Future TalentEd Summer Term 2020 Summer 2020 | Page 24

JOURNALING
STUDENT RESOURCE
How
journaling
could make
you happier
and healthier
Reflecting on your thoughts and
feelings can help you to make sense
of your personal story.
Words: Sarah Wild
hen life is difficult (and it certainly is right now),
W
having a private space in which to express our
experiences and emotions could be lifesaver.
Research shows that keeping a diary – or
‘journaling’ – can help us to work out what’s
going on in our minds, making links between
our actions, thoughts and feelings. As we notice habits and
patterns of behaviour, it enhances our self-awareness and
may improve both our mental and physical health, boosting the
immune system.
The technique has been used for thousands of years – by people
as diverse as the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, artist Frieda
Kahlo (who drew in her journal as well as writing in it) and, of
course 13 year-old Anne Frank, whose diary of forced confinement
during the German occupation of Amsterdam may be
psychologically helpful in the current lockdown. In fact, the Anne
Frank Trust UK is calling on young people to ‘Make a Diary Project’;
during the coronavirus crisis.
Today, journaling continues to be used by everyone from writers
to leading businesspeople and influencers of all ages. For example,
actress Emma Watson keeps different journals for different
aspects of her life.
“I must have 10 different personal diaries,” she said back in 2018.
“I keep a dream diary, I keep a yoga diary, I keep diaries on people
that I’ve met and things that they’ve said to me, advice that
they’ve given me. I keep an acting journal. I keep collage books.”
“The difference between despair and
hope is just a different way of telling
stories from the same set of facts”
Alain de Botton, philosopher
Revealing how you feel
It’s important to bear in mind that journaling isn’t so much designed
to record what you think but you to reveal what you think. As
author EM Forster put it: “How do I know what I think until I see
what I say?”
Often, we don’t know what we think about issues, but only how
they made us react and feel:
“Why was I so upset when an exam I’d been dreading was cancelled?”
“Why did I feel so awkward on a Zoom call with friends I haven’t
seen for a while?”
“Why do I no longer feel motivated by the idea of going to university?”
“What is stopping me from exercising and eating well?”
Journaling helps us to investigate these feelings and to understand
ourselves better. In recounting our thoughts and experiences,
and reflecting upon these, we are telling our own story; through
journaling, we can clarify these narratives and find meaning
within them.
To quote philosopher Alain de Botton: “The difference between
despair and hope is just a different way of telling stories from the
same set of facts.”
How to write your journal
There is no set format for writing a journal, but here are some
guidelines that may help:
1
Journal
2
If
3
Although
4
Try
5
Where
regularly so that it becomes a habit (for example,
set aside 10 minutes, three times a week) and record events
as soon as possible after they happen.
you’re unsure how to structure your diary, you could start
a gratitude journal as an antidote to negative emotions; for
example, note ‘five things I am grateful for today’ or ‘five
things that inspired me’. If you love lists and planners, try
bullet journaling, or Julia Cameron’s ‘morning pages’ to
enhance your creativity. If you express things visually, like
Frieda Kahlo, you could draw in your journal as well as write.
hand writing a journal is better than typing it
(because it forces your brain to slow down and be more
intentional about what you think and write), it’s ok to use
an app if you prefer. You could even start a passwordprotected
blog that you do not share with the world.
not to be self-conscious about your writing. It’s not
about making your entries sound good, or impressing a
reader, but about exploring experiences and finding
meaning within them.
you have clear goals to meet, write these down
and note your progress towards them: research shows
that those who write down their goals accomplish
significantly more than those who do not. It’s also a good
place to jot down ideas to follow up.
Finally, see your journal as a relaxing outlet, rather than a chore.
If you create a ritual around it (perhaps complete with your duvet,
a favourite hot drink and a playlist), it may become something
you actually look forward to doing!