3 Types of Journaling for Dealing with Overwhelm
Journaling – you either hate it or love it.
By now plenty of research has proven that journalling as a form of therapy can offer many benefits – from boosting the immune system, to relieving stress, to working through difficult emotions.
It can be used as a tool to diffuse overwhelm or used as a protective measure against the tidal wave of overwhelm.
But for all its benefits, many people struggle with writing. Even thinking of jounalling can bring back flashbacks to grade school and essay writing.
I’m here to tell you that journalling doesn’t have to be like that.
There’s a way to journal for everyone so here are few categories with some suggestions.
1. Free writing
Morning pages – morning pages are a form of brain dumping to clear your head in the morning. There are no rules. Some people suggest writing 3 pages back-to-back (6 sides), which can feel daunting when first starting out. What has been helpful for me is instead of aiming for 3 pages, to just brain dump for 5 minutes a day.
Dream journaling can also fall under this if it interests you.
Gratitude journaling – if it helps to have structure – there are planners out there designed for this such as the 5 Minutes a Day Journal.
2. Staying organized
Keeping a planner – e.g. daily lists/weekly planning/weekly and monthly reviews. Quarterly reviews and reflections can help too if you feel you need structure to reduce the overwhelm.
Thinking outside the box – if the idea of writing in a blank journal feels stressful, you can try… a dollar store notebook/using post it notes/jotting down bullet points on a chalkboard.
3. Creative journaling
Creating a vision board to get the ‘feel’ of what you want your life to look like – the advantage here is you can do it once and find clarity for as long as you need the support from decisions made ahead of time to guide you. For example, you can create a vision board once a year.
Scrapbooking/keeping a photo journal – these can be done digitally or on paper. If done on paper, it can tap into a non-verbal part of your brain and be a relaxing activity.
With creative journaling you can combine images with notes – writing as much or as little as you like.
There are no rules.
Grammar can be thrown out the window. You can make lists if that’s easier than writing paragraphs. You may have heard that requires writing 3 back-to back pages. But you can make your own rules. It doesn’t have to be 3 pages. It can also be…
5 minutes
1 paragraph
2 lines
The options are endless.
Writing therapy is a tool anyone can use anytime. Reap the benefits by choosing a style that works for you!
>> Like this post? You might also like ‘The Write Prescription for Depression and Anxiety‘.
