Using journal prompts to help guide your writing is a great way to focus and record your thoughts with a purpose. When you gain clarity, you feel lighter and more empowered. Your ideas suddenly become easy to express because you have let them out on paper and can direct your attention to them more fully.
The Benefits of Journaling
Journaling is beneficial for many reasons, including mental health and better communication. The key is to journal consistently. It can be for five minutes or an hour but try to do it daily and watch the benefits pour in. Doing so means your thoughts are not roaming chaotically in your head but are instead sitting clearly in front of you.
The benefits of journaling are:
Clarity of thought
Improved confidence
Simplifying your goals
Creating more solutions for the things that bother you
Finding motivation
Recalling memories with more detail
Step 1
Write down the situation you have experienced and the thoughts that you notice.
For example:
Situation: I received a rejection letter from a job I applied for.
Thoughts: "I'm never going to find a job. I'm not good enough. I should just give up."
Step 2
Write down how you were feeling in this situation.
Did you feel sad, angry, disappointed, frustrated, lonely, or something else?
Did you experience any bodily sensations like a pounding heart or sweaty palms? Make a note of the emotions and bodily sensations you felt.
For example;
Feelings: “Disappointment, frustration, hopelessness”. “My heart won’t stop beating fast every time I think about having to apply for another job - I feel like I constantly have butterflies in my stomach”.
Step 3
Write down the behaviours you noticed as a result of the situation.
What actions did you take in response to how you were thinking and feeling? Did you stop taking part?
Did you notice you were people-pleasing? Did you become avoidant?
For example:
Behaviour: “After receiving the rejection letter, I avoided applying for other jobs and spent most of my time at home feeling down and unmotivated. I stopped networking and researching job opportunities and didn't talk to anyone about my job search”.
Give this a try by :
Find a notebook to write in :
Use notes on your phone and make some notes as you go through this activity.
Think of a situation where some challenging thoughts came up for you
Write down what the situation was, the thoughts you had, the feelings you experienced
Write down the way you responded.