April is Stress Awareness Month, so here at Write On! we’re discussing the benefits of writing for stress release and some helpful journaling practices to incorporate into your daily life.
It’s been proven that daily journaling can be very helpful in balancing the stress we all face in our everyday lives. It can also help to cope with anxiety, improve your mood and help with your overall well-being. Here are a few journaling tips to help with stress management:
- Grab a journal and write down everything you’re feeling, good or bad. Try it once when you wake up in the morning and before you go to bed. Let it all out! This will help to release whatever feelings you have by putting pen to paper.
- If writing out your feelings is too much, start with an easy journal prompt. Start with: Today, I’m grateful for ________________, I feel _________________, I am proud of myself for _________________
- If you need a little more help with getting your thoughts out, try a guided journal. Check out our list of journal suggestions!
- Journal every single day. Even on your good days, it’s important to make it a habit to journal about your thoughts and feelings to help maintain your stress levels.
- Track progress on goals! Make mini-goals that you can accomplish every week and then track your progress and your feelings about that progress in your journal!
- Make your journal time free from noise and distractions. Give yourself at least 5-10 minutes a day by yourself in a quiet space to write out how you’re feeling.
All of these tips can be used for both kids and adults! Give it a try - you won’t regret it.
Be on the lookout for our next Journaling for Happiness & Stress Release Speciality Workshop! You’ll learn even more tips to cope with stress by using journal writing as a practice to release and find happiness.