At first, journaling may seem intimidating or unnecessary. However, the applications and techniques behind the process of writing your thoughts down can apply to several areas in your lifestyle. You can use them to reduce stress, understand your situation, and benefit your situations depending on the styles used. Today, we’ll explore the types of journaling out there and what they can be applied to.
What are the benefits of journaling?
People typically start journaling due to stress or anxiety. When you’re worried about an issue, it can take up the majority of your thoughts especially when you’re trying to focus on another activity. This takes up energy in your mind and body. Dr. Wolpert’s study on journal therapy finds that by verbalizing our troubles, the negative emotions we have can feel less intense. In other words, writing down our train of thought allows us to properly process our emotions and cognition. This leads to less stress and greater emotional intelligence.
Other styles of journaling that are based on planning can lead to greater productivity. Journaling has been suggested to improve our memory and awareness of the situations around us. It helps the brain “cool down” and better process our thoughts.
What are the Types of Journaling?
As previously mentioned, journaling can lead to several benefits depending on the style of writing you choose to perform. Here are three main types of journaling and the benefits they provide:
Expressive Journaling - Probably the most traditional form of journaling, expressive writing is simply putting your thoughts down on pen and paper. As the name suggests, the point of this style is to express yourself. This type of journaling also leads to the most common benefits. It can lead to reducing your stress or keeping record of the memories you’ve been making.
The Bullet Journal - This form of media has an usual style. Instead of lines to keep track of your words, it has a dotted format designed for you to keep track of future responsibilities. These types of journals are purposefully designed to help people make habits, to do lists and meal plans to become a productive person.
Gratitude Journal - One of the newer forms of journaling, this technique incorporates mindfulness and journaling for a great appreciation of life.
So how do you get started in journaling? Next week, we’ll discuss the different techniques, the journals and ways you can start.