Journaling Your Way to Peace of Mind

Autumn is a beautiful time of year with the leaves changing and the crisp cool temperatures making a comeback after a long hot summer. Autumn is just as long as the other three seasons and yet it feels as if it lasts only a weekend or two before the long, dark nights of winter roll in. Autumn can be a very busy season too…there’s back to school, Halloween and getting ready for the upcoming holidays that make it seem to pass by so quickly. As they say, if you blink you might miss it. Autumn is a great time to start journaling if you haven’t tried it before.

There are many benefits to journaling. It helps us to relax by actually taking the time to put pen to paper, it helps us to reflect by focusing on the things we’re writing about, and it helps us define where it is we want to go. Journaling can be meditative and it can help us make sense of stressful and emotional events. The simple art of writing on paper can be transformative for getting our thoughts and emotions defined. Journaling is also a wonderful way to keep track of things that might otherwise be forgotten. Journaling can help us set and achieve goals as well. Journaling can be whatever it is you want or need it to be and you may find that those two things change over time. For many journaling is way to find quiet in a chaotic day. Many use journaling as a way to stave off bad behaviors such as overeating, smoking or drinking.

Journaling is a powerful tool to reset your mind and body and there aren’t really any wrong ways to go about it. For many people it’s easiest to use a standard college ruled notebook but some people prefer an actual journal. Still, others prefer online journaling or writing on devices such as an iPad or Kindle. However it is you prefer to write is the best way, there is no right or wrong. But there are some tips that will help you on your way to journaling for peace of mind.

Make Time

I prefer to journal at the end of the day. This helps me reflect on all that happened, put the events of the day in perspective by writing about them and it helps me to calm down if the day was hectic. Others prefer to journal first thing in the morning as a way to start the day by filling the pages with all that one hopes to accomplish or achieve. Many people journal both times to so they can plan and reflect. Try journaling at different times of the day to see what works best for you. You don’t have write every day, for some that is too much. If you’re new to journaling try once a week. If you’re like me you’ll find you look forward to your time journaling and will write often.

Privacy

A journal should be the place you write down whatever is in your heart and head. You shouldn’t write with the belief that someone else may look it, this could cause you to be less than honest with your writing. If there are curious souls about you’ll need to make sure only you can access the contents of the journal either by placing a lock on it or using a method of digital journaling that requires a password. Consider what you want to do with your journal should you pass away and have a trusted friend or spouse to honor those wishes. My grandfather kept a journal for decades and they were a great source of information for generations to come but my grandmother refused to let anyone read them until she had passed away too, as per my grandfather. We had to wait 20 years to read them and there was little anyone should have been concerned about in them but it gave him peace to know no one would know what he really thought of his neighbors from the 1970s.

Prompts

Sometimes it’s hard to come up with what to write about besides the weather. When you’re troubled for something to journal use prompts to get you thinking. You can find some wonderful journaling prompts at PsychCentral.

Journaling should be a positive experience but there will be times it is also a cathartic experience. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself opening up to emotions you may have tried to avoid. Writing about difficult topics can be, well, difficult, but it can be a wonderful way to self acceptance and healing too.