Keeping a journal is one of the best ways to increase mindfulness and tune into your thoughts and emotions.

There’s something very powerful about a pen and blank piece of paper. Writing down your thoughts, fears, hopes, aspirations, memories and goals makes everything seem a little less abstract and a little more concrete. And keeping a journal is one of the very best ways to help you become more mindful.

Journaling is an ideal way to build self-awareness and become more intune with what you are feeling. It helps make a connection between your thoughts and your actions. Research has backed the concept of journaling as a way to clear your mind and face whatever emotional challenges you may be dealing with, from reducing stress, anxiety, adn depression to helping you sort though goals and establish a sense of meaning and purpose.

There is a ton of information out there regarding the power of journaling. There is an incredibly strong mind-body connection that takes place with writing down your thoughts. It also helps you see changes you’ve made and gives you a sense of how far you may have come.

The act of writing something down makes it more real, whether that is putting down a goal you want to reach or helping you deal with a problem in your work or personal life. Taking those thoughts and feelings that are internal and making them external by writing them down makes them seem more real and allows you to take ownership in a deeper way.

Getting Started

Rule No. 1 of journaling: There are no rules! So many of my clients worry that they will do something wrong, but there is no wrong way to keep a journal. It’s just a matter of setting aside some time to start writing.

That said, it can feel intimidating to look at an empty sheet of paper. That’s why I’ve created the mindful journal pages. They are filled with a wide variety of prompts and ideas to help you write down your thoughts, and let them lead you wherever you want to go. Use these free prompts to help you organize your writing, set a goal or reflect on a key moment from long ago you are working through. Most of all, they can help build your sense of mindfulness and tune into both your emotions and the world around you. I hope you will find these journal prompts I have made for you helpful wherever your words may take you!

Click HERE for your free journal prompt downloads.

Got writer’s block? Here are 7 Ways To Make Journaling Easier

1. Find a Time That Works
   The more often you journal, the easier it gets. I promise. Keeping a regular writing time (morning, afternoon, evening) helps you form a habit. Try doing it with your morning coffee or before bed at night. Having a regular place to sit—a cozy couch can also help you keep it up.

2. Take It Slow
   You don’t have to fill out every page of this mindful journal at one time! You could spend a half-hour or more writing, but that can feel like a lot. You really only need a few minutes to put your thoughts and experiences on paper. Even two minutes of writing can make a difference.

3. Let Go
   If you are in a zone, don’t cut yourself off too soon. To me, the best journaling takes pla e when you get lost in it. Don’t think too much—just let the words flow. There is no right or wrong way to journal.

4. Don’t Sweat the Grammar
   Or punctuation for that matter. You can use bullet points, brief sentences, phrases, a haiku, write in the margins—whatever it takes to get the words down. No one will be spell-checking or editing this, so don’t worry about how it reads or sounds.

5. Reread It (If You Want)
   Much of the process of journaling is about putting he words down. But it can also be helpful to read over them. Consider checking back after a few weeks or months and reflecting on what you’ve written. It can help deepen your understanding of a situation once you’ve had some perspective. I’ve even kept journals and reread them years later. Then I take the journals, process what I’ve read and burn them in a fire on a full moon. I release whatever I had or have been holding onto, and start fresh. It can be a cathartic and rejuvenating ritual.

6. Use The Prompts
   Prompts are a good way to help you get rolling. If you can’t find a prompt here that suits your needs, you can start your own— there are really no limits to what you can write about.

7. Think Outside The Pen
   I created some journal pages that will hopefully inspire you to keep writing, but if you’d rather journal on a computer or other device, that works too! You can even keep an audio journal, using voice memos on your phone or other recording device.

Surprising Health Benefits of Journaling

I know that keeping a journal can help you feel better, and there’s scientific evidence it can also play an important role in keeping you healthier.

Check out these few ways:

1. Relieves Stress
   Writing helps you cope with stress and anxiety. Scientists say it can involve the amygdala (the region of your brain that registers emotions and helps determine whether a situation is dangerous or safe) so you feel safe and secure putting your thoughts down on the page.

2. Boosts Immunity
   Research from the University of Auckland in New Zealand found HIV/AIDS patients who wrote about their life experiences in four 30-minutes sessions had higher CD4 lymphocyte counts (a measure of immune function) than a control group.

3. Improves Heart Health

   Researchers at University of Arizona found that study subjects who kept a journal after going through a divorce not only were able to better process their emotions, but they also had a lower heart rate and higher heart rate variability (an indicator of cardiovascular health).

4. Solidifies Memories
   Writing down your experiences can help you remember them more clearly later on, according to research from the University of Lancaster. Expressive writing can also help reduce the negative or intrusive thoughts and patterned thoughts about negative events and it also boosts your working memory.

5. Reduces Symptoms of Asthma and Rheumatoid Arthristis (RA)
   A study of 112 patients with asthma or RA found those who wrote about the most stressful event in their lives showed an improvement in their symptoms, compared to a control group. Your thoughts about pain can either support or exacerbate your experience. When you use writing to examine and bring awareness to this, you can create a new mental and physical experience.

GET EVEN HEALTHIER!

Are you curious about how to harmonize your health goals? How to fit wellness into your busy schedule? Let’s talk! Schedule an initial coaching session with me today – or pass this offer on to someone you care about!