Mindful journaling

Hey diary💛,

Writing eases my suffering... Writing is a way of reaffirming my own existence ~Gao Xingjian

As humans we are expected to fix our stability which makes it easy to become stressed and exhausted physically, emotionally and mentally and sometimes it's a lot to handle and causes a chaotic mind and one way to deal with all that is through journalling.

I have made it a habit this year to journal and since I started it has helped me understand myself, love myself and cope with my anxiety.

Due to that I'm going to help you understand what mindful journaling is as a beginner or you just want to better your experience.

What is mindfulness?

In order to understand mindful journaling we need to understand the word mindful first.

Mindfulness is being aware of your feelings and thoughts and practicing being present in the moment without judgments.

This means you observe your experiences without changing or controlling them.

Mindfulness is a powerful act that helps with self care, personal growth, mental health and overall well being

Practicing mindfulness helps you in developing self awareness, emotional regulation and empathy.

What is mindfulness journaling?

Since we now understand what mindfulness is we are able to understand mindful journaling.

Mindful journaling is a self-care activity where you write down your thoughts , feelings and experiences without judgement as a way of connecting with your inner self, deepening your awareness and cultivating a sense of inner peace.

Mindful journaling isn't like other forms of journaling such as fitness journaling, bullet journaling, food journaling and others, it deals with being grounded in the moment by focusing on the present.

It is a good way to be free. By free I mean you can be able to observe your thoughts, feelings and emotions without criticism which is very therapeutic.

Benefits of mindful journaling

1. Increases self- awareness- This creates a personal relationship with yourself which helps you be more aware of your thoughts, emotions and behaviors by reflecting on your experiences. This also makes you aware on your past trauma patterns and triggers.

2. Improves emotional regulation- Journaling about your thoughts and emotions helps you process and regulate them which leads to emotional stability.

3. Reduces stress and anxiety- Journaling creates a safe space to convey your feelings and concerns without dear of being judged. By this you can be able to cope with stress and anxiety by writing them down.

4. Increases creativity- Journaling helps in channeling a creative path and bring about so many new ideas since it helps with being self aware. Being self aware allows you to know which areas you are creative in.

5. Improves problem solving skills- With mindful journaling you can find solutions to problems by gaining a perspective on difficult situations which leads to a solution to cope with the situation.

6. Increases self- esteem- Mindful journaling creates a relationship with yourself which develops to a positive self image that increases your self esteem.

Steps to practicing mindful journaling

1. Get your own quiet and comfortable space where there aren't any interruptions. It could be a space outside or your own room.

2. Set an intention for this practice. Understand why you want to start mindful journaling. It could be to increase self awareness, manage stress or even establish gratitude. Personally I journal to achieve all those three which could also be your reason.

3. Make your mind at ease. You can take a few breaths to calm and relax your mind.

4. Start navigating your emotions and thoughts without criticism and write down what you feel.

5. Reflect on what you journal about to observe any patterns or insights on your behavior.

What do you write in a mindful journal?

• Gratitude

Note down things that you are grateful for. It might be joyful moments, acts of kindness or experiences that made you feel happy.

Having a gratitude list helps in identifying your growth which gives you the motivation to continue working on your growth.

• Self reflection

Take time to reflection your thoughts and emotions.

Explore your beliefs, values and goals that you want to achieve then write them down.

This helps you identify and learn yourself.

• Mindfulness practices

Write down your experiences with various mindfulness act that you can practice such as meditation, breathing exercises and many more.

• Faith and spiritual practice

If you are a spiritual person, you can create a faith or prayer journal to help you reflect and further your spiritual journey

• Creative writing

Journaling can also channel a creative path in you.

You can get creative by journaling I'm poetry form (I mostly do that😌) , storytelling or other forms of writing.

• Positive affirmations

Writing down positive affirmations reminds you of your strengths, values and goals.

• Challenges and obstacles

You can note down situations that has brought challenges in your life and how to overcome them.

This helps control your emotions, gaining perspective of yourself and cultivate resilience.

• Daily intentions

When you wake up in the morning, visualize how you want your day to look like and write it down.

Write down what you want to focus on, to accomplish and why is it important to you.

Incase you are having a hard time with this you can get a daily intentional planner for guidance.

How to start journaling mindfully

Mindful journaling is quite simple although some people make it complex.

When journaling, you create a safe space for you so there's literally no formula to journaling.

The most important thing is to be present in the moment, observe your thoughts and emotions and write with honesty and love

When getting a journal, choose one that you are comfortable with having. It could be a simple notebook, a fancy leather journal or at the notes page in your planner.

Here are four easy steps you can follow when you want to start mindful journaling;

• Set aside time in your schedule

Create your own regular time for reflecting and journaling everyday.

It could be part of your morning or night routine or even a lunch break.

• Be intentional

Identify your intention for journaling and what you gain from it.

It could be to increase self awareness or stress reduction.

Personally I journal to connect with my inner child and heal her.

• Don't limit yourself

Whenever you are journaling, you can write without judgement and censorship.

Don't worry about grammar or the format of writing. It is your space, be free and creative and write what's on your mind.

Daily mindful journal prompts for inspiration

If you are struggling or beginning, you can consider the following guided prompts for some topics.

1. What am I grateful for today?

2. What emotions am I feeling right now?

3. What self care activities can I put into my daily life?

4. What was a challenging situation I faced today?

5. How can I be more mindful in my daily life?

6. What limiting belief do I hold about myself and how can I challenge it?

7. What are some small acts of kindness I can do for others?

8. What did I learn about myself through mindfulness practice today?

9. What are the three things I love about myself?

10. How can I prioritize self- compassion and self care in my daily life?

Start making journaling a daily habit and you'll see growth in your self love journey.