Journaling offers a multitude of benefits and personal rewards. Journaling can be a great strategy for organising your thoughts and a time for self-reflection. In turn, it can help you set and achieve goals, increase self-awareness, and improve communication with others. Lastly, and maybe the reason you are looking into journaling today, to help relieve stress and anxiety.

First, you would need something to write with and on, so gather your favourite pen(s) and a piece of paper or a designated journal notebook. Should you want to keep to a specific time maybe something to set a timer with (e.g. phone, online stopwatch). If it aids the experience or may be useful I suggest some tissues, a glass of water or cup of tea/coffee

I suggest journaling in a comfortable, private and quiet space so you can truly be in your thoughts and free to express yourself in any way (e.g. crying) without distraction, influence or judgment of another. You may choose to journal with others in which case fining a spacious and quiet room would be best.

Journaling is a gift to yourself. Your dedicated personal time.

If you like routine then you may opt to pick a specific day or time to journal. You may even choose to do it before or after specific events (e.g. waking up, going to bed, post-work-out, post-exams etc). You may also allow your feelings to guide you, when you sense you’re overcome specific emotions or are uncertain of your emotions, journalling is a great strategy to ruminate, identify and release those emotions.

Over time, you may naturally develop a unique time, frequency or routine for journalling so be patient with yourself and journaling practise.