Journaling for Self-Care
Studies have shown that routine journaling can improve mood, immune system responses, blood pressure, and people who keep gratitude are overall happier. Below are tips on how and why to incorporate journaling into your daily or weekly routine.
- Set a small goal of 5-10 minutes for a journal entry and be lenient if it doesn’t happen daily. Write as often as you can for as long as you would like. One day, it may just be a word of gratitude or a prayer for help. Another day, it might be a precious memory you don’t want to forget.
- Journaling creates time for reflection, insight, and even problem-solving. Journaling about a specific thought provides an opportunity to find creative solutions.
- Many emotions arise on a daily basis as you provide care and support for someone you love. Using a journal as an outlet to identify specific emotions and/or conflicts can assist in stress reduction. This can also help you to identify your unmet needs and promote change.
- Regular journaling can identify patterns or routines that could be adjusted to accommodate your loved ones’ needs and desires. For instance, “Mom was angry again when I asked her to take a shower tonight. Tomorrow, I think I will try to ask her during the daytime before she gets too tired.”
- Remember that your journal is for you only. Do not worry about writing perfect sentences or having flawless grammar (unless you enjoy that). A journal is a place for unedited thoughts, fresh ideas, insights, praise reports, and struggles. It is a creative outlet for the mind as well as the heart.
- Journaling provides an opportunity to press the “pause” button on life for just a moment. Especially in a day that feels like there is never a moment of rest. By making the effort to sit down and journal for just a short period of time, respite can also be achieved. This time is invaluable and necessary for someone providing care to another.
“I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.” – Anne Frank
If you would like more information on our Memory Ministry, Memory Café, or our trainings, please contact Vicky Pitner at vpitner@firstumc.org.