particularly on the moment.

Instead of acting out irrationally, or pushing down emotions, which might lead to long-term stress or anxiety, you might journal. Write out your frustration, try to figure out what is leading to those emotions, or determine what you’re going to do about it. You don’t necessarily need to journal all of those things, but what’s helpful to you.

Very often, when you start writing about your emotions, they become less dramatic.

Very often, when you start writing about your emotions, you become aware of some aspects of those emotions that you may have not been before.

Very often, when we write, we become better at formulating what we feel, so that if you were to discuss it after, you’d be able to better.

That’s the most common reason behind journaling, but there could be many others:

• Keeping a record of one’s life

• Practicing gratitude for what we live and experience

• Remembering key events or ideas

• Tracking progress towards goals and plans

• Solving our problems

• Boosting our creativity

• Noting what we’ve learnt

So how can I start?

Well, it starts by putting pen to paper or hand to keyboard, and seeing what flows out.

Or, you can use prompts to guide you on your journey too!

Brought to you by:

Capucine Cogné

Co-founder of Journal Me