My Tips for Thought Journaling
Thought journaling is just what it sounds like: writing journal entries about what you've been feeling and what's on your mind. Keeping a journal is key in the recovery process and in just generally caring for your mental health. Getting it all out onto paper can help you figure out the next steps in your recovery process.
When it comes to your journal, the format is really up to your preference. But there are some tips I have to make it easier if you're planning to track your moods, triggers or sleep schedule. Here are some things I find really helpful when I sit down to journal.
1. How am I feeling?
I usually start with a list of all the things I've been feeling. I date the top right of the page and start scribbling out every single emotion I feel. If I can't figure out how I'm feeling, I look to The Feeling Wheel, as featured in one of my previous posts, for guidance.
2. What has been going on?
This is where I can see the connection between what's been going on and what I've been feeling. I kind of just write whatever has been occupying my mind and the lines begin to form between my list of emotions and recent events. I also like to include things like diet, physical activity and sleep pattern as they often contribute to my emotional state. Sometimes there really is no connection, because the emotions are just due to chemical imbalances, but for the most part, there is at least some correlation.
3. What can I do to help myself?
This is where we recognize the issue and we figure out what we can do to make it better. This can range from talking to a person we had an argument with to just dealing with our personal issues by building ourself up. If you're having feelings of insecurity, you could write a long list of things you love about yourself. If you're confronting someone about how they made you feel, you can prepare ahead by making a list of your emotions and expressing them to this person. If you still don't know where to go from here, consider turning to a trusted friend or family member, or maybe even a mental health professional.
It's the most difficult task to shake off feelings, especially ones that we don't want to feel. Usually I feel slightly more at ease once I figure out the events that have caused my emotions, because then I can see that my feelings are either irrational and out of proportion, easily solvable, or completely justified. One of the most important things to remember, no matter how silly your emotions might seem in hindsight, is that your feelings are VALID. I don't recommend living by the saying, "Well, other people have it worse," because other people's situations don't change the validity of yours. I hope this was helpful for any of you who want to start a thought journal but needed some ideas to get you going! Take care and happy weekend!
xo
