journaling
I did a search and not only is there no Forum about journaling, there seems to be no posts about it either so I am starting this.
I have look into journaling as a mental health tool but can't seem to get started. I have watched what seems like 100 videos, probably 7 or 10, about journaling and what it is good for but can't get past the starting point. I blank out on what to write, even with prompts I just don't seem to be able to put things into words.
Is there anyone here with experience that can tell me how they overcame this?
@Gettingbettertoday,
Hey there ,I felt the same to when I started! Either I run out of words or sometimes I cannot make it's little short and crisp. It doesn't need to be short. But it's easier to look back that way. I still feel so. Right now what I am trying is to make a tiny list on what I would like to include. Then I start. It helps to start off and also not to get carried away. This is just my trick.
@SilverMistakes
Even prompts are a problem for me. Its like taking a test.
@Gettingbettertoday, I am not completely relating to it. One idea that popped into my mind right now is, to just make a mental note when things that needs to be mentioned in your journal happens. You may not it down on a notepad as the day unfold. That way you don't need to sit down and figure about what you want to enter . Idk if it helps. It's just a idea that came in.
@Gettingbettertoday While there is no forum specifically about journalling, a few of us here do keep our own journals more or less often. I'm one of those people.
I don't have advice on how to make it helpful other than 1) try to do it regularly--at least 1×week, twice or thrice per week would be better, & 2) be sure to specifically mention the problems you're having & what progress you've made, if any.
I would like to share my personal experience here. I started journalling about my moods, behaviors, feelings and mental states long time ago. For some periods, I do become consistent at it. But mostly I do it whenever I feel like doing it. That way it doesn't feel like an obligation.
Secondly I never plan about what to write. Most of the times I start with free writing and it automatically gets clearer and meaningful as I move forward.
Sometimes when I'm writing something that I'd earlier thought of or planned about e.g. gratitude practice, I start with the very basic one liners.
Another important thing that I keep in mind while journalling is that "it's my journal, nobody is going to read it except me and I'm not going to judge myself no matter what".
@Gettingbettertoday
My advice as someone who deals with extreme forgetfulness: Write what happened that day. Start there. It doesn't have to be all of it, heck, it could be one emotion, one glance you got while walking. But write about it. And with it make connections to emotions and past experiences. That's my method
@Gettingbettertoday hows it going? you got any better at writing journals?
