What are the Benefits of Journaling?

Keeping a diary or journal discussing events in your life works as a valuable keepsake to remember memories you forget over time. As we get older and older, this becomes priceless!

When you journal and note down your thoughts, you end up processing them rather than just feeling them and not interpreting what they could mean. By processing your thoughts, you become more aware of any reoccurring feelings and emotions you have in your life. 

It can relieve the tension upstairs by interpreting what's going on in your head down on paper. Especially in times of stress, it's too easy to get caught up in a whirlwind of emotions.

By taking a breath and attempting to write them down, your helping your brain compartmentalise the problems, how you feel about it and work towards either a solution or a way to feel better. 

By recording down how you feel regularly, you are more likely to notice patterns in your behaviour and possible cues to how your mental health is affected. 

It doesn't take an expert to tell you why journaling is good for you, but there is plenty of scientific evidence to back it up. 

Scientific Benefits of Journalling

Embarking on a regular journalling practice has been proven to help reduce anxiety. 

A study into the effects of journaling on people experiencing various mental health conditions found those who wrote for 15 minutes, three days a week for 12 weeks, increased their feelings of well-being and reduced feelings of depression after just a month. 

Journalling specifically about your feelings can help to regulate your emotions. One study where the brains were scanned of people who wrote about their feelings showed they were able to have a handle on them, more than those who wrote about a neutral experience instead. 

In case you need any more convincing, a study in New Zealand found participants who wrote for 20 minutes on how they felt about an upsetting event healed faster than those who wrote about describing their day. 

We've found a clear distinction between writing about the events in your day and how you feel. There are multiple mental health benefits when you journal about your thoughts, feelings and emotions. Keeping a record like this is invaluable to your mental health and personal growth journey.

Remember to add in some special memories you might otherwise forget, and you've got a handbook to your mind sprinkled with special memories along the way. Win-win right? 

But we know putting pen to paper, even in the gorgeous journal, can be easier said than done. We've created a list of some of our favourite journaling prompts for mental health to get you started!

Journal Prompts for Mental Health

• What are you grateful for today?
• What words do my friends or family use to describe me?
• What is one thing, no matter how small, you want to achieve tomorrow?
• What is one thing you want to get done this week?
• What would you say to your 15-year-old self?
• What situations make you feel uncomfortable or fearful?
• What comments make you feel defensive? 
• What are three words that describe how you feel right now?
• Describe a special moment/s recently you don't want to forget.

Time to put pen to paper

Now you've got the motivation, the research and the prompts to get you started. Now you just need a pen and paper!! By journaling, you are taking care of your mental health... why not treat yourself to a good-looking journal to do so?

Please take a look at what we think are some of the most spectacular journals and diaries out there, we handpick every item in store ourselves!