You may have heard about the benefits of creative writing and journaling for mental health. Perhaps you've even bought yourself a lovely new notebook and tried to make a start.
The problem is that it can sometimes feel difficult to know how to begin, particularly if you're already feeling stressed or overwhelmed.
You may even have noticed that, when you started to write about some of your feelings, you felt more anxious or fearful or exhausted, rather than less.
Writing and journaling are powerful processes and they can surface big feelings and emotions. If you'd like to explore journaling as a tool to support your mental health and wellbeing, it's actually very important that you don’t push on through any difficult or painful feelings that might surface.
Added to this, we are all different, and there is no 'one size fits all' approach that works for everyone. Go gently and find the journaling techniques that work for you.
I've put together seven simple steps that can help you to get started with a nurturing journaling for mental health practice.
1.
Begin slowly. Make a cup of tea. Light a candle. Close the door and take a few moments to allow yourself to settle. Feel your feet on the floor and your body supported by the chair. It’s important that you give yourself this time to transition from all the noise and speed of everyday life into a quieter and more reflective space. I think of this process as creating my writing ‘cocoon.’ I even have a big, soft scarf on the back of my chair that I like to wrap around myself.
2.
Set a timer. Especially when you’re just getting started with journaling, it can be helpful to write for no more than ten to twenty minutes – and then stop. This gives you a chance to check in and ask yourself how you’re feeling. You can decide whether you’d like to continue for a bit longer or stop and come back to your journal on another day.
3.
Use a structured writing prompt. When you’re just starting out, a prompt can be much easier than simply free writing. (Free writing is the practice of writing about whatever comes to mind, without editing or pausing.) For example, you might begin by describing everything that you see through your window; or you might list everything that you feel thankful for. On this web site, you can download a free guide including writing prompts and a video workshop that I’ve designed specifically to help you to use journaling to soothe anxiety.
4.
It can be tempting to dive into your journal and start writing about all the things that you find most upsetting and troubling in your life right now. Although this can certainly be helpful for some people, my advice is to take things slowly and gradually, particularly in the early stages. Give yourself time to find out how you feel as you write.
Begin with topics that are less challenging to tackle. You might write about a moment in your day when you felt calm or confident or noticed something that made you feel uplifted. Psychologist Deb Dana calls these micro-moments of joy and good feeling glimmers. Noticing glimmers as you move through your day and recording them in your journal is a great way to start. There’s no rush and you can build up gradually to writing about more difficult subjects.
5.
Make your journaling process pleasurable! Use the pens and paper that you really enjoy. If you feel drawn to stickers and colour, or if you’ve always wanted to try collage, cut-up, painting or doodling, give yourself space and time to experiment.
6.
At the end of your writing session, take a little time to reflect on how you’re feeling. What was most helpful to you? Did anything surprising come up for you? You might like to make a few notes. Over time, you’ll begin to discover which prompts you find most useful and perhaps even if there is a particular time of day when journaling benefits you most.
7.
Finally, resist the temptation to turn your journaling into something you should do. Don’t make it another pressure. You don’t have to journal every day. Don't force the writing, if you're not in the mood or you notice yourself resisting. Sometimes, it's more helpful to do something else instead. Your journaling for mental health practice is just one tool in your toolbox of self-care practices. There are lots of others ways to nurture ourselves too.
Journaling for mental health is usually a deeply private process. Please don’t allow anyone to persuade you to share writing that you’re not ready to share. (I very rarely share the writing that I do in my journal with anyone.)
However, some people do find it helpful to share their feelings about the process of journaling in a supportive group. WRITE! Club, my very special online writing club, is a supportive space where we come together to write in weekly co-writing or ‘body-doubling’ sessions. There is something very comforting about writing in our safe online space (not Zoom) with camera on or off – you choose! – and then, if you feel ready, sharing your reflections on the writing prompt or your process, and hearing others share their experiences too.
WRITE! Club is an amazing community full of people writing their way towards a better, brighter and more creative future.
Whether you’re an experienced journaler or you’re just starting out, I’d love to welcome you to WRITE! Club. WRITE! Clubbers also get access to my library of resources and short self-paced courses. I add new ones all the time. Find out more about my online writing club here.
