Do you constantly find yourself feeling anxious, depressed or run down?

Hey Beautiful!

Think about the question for a minute. Do you ever feel that way? You are not alone. So many of us have.  One thing you must understand is even if you know the cause of these negative feelings, it can be difficult to know how to eliminate them. But the one thing you might want to try is journaling.

Journaling has proven to be exceptionally effective at helping people to move on from whatever has been holding them back. Also referred to as "writing therapy", keeping a regular journal can do wonders for your mental health. 

So, if you're looking to heal and move forward into a happier, more fulfilled life, below you'll discover some proven journal techniques that can help. You will also discover more about journaling and its benefits.

Journaling and its benefits

Journaling is well known for its extensive range of benefits. It works much like a diary, where you write down your thoughts and feelings each day. 

However, unlike a diary, you also use the journal to analyze these thoughts and feelings. This is what helps you to really connect with your inner self and work towards overcoming any negative thoughts and feelings which may be holding you back. 

Image - Journaling - Path to Self Discovery

Another benefit of journaling is that it can also help you to become more mindful. Mindfulness has become an important tool for helping people to live a calmer, happier and more fulfilled life. It teaches you to live in the present, rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. 

The above are just two of the main benefits journaling delivers. The question is, how can you use it in order to gain these benefits? 

Proven techniques you can follow

There are a few proven journaling techniques you can follow to help you heal. Just some of them include:

  1. Make sure you write every day. When you're just starting out with journaling, you may find you need to force yourself to write every day. Until you get used to it, it's easy to forget or put off writing your thoughts and feelings down.

    Like anything, journaling is a habit that you need to build-up. So, schedule some time to write in your journal every day. The more you do it, the easier you'll find it to identify with how you feel. This, in turn, will help you to move forward and let go of any negative thoughts and feelings you've been carrying around.

  2. Write freely and truthfully. This is another thing which may take some practice. You may be used to bottling things up and holding back on how you truly feel. However, your journal isn't going to help if you aren't 100% truthful.

    So, when you're writing, just write whatever it is that comes into your head. It doesn't have to follow a narrative or even make much sense. You can analyze what you've written afterward. By writing freely you might just be surprised by the thoughts and feelings which come to the surface. It can be really freeing letting go of things you didn't even realize was still bothering you.

  3. Make sure you're writing enough. Although you shouldn't have any set limits when journaling, it is a good idea to make sure you're writing enough. 

    Try to write at least one full page each time you use the journal. That way, it will ensure you go into depth about your thoughts and feelings. If you don't write enough, you're going to find it difficult to use the journal for healing purposes.

If you follow the techniques above, you'll be in a good position to heal and move forward. Analyze what you've written and try to look at it from a non-judgmental point of view. I know that it can be hard since we are living in the moment but just the act of writing down your troubles can make a huge difference in how you feel.

So, if you're ready to start healing and living a more joyful life, follow the advice above and start journaling today.

TODAY'S AFFIRMATION

"I choose to take responsibility for my own happiness."

This article is part 1 of 4 of our Discover Yourself through Journaling series. Stay tuned for the next article in the series.

-- Share Your Thoughts

Do you have a journaling technique that is already working for you? Let me know in the comments below.