The Power of Journaling: Exploring Its Impact on Overall Well-Being
- jkoanna7
- Nov 25
- 4 min read
Many of us kept a secret journal as kids, documenting our feelings and moments with colorful pens, stickers, and doodles. But whether journaling was just a childhood phase, an activity that never crossed your mind, or something you have been pondering about, this is a sign to start!
What is Journaling?
There is no strict rule for journaling. The activity is meant to be limitless and personal to you! Journaling can be a space for expressing emotions, documenting events, or recording ideas and creativity at any time and place. What’s important to recognize is that journaling shouldn’t feel like a chore, but rather a fun and comfortable activity that comes naturally to you.
The convenience of journaling is what makes it so universally accessible to almost anyone. When we think of journaling, common items such as notebooks and writing utensils come to mind without realizing how boundless your options truly are. Journaling can be done on paper, a doc on your laptop, your phone's notes app, and many other devices customized to your distinct needs.
In brief, journaling is a form of brain dumping. A way to release everything swirling and enclosed in your mind into existence that can benefit your mental, emotional, and general well-being.
Mental & Emotional
When our days are occupied with endless tasks, overstimulating routines, and restless thoughts, we are prone to mental exhaustion. However, journaling can serve as a refuge for our inner chaos and ultimately a step towards improving our livelihood.
Externalizing your thoughts—whether as ink on paper or text on a screen can help you examine your worries from a broader perspective. Instead of compacting your concerns into an endless loop of the mental realm, transcribing them into physical words forces you to process them as tangible things. This practice helps you identify issues that often seem larger and more intimidating than they are, making it easier to seek solutions.
Furthermore, journaling offers a space to unload your thoughts and relieve mental clutter. Materializing your troubles prevents negativity from accumulating internally, which could lead to psychological damage over time. Journaling can keep your emotions in check by allowing you to pinpoint and acknowledge them as you write. Consistently tracking your feelings helps your brain recognize recurring patterns and uncover the underlying causes of your challenges. This act of organizing your thoughts into paragraphs and sentences engages the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, responsible for planning, decision-making, and problem-solving. Ultimately, it empowers you to confront your challenges directly and respond with greater skill and clarity.
Achieve Goals
Journaling can also be a powerful tool for pursuing goals. Writing down your goals not only helps you stay on track but also increases your likelihood of success. Documenting your goals makes the areas of improvement more apparent when you regularly monitor your progress. You're also more likely to follow through on your goals when you write them down, rather than relying on fleeting motivation that can easily be forgotten. Writing down goals, either on paper or digitally, provides clear evidence and a reminder of your commitment, preventing the likelihood of abandonment. This allows you to pursue essential health, physical, and mental goals that are fundamental to your well-being.
Build Creativity
A journal is like your private playground. A space where you can experiment with new ideas, crafts, and skills without the pressure to perform. The absence of external criticism allows you to write down all your momentary stream of ideas before they slip away. This rich treasure trove of creativity can serve as a source of inspiration for personal projects, career goals, and artistic endeavors. Creative expression is a healthy way to process emotions, reducing stress hormones while boosting dopamine levels. This combination reduces anxiety, improves mood, and promotes overall well-being.
Collecting daily scraps such as movie tickets, receipts, and snapshots into journal spreads of mixed media is also a form of creativity. In this case, it captures the little and big moments of your life in a vibrant jumble of personality and memory. This way, your journal becomes a receptacle for life in forms of your own creative expression to savor and look back on.
Ways to Journal
Gratitude Journaling
Travel Journaling
Freewriting
Reflective Journaling
Goal Journaling
Creative Journaling
Reading Journal
Food Journaling
Journal Prompts
What am I grateful for?
What was the most interesting thing I saw or heard today?
What did I do today that I am proud of?
What is the current problem or challenge I am facing?
What are some potential solutions to this problem or challenge?
Write about a character who wakes up one day with a superpower.
Write a story about a time traveler who accidentally gets stuck in the wrong time period.
What are my top priorities for the day?
What was the weather like today?
References
The Mental and Emotional Benefits of Journaling. (2024). A.T. Cross.
Perry, E. (2023, March 21). How to start journaling for mental health: 7 tips and techniques. BetterUp. https://www.betterup.com/blog/how-to-start-journaling
Understanding the Neuroscience Behind Journaling. (2023, August 18). Www.recaltravel.com. https://www.recaltravel.com/neuroscience-behind-journaling/
Tartakovsky, M. (2022, February 22). How to Start Journaling. Healthline; Healthline Media. https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-journaling#simple-tools
Wright, K. W. (2023, January 20). How to Use Journaling to Achieve Your Goals. Day One | Your Journal for Life. https://dayoneapp.com/blog/journaling-goals/
Renée, K. (2020, August 18). 10 Ways Journaling Builds Your Creativity. Journaling Saves. https://journalingsaves.com/10-ways-journaling-builds-your-creativity/
Wright, K. W. (2023, February 22). 550+ Journal Prompts: The Ultimate List. Day One | Your Journal for Life. https://dayoneapp.com/blog/journal-prompts/
Assessed and Endorsed by the MedReport Medical Review Board
