{"id":4263,"date":"2026-01-06T11:00:32","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T12:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/?p=4263"},"modified":"2026-01-08T15:00:53","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T15:00:53","slug":"i-found-keeping-a-journal-hard-until-i-used-these-prompts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/06\/i-found-keeping-a-journal-hard-until-i-used-these-prompts\/","title":{"rendered":"I Found Keeping A Journal Hard Until I Used These Prompts"},"content":{"rendered":"
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I\u2019ve never been the sort of person who keeps a diary<\/a>. There was that fluffy padlocked notebook in my tweens, but I only ever occasionally remembered its existence. If I could find it now in the ruins and cardboard boxes of my childhood, it would likely be 85% blank pages, 10% doodles, and 5% \u201cspy notes\u201d about my family (nothing quite like scribbling down all of your loved ones\u2019 movements, eh?).<\/p>\n

Still, like countless others, I\u2019ve spent a lot <\/em>of time watching influencers\u2019 morning and evening routines on social media. A lot<\/em> of time. And, yes, I\u2019ve noticed that almost all of them include a journaling session<\/a> or two. It makes a lot of sense: Studies have repeatedly shown that engaging in regular journaling can help reduce stress<\/a>, manage anxiety and depression symptoms, enhance self-awareness, promote emotional regulation, provide opportunities for positive self-talk, and even strengthen resilience in the face of challenges. If you can stick to it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Intrigued by all of the above, and keen to see if it could help me get a better handle on my own stresses and worries, I decided to give it a go for myself \u2014 but not before consulting with the experts. And, as you\u2019ve likely guessed already, it turns out my snarky tween diary definitely<\/em> wouldn\u2019t cut it when it comes to reaping the myriad psychological benefits of this popular pastime.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cJournaling is essentially another way of saying \u2018putting our thoughts and feelings down on paper,\u2019 giving them a place to exist outside of our heads,\u201d explains mental health advocate, author of Therapy Is\u2026Magic<\/em><\/a>, and trainee psychotherapist Jo Love<\/a>, describing it as a \u201ctool that allows us to process our emotions and creates an opportunity for self-reflection.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIts effectiveness varies based on individual preferences and psychological needs,\u201d adds author, psychologist and certified therapist, Kalanit Ben-Ari<\/a>, PhD<\/a>. \u201cReflective journaling is particularly beneficial for emotional release, processing feelings and thoughts, and reducing anxiety. It enhances self-awareness; as one writes, reads, and perhaps edits or adds to their entries, they create a psychological space between themselves and their thoughts and feelings. This process allows for framing experiences and opens the door for processing and reframing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reassuring me that there are no set rules for how to journal \u201cproperly,\u201d Love notes\u00a0that \u201cthere are thousands of helpful ideas and prompts out there if you find yourself staring fruitlessly at a blank page.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe main thing is to ditch the guilt about achieving perfection,\u201d she adds. \u201cEven if all you do is write a single line, then that is totally OK.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPersonal preference absolutely plays a role,\u201d agrees\u00a0Dr. Ben-Ari. \u201cSome find it beneficial to write in the morning to set intentions and establish a positive mindset for the day, while others prefer journaling before bed, which helps in reflecting on the day and calming the mind for a good night\u2019s sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

With their advice in mind, I dug an unused notebook out from the back of a drawer, scoured the house for a pen (a fruitless task: I wound up buying a pack of biros at the corner shop), and positioned them artfully beside my bed.<\/p>\n

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Even if all you do is write a single line, then that is totally OK.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n

Reader, I won\u2019t lie to you: I found it incredibly difficult to think of anything to write for the first few nights and mornings. The words of my university\u2019s creative writing tutor rang in my ears, however \u2014 just start writing, and the words will come <\/em>\u2014 and so that\u2019s what I did. I wrote banal little sentences about my day: about what I\u2019d eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. About how delayed the trains had been. About the weather<\/em> (how incredibly, painfully British of me). Unsurprisingly, I began to view the journaling as a chore to be ticked off, rather than as valuable time for myself.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This is normal: as humans, we are notoriously bad at forging new habits<\/a>. In fact, research shows that 23% of people quit their resolutions<\/a> by the end of the first week, and 43% quit by the end of January<\/a>. \u201cLike resolutions, you might start journaling with great intentions and goodwill, but find they often fade within a few weeks,\u201d says Dr. Ben-Ari.\u00a0\u201cPeople might find it hard to stick to a journaling schedule, as it doesn\u2019t offer the same benefits for everyone\u2019s mental and emotional health.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thankfully, both of my experts had some tips on how to get more out of my tentative journaling experiment \u2014 in the hope that I might be able to keep the good habit in place for longer.<\/p>\n

