How I Used Journaling to Cope with Anxiety and Depression

I have always enjoyed writing and journaling has helped me cope with anxiety and depression. Journaling is my special time to practice mindfulness by writing down my thoughts, acknowledging my feelings, and planning my goals. I highly recommend a daily journaling practice for self-care. Taking good care of your mind, body, and spirit is essential.

Over the last three years, I have gone through some pretty tough stuff. Heartbreaks, grief, and anxiety just to name a few. As I was going through these adverse situations, I would always write down how I was feeling.

Initially, I thought journaling was like a diary, but bullet journaling is so much more than that. I didn’t know about the term “bullet journaling” until I did a little research online. After researching the term, I realized that creative journaling is a form of self-care. Self-care journaling focuses on your mental state and auditing your feelings.

What Do I Write About?

Anything. I write about how I’m feeling, positive affirmations, my goals for the day, goals for the month, long-term plans, and any random thoughts or life experiences.

When I was dealing with death in my family, I would literally spend hours writing to cope with the loss. I was at one with my journal and pen and it helped. In contrast, if I have an amazing day, I take to my journal to write about it.

There are no rules or limits on what you write in your journal. It’s your life. Your mind. And your experiences.  

I’m pretty private about what I write in my journal, but I found a few examples of how you can layout your journal in the pictures below.

Benefits of Journaling

1. CLEAR YOUR MIND AND EXPLORE YOUR FEELINGS

Journaling is a great way to decompress and clear your mind. I love journaling because it helps me declutter my thoughts and explore how I’m feeling. The more you contemplate your feelings, the more you’ll gain clarity about how you feel.

I have also found that journaling can improve my mood and state of mind. It’s very calming when you’re at one with yourself.

2. FORGIVE YOURSELF

Sometimes as humans, we can be hard on ourselves. When I make mistakes, I can beat myself up about it, instead of figuring out ways to fix it. Use journaling to forgive yourself for past mistakes, thoughts about yourself, and move forward. We are imperfect human beings.

3. CREATE A GRATITUDE LIST

Life is a precious gift. Take a few moments in your day to acknowledge things that you are grateful for. Focus on the positive aspects of your life, not on things that may be going wrong.

4. PLANNING

Journaling is also great for productivity. It’s a powerful tool to organize your thoughts on paper, which can help you plan your dreams and goals.

What You’ll Need

• Journal Book
• Creative Markers
• Pen
• Stickers
• Any other creative tool you like to create your personal journal

Target

Pens

As you put energy into your self-care journey you will gradually have a better view of yourself. I can truly say that taking time to be at one with your own thoughts and feelings is a practice of self-love. If you have never tried journaling, I urge you to give it a try. I might just find a little piece of mind in the comfort of your own space.

Talk to me!

Have you ever tried bullet journaling for self-care? Do you have any advice to add about journaling?

I would love to hear from you, so please feel free to share comments, questions, and feedback below. Contact me here.

*This is not a sponsored or paid post. The review includes my own thoughts and opinions about the item(s) and/or companies of discussion.