From taking a walk in nature to sweating it out at the gym, the small habits you incorporate into your daily routine can have big therapeutic benefits for stress, depression and anxiety. Here’s another quick and easy practice to add to your regimen: Journaling.
The idea of keeping a journal may seem intimidating, but it’s easier than you might think. For starters, you don’t have to be great with words to journal. It also doesn’t require a lot of time. A few minutes a day can reap real benefits, whether you’re tapping out your thoughts in an app or writing them with a fancy pen in an elegant book. (Even a scrap of paper or the back of a napkin works in a pinch.)
There’s no right or wrong way to journal. Some people prefer to journal first thing in the morning to get ready for their day, while others prefer to write at night as part of their bedtime routine. Choose a time that works best for you: When do you have a spare five to 10 minutes to yourself to journal? What time of day are you most stressed? Does your daily to-do list feel overwhelming? Do you have trouble sleeping because you can’t quiet your mind?
“It should not feel like a pressure or a chore,” Childs says. “If you want to start with five minutes a day, that’s a good place. If you want to write until you’re tired of writing, that’s OK, too. Do what works for you.”
Want to write but not sure where to start?
In order to help you get started on your journaling journey we’ve put together some prompts on mental health & self love prompts as May is 'Mental health awareness' month. Choose a writing prompt from this list and write whatever comes to mind.
- When do I feel most confident?
- What are 3 things I love about my personality?
- What’s my favourite thing about my appearance
- What brings me the most joy?
- What are 3 flaws I accept about myself?
- Self-care habits I want to start
- Compliments I’ve got recently
- What do I want to tell my future self?
- 10 positive words about myself
- Write 3 things you need to tell yourself when you indulge in negative self talk
- What is something I need to start saying ‘no’ to?
- What are my talents?
- What part of my life do I love right now?
- What is something I’m really good at?
- What has made me cry recently? What am I doing to avoid it?
- 3 things to tell myself when I’m overwhelmed
- What do I imagine my best self-love as?
- When do I feel most like myself
- Who do I feel happiest with?
- What do I do everyday that makes me love myself?
- How do I take care of myself on the days that are low
- How do I bring an impact to the lives around me?
- Activities that make me feel calm and relaxed
- Giving my morning routine an upgrade by adding
- Write a love letter to my body
- My vision of my best life
- My biggest fear
- What is my most unique trait
- What do I eat that makes me feel good? How am I going to inculcate more of that
- What do I need more of in my life
- What is my happiest memory so far
- What makes me feel powerful
- A recent challenge I over came and its impact
- What makes me feel whole and peaceful
- My top 5 favourite songs that make me feel like myself
- How do I stay true to myself
- What do I love about my role model/inspiration? How am I going to add that in my life?
- How am I a great friend?
- What is my self love language?
- What’s a small change you can make to become a better person everyday?
Start your self love journey by picking out a notebook dedicated to journaling, click here to check out your options.