\u201cTreat your journal as a private exploration space just for you and no one else,\u201d suggests Love. \u201cTake some time to reflect on your day, important events in your life, or decisions you\u2019ve made. You might want to jot down anything you\u2019re worried or bothered about. It can be helpful, too, to think about what has made you feel good or proud of yourself. And a letter to your past or future self can be a truly powerful experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Ben-Ari, meanwhile, had another suggestion with regards to what to write. \u201cIn my clinic, I encourage clients to keep a dream journal, as dreams, which are easily forgotten, carry messages from our inner wisdom and unconscious,\u201d she told me. \u201cWriting them down serves three functions: remembering the dreams; learning about the dreams narratives and themes; and noticing the psychological shifts they reflect in therapy.\u201d<\/p>\n

I began taking a cup of chamomile tea up with me to bed and sipping it as I noted down all of my thoughts and feelings in a bid to make my head \u2014 and world \u2014 feel that little bit clearer. I\u2019m the sort of socially anxious person who worries over every perceived slight, so I used my journal to explore these fears rather than lying awake obsessing over them. And, as someone whose inner critic is her biggest bully, it was genuinely lovely to take a moment each night to pay attention to the things I\u2019d done well \u2014 no matter how small.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As time ticked on, I found myself looking forward to curling up in bed with my journal. And, as someone who usually spends a great deal of time tossing and turning and fretting before eventually plunging headfirst into a series of anxiety-fueled dreams<\/a> (dreams which I\u2019m now making a point of committing to paper, I hasten to add), I\u2019m happy to report that I found myself falling asleep more quickly after journaling, too. The dreams have proven as erratic as ever, mind you, but I\u2019m hoping that keeping this habit up will help to improve them over time. <\/p>\n

If I\u2019m being completely honest, my inner cynic wanted this experiment to prove a failure. I\u2019ve never been fond of elaborate morning and evening routines \u2014 especially when they reek of \u201cwellbeing washing\u201d \u2014 and all of the \u201cclick to buy\u201d links on people\u2019s social media made me assume it was nothing but a cash grab.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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As time ticked on, I found myself looking forward to curling up in bed with my journal. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n

I also found that buying myself an extra-special sparkly notebook added a sense of occasion to proceedings, but anything will do the job in a pinch. All you really need is a few minutes each day: Yes, many people aim to write for 15 or 20 minutes, but starting small is honestly the best way to set a habit in motion (and, if you\u2019re anything like me, you\u2019ll find that you wind up writing more and more as the weeks tick by).<\/p>\n

If you need some help getting started, Love suggests that you try something like \u201ca \u2018gratitude journal\u2019<\/a> and jot down three things you\u2019re grateful for, or a \u2018one sentence a day\u2019 approach to help take the pressure off, particularly for those who find writing hard or are out of practice. \u201cWriting about whatever events, thoughts or feelings that came up that day can be another simple entry point to journaling,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n

Just one word of caution: While this activity has proven incredibly beneficial to many people, and while I myself have been won over, it\u2019s important to pay attention to how the activity makes you <\/em>feel. Everyone is different.<\/p>\n

\u201cReflective journaling, when feeling overwhelmed, offers a space to make sense of experiences and feelings, helping to calm the mind,\u201d says Dr. Ben-Ari. \u201cHowever, I generally don\u2019t recommend journaling \u2018to-do lists\u2019 as they can add stress or distract from deeper issues that need attention. Also, writing that dwells excessively on negative events or feelings, a process known as over-rumination, can lead to increased stress. Concerns about privacy can also impact the honesty needed for reflective journaling.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adding that \u201cit\u2019s also important to note that not everyone enjoys writing,\u201d Ben-Ari notes that its benefits can still be reaped \u201cthrough art, drawing or other creative means as a way to process feelings.\u201d We just need to remember that it is a tool, and use it in a way that works best for us as individuals.<\/p>\n

On that note, I\u2019m off to bed \u2014 and, yes, you\u2019d best believe I\u2019ll be journaling about the experience of writing about journaling. Things are about to get incredibly meta\u2026<\/p>\n

This article was originally published in January 2024 and has since been updated. <\/em><\/p>\n

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I\u2019ve never been the sort of person who keeps a diary. There was that fluffy padlocked notebook in my tweens, but I only ever occasionally remembered its existence. If I could find it now in the ruins and cardboard boxes of my childhood, it would likely be 85% blank pages, 10% doodles, and 5% \u201cspy…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4265,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[15],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4263"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4263"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4263\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4266,"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4263\/revisions\/4266"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4265"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4263"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4263"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4263"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}