Table of Contents
How can journaling be harmful?
According to Stosny, journaling can become dark when you it makes you live too much in your head, makes you a passive observer in your life, makes you self-obsessed, becomes a vehicle of blame instead of solutions, and wallows in the negative things that have happened to you. Journal Prompts to Understand Negative Thoughts Where do my negative thoughts come from? Are these negative thoughts actually mine, or do I have them because I feel pressure from other people in my life/community/society? Do I believe these thoughts? What fears are at the heart of these negative thoughts? Journaling can support coping and reduce the impact of stressful events – potentially avoiding burnout and chronic anxiety. Studies link writing privately about stressful events and capturing thoughts and emotions on paper with decreased mental distress. Positive affect journaling (PAJ) has been found to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and improve well-being. The act of writing down thoughts and feelings helps people understand themselves more and recognize what they need to improve.
Can journaling Stop overthinking?
Journaling also helps people hone their focus so that they think about only one thing at a time. When you write your thoughts by hand, you can only write one word at a time. Your thoughts slow down to match your writing speed and you’ll find that it’s easier to slip out of your overthinking mindset. Make Journaling a Habit Set a timer on your smartphone and commit to writing for at least 15 minutes a day. Pick the time of day you’re most likely to write so journaling becomes routine. Some people write in the morning to focus their thoughts and start the day with a set of goals and a positive attitude. Enhance Your Intelligence Writing has long been connected with the ability to increase your own intelligence and even to improve your IQ. By writing through a journal, you’re actively stimulating your brain, putting thoughts into written form and expanding your vocabulary. Many mental health experts recommend journaling because it can improve your mood and manage symptoms of depression. Studies support this and suggest journaling is good for your mental health. It may also make therapy work better. Journal three things you’re grateful for every day. Journal your problems. Journal your stresses. Journal your answer to “What’s the best thing that happened today?” every night before bed.
How journaling changes the brain?
Journaling helps keep your brain in tip-top shape. Not only does it boost memory and comprehension, it also increases working memory capacity, which may reflect improved cognitive processing. Boosts Mood. Journaling might just be the thing to help you rewire your brain, whether it’s a shift in attitude you seek or you’re trying to reach other life goals. Research even points to health benefits that can result from keeping a journal, such as increased immunity and reduced stress. Studies show it’s better to journal at night because it gives you an outlet for emotions and thoughts that might otherwise keep you awake. Even though there is sound scientific research to support the idea that journaling at night is better, many people prefer to journal in the morning. No. It’s not a waste of time. It’s a false choice. Journaling and creative writing are qualitatively different enterprises.
Is journaling everyday OK?
Writing, like anything, improves with practice. When you journal every day, you’re practicing the art of writing. And if you use a journal to express your thoughts and ideas, it can help improve your communication skills. But journaling isn’t for everyone. Some people find that it doesn’t feel calming or fulfilling and the stress of finding the “perfect” words to put on paper can be overwhelming. As a child, I would get super excited every time I got a new diary or notebook—and then stress out if I missed writing for a few days. If you’re struggling to journal, you need to maintain some sort of consistency. Set a specific time each day or once a week to journal. You can journal for 20 minutes every Sunday at 9 pm or opt for 5 minutes a day every morning at 8 am. Be specific! Sometimes keeping a journal of your thoughts, feelings, and experiences helps, but often it makes things worse. In general, it is likely to hurt if it tries to help you “know yourself” in isolation and helps if it leads to greater understanding and behavior change in your interactions with others.