Day 2 Post 1: Journaling
Good morning, friends! Let’s get into WHY journaling is on our Trackers and how you can make it easy and fun. 🌈
Are you:
· Already a journaler?
· Someone who wants to journal but rarely does?
· Not even interested because you don’t like writing?
Well, good news! Journaling is not about writing or grammar. It’s a powerful mental health habit where you can write in stream-of-consciousness, with total disregard for punctuation or spelling. Plus, you can do it in just 5-10 minutes per day.
📝 I find that journaling becomes fun once you know a few tricks that make it easy––which we’ll get to. First, let’s look at the payoffs.
WHY JOURNAL?
1. Boost emotional wellnessRegular journaling may improve your mood and help manage anxiety [1,2]. It gives you a safe space to pour out your feelings, which can help unwind emotions that may be blocking your well-being.
2. Support your dreams & goalsYou can use journaling to get in touch with your dreams and set goals to create them. It's amazing how putting things on paper can make them feel more real and achievable. Plus, you can use your journal to track your progress.
3. Feel betterPutting your stress into words can help you ease negative feelings [1], organize your thoughts, and find ways to cope. It's like decluttering your mind.
4. Solve problemsThe act of writing about tricky situations can help you see things from new angles and come up with solutions you might not have thought of otherwise.
5. Improve your mood with gratitude We’re going to get into this in the next post. It’s super cool and simple. Stay tuned.
HOW to MAKE JOURNALING EASY ✨
· Start with an inexpensive notebook. You can use a fancy journal you like, but many of us tend to procrastinate when we don’t want to “waste” an expensive journal.
· Forget about grammar and keep it simple. Scribble in stream-of-consciousness style or even bullet points. No one ever needs to read this or make sense of it but you.
· Set a timer for a few minutes. If you know you’re only writing for a short amount of time (like 5-10 minutes), it’s less overwhelming than leaving it open-ended. You can always go longer if you want to.
· Eliminate the fear of someone reading it. It’s healthy to get all your feelings onto the page. So if it helps, give yourself permission to throw pages away when you’re done. You’ll get the benefits either way.
· Make it a habit. To make journaling a natural part of your day, attach it to regular part of your routine––like in the morning with tea or before bed.
· Use journal prompts. A good question or topic gets the ball rolling quickly. Download our Journal Prompts booklet (in this group’s Files tab) for some great ideas to get you writing.
🧘🏼♂️ Journaling is meant to be relaxing. Sit down in a place that's comfy, maybe with a cup of tea. Open up your journal, set a timer for 5 to 30+ minutes, maybe pick a prompt, and just write whatever comes to mind. You may be surprised at what unfolds as you go.
Then, congratulate yourself for doing something good for your well-being!
Let me know if you’ve tried journaling yet and how it’s been for you. I’d love to hear your experience, questions, and tips in the comments!
Citations:
Day 2 Post 2: Gratitude
Did you know that 5 minutes of gratitude journaling a day can lift your mood and reduce anxiety? [1,2] 💖 A gratitude practice is not just a nice idea––it boosts your mindset.
Gratitude triggers feel-good chemicals. When you express or receive gratitude, your brain releases dopamine and serotonin, which can help improve your mood immediately.
Plus, a gratitude practice can bring you MORE:
Positive emotions & optimism
Happiness in relationships
Self-esteem & self-acceptance
Personal growth
Meaning in life
How to Practice Gratitude 🙏🏽
The key to gratitude is to really FEEL it. Don’t rattle off what you know you “should” be grateful for. Instead, focus on something you appreciate or enjoy––like your kid’s laugh or an amazing cup of coffee––and feel it in your bones.
When it comes to gratitude practice benefits, the small things count! So celebrate your big promotion, but also good weather, a compliment, or a hot shower.
Just start looking for what sparks a little joy or ease in your day. It helps to make a daily ritual out of writing these things down or sharing them with someone.
Good Times to Practice Gratitude
· 📝 When you journal. Gratitude is a beneficial thing to put in your journal! Check out our prompts below that make it super easy.
· First thing in the morning. On waking, you could get off on the right track by focusing on something you’re grateful for.
· When you’re overwhelmed. Bring a little peace to a stressful day by taking a couple of minutes to close your eyes and think about something you’re grateful for.
· When you feel stuck in a bad mood. Practicing gratitude for a few moments can help shift your mood.
· Before bed. Try looking back on your day for 1-3 things you feel genuinely grateful for. This could be part of a bedtime journal practice.
❤️Looking back on your last day or so, what's one small thing you’ve enjoyed?
Sources:
1. The Neuroscience of Gratitude and Effects on the Brain. https://positivepsychology.com/neuroscience-of-gratitude/
2. Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 377-389.
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