I've seen firsthand the transformative power of journaling and how it is a simple yet powerful practice that can help you reduce stress and anxiety, gain mental clarity and cultivate emotional well-being.

The Science Behind Journaling: How it Impacts Mental Health

Numerous studies have shown that journaling can assist with stress reduction, self-awareness, managing anxiety and depression, processing emotions, gaining clarity and insight, identifying triggers and negative thought patterns, strengthening memory, and can help with health issues, such as high blood pressure, building immunity to illness and autoimmune conditions.

Portions of your brain are activated during journaling, including the amygdala and the Broca's area. The amygdala is responsible for our fight-or-flight responses. Journaling activates the amygdala, which can help calm the fight or flight response, making it easier to think rationally and have emotional maturity. The Broca's area helps with being able to articulate our thoughts and emotions into words others can understand. There is also a benefit of strengthening long-term memory as writing triggers our brains to retain information differently.

Getting Started with Journaling: Tips and Tricks

Now, you know the benefits of journaling, but you may still need help figuring out how to get started. Journaling does not have to be a record of your day, including all the mundane details of what you did from when you woke up until you went to sleep.

You can focus your journal entries on goal setting, self-discovery, record keeping, gratitude, or a host of other topics. While keeping your journal entries may be beneficial for reflection, you can also dispose of them afterward to prevent others from reading your entries and still benefit from the processing and emotional release that happens when you journal.

There is no right or wrong way to journal. You can do a stream-of-thought journal entry where you write about anything that comes to mind. You can journal about specific events. You can write a journal about your thoughts and feelings for the day. Explore different journaling styles to find out what is most beneficial to you.

Effective Journaling Techniques for Mental Health

1. Write about an event. A paragraph at most. It could be something that happened a long time ago or five minutes ago.

2. Write down some feeling statements about the event. If you are proficient in it, use the "I feel ______ about ________ because ________" formula. Write down three feelings you felt before, during, and after the event.

3. Write down one strength you can identify in yourself as displayed in this event.

Example: I was able to keep my anger under control.

4. Write down one growth area you can identify in yourself as revealed in this event.

Example: I can be better at actively listening to others when they talk.

5. Write down one thing you can change about yourself, your behavior, or a circumstance related to the event.

6. Write down one thing you must accept related to this event.

7. Review your journal entries. Look for patterns in your thinking, feeling, and general behaving. You can also add a date on the journal entries for tracking purposes.

Journaling Prompts for Self-Discovery and Mental Health

As you continue on your journaling journey, you may find that using intentional prompts helps you tap into new insights and perspectives. Here are some of my go-to prompts for fostering self-awareness and personal growth:

1. Who or what is holding you back the most right now, and why?

2. How much stress is in your life, and what is causing it?

3. What do you keep doing that limits your success?

4. What do you feel most passionate about?

5. What lies are you currently telling yourself?

Take the Next Step: Resources for Journaling and Mental Health

If you want to learn more about journaling and more practices to benefit your mental, emotional and physical health, contact the Methodist Healthcare Employee Assistance Program at 901-683-5658 or www.methodisteapcanhelp.org.

Ashley Higginbottom, LCSW

Counselor

Ashley Higginbottom received her bachelor's degree in social work with a minor in Sociology from the University of Memphis and her Master's degree in Social Work with a certificate in Treatment of Trauma from the University of Tennessee. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has experience working with children, adolescents, and adults through her time working as a case manager, medical social worker, and therapist. She enjoys working with clients on making self-love a priority, discovering one's true self, setting boundaries, creating healthy attachments, and forming effective communication skills. In her spare time, you can find her reading, spending time with loved ones, and crafting.