The Art of Journaling

By: Mariah

Let me just tell you that writing can literally save one’s life. I can attest to this. Journaling is something one does, in regards to reflecting specific events in their life, or as a way to express emotions that they can’t seem to get out verbally. Writing things down is proven to have a positive impact on one’s mental health and their ability to process certain things.

Journaling does not always mean writing chapters or novels at a time, or unpacking your traumas in one sitting. Writing can include displaying thoughts of gratitude, sharing ideas, unpacking trauma and things about yourself that you may not have known otherwise. It is important to note that Journaling is not exclusively for girls/women. As stated before, writing is a way of self-expression which is not gender biased.

Benefits to Journaling:

• Enhance your sense of well being

• Boost your confidence

• Recognize patterns in self behaviors and/or in others

• Reduce symptoms of depression

• Improve working memory

Journaling can also help symptoms of anxiety and depression. Writing will cause you to release built up emotions, allow you to let go of negative thoughts as well as simply tracking your own progress.

One of the main things that I recommend when it comes to journaling, is utilizing journal prompts. These can be found pretty much anywhere; online, a journal you buy, or ones you can come up with yourself! There are all kinds of prompts that you can follow such as:

• Shadow work prompts: Helps you prepare for reflecting on your weakness, your strengths, and energy blocks. The purpose of this is to work with your unconscious mind to uncover the parts of yourself that you repress or hide from yourself and work through it. (this can include trauma that you’ve endured as well.)

• Self discovery prompts: Self journaling, is essentially writing a letter to your future self. You can write about your dreams and aspirations, what you want in your life 5-10 years from now.

• Gratitude prompts: Writing down the things that you are grateful for, the people in your life, and the things that you have access to. Giving thanks to where you are in life at the moment, and the things to come.

Here are some shadow work prompts that you can try to start. Lets get Journaling!