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By: Andrea Zimmering
Published On: November 30, 2022
If you have been noticing that throughout the day your mind is racing constantly, you are reactive, and your emotions feel hard to gain control over – a mindfulness journal is the perfect tool for you.
Take a read below to learn more about what a mindfulness journal is and how you can use one in everyday life to help enhance your emotional wellbeing.
A mindfulness journal is exactly what it sounds like! It’s journaling with the intention of becoming aware of your thoughts and behaviour patterns.
All you need is a blank piece of paper and a pen to get started. It can be nice to select a journal that feels special and designate it as your mindfulness journal (I love to choose a journal where the front cover image speaks to me).
A mindfulness journal can be free flowing of thoughts and feelings you are having, or you can use journal prompts to guide you (I will include some prompts you can try using below!).
When you go to write in your mindfulness journal, try to carve out a time and space that you can dedicate at least a few moments to writing. A rule of thumb is giving yourself a minimum of 5 minutes, as you may need that time to get in touch with your thoughts and feelings.
Find a comfortable seat, take a few deep breaths, get in touch with your body, and then start journaling. You may want to put on some music you enjoy or light a candle. Journaling can become a ritual so building the practice that best suits you is instrumental.
If you are writing in a free flow, you may journal about the events of your day and what you notice your thoughts and feelings to be and see what reflections and insights show up or you may want to journal using the below prompts and ideas.
1. Gratitude – what are 2 or 3 things that I am grateful for? Why? Hint: sometimes it’s helpful to think about what life would be like if you did not have these things.
2. Affirmations – what is something I need to believe in right now? For example: I am loveable. Affirm what you need to hear by writing about it in detail.
3. Artwork – rather than writing words, try drawing how you feel! Pull out your colouring pencils and use images, colours, and shapes to reflect what is happening for you on the inside.
4. The 5 Senses – if you are scattered and anxious, tap in with your five senses and write about them. Describe what can I hear right now? See? Taste? Touch? Smell? Once you tap into your senses you may find more clarity come up for you.
Now that you know how to keep a mindfulness journal, how about learning a bit more about why you should. There are numerous reasons, but here are a few key reasons:
1. Cultivate Self-Awareness
By carving out time to write about what is going on inside you, you will be able to understand yourself that much better. Self-awareness is a vital tool in life for being able to know what you need to feel grounded. Seeing how you feel on paper can give you a solid understanding of your triggers and how you can best address them.
2. Get Present
We live in a fast-paced world that doesn’t allow for much presence. Writing is a wonderful way of getting you back into this very moment. The more you practice presence, the less anxiety and unwanted feeling you will have day-to-day.
3. Improve Focus
Writing (without distraction) is a wonderful way to improve focus. Journaling can be the one time in your day that you shut off your electronics and have singular focus. Not only can you train your brain to be better at focusing, but journaling can also help you clarify your life focus. For example, what do I need to do to make myself feel better? What goals do I want to accomplish?
4. Increase Positivity
When life gets overwhelming and big emotions are creeping up, mindfulness journaling can be a key to finding positive feelings. By spending a moment to focus on gratitude, love, and appreciation, it can do wonders for helping you to find positivity in your day-to-day life.
5. Declutter your Mind
When we keep everything stuck in our mind, it can get pretty busy up there! By releasing your thoughts and feelings on paper you can start to declutter your mind and make space for new thoughts and feelings that serve you. It’s important to not keep everything bottled inside, so a mindfulness journal will be your friend for letting it all go!
It’s time for you to get started! Don’t worry, there is no “perfect” way to have a mindfulness journal – you will learn what works and what doesn’t as you go. Make it part of a ritual that you enjoy, and you will reap the benefits.
The information contained in this post is considered true and accurate as of the publication date. However, the accuracy of this information may be impacted by changes in circumstances that occur after the time of publication. Ashton College assumes no liability for any error or omissions in the information contained in this post or any other post in our blog.
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