Journaling

For many people, journaling can be an easy way to release emotions – all you have to do is write. Journaling is a great combination of emotion skills because it not only allows for self-expression, but it also slows down our thoughts and encourages reflection on how we think and act. It helps us process what we’re experiencing before looking for a solution.

If journaling becomes a regular habit, we may notice patterns in emotions, thoughts, beliefs, and situations.

How to journal:

For 5-15 minutes, write down whatever pops into your head without filtering yourself or judging what you’re writing. There’s no “right” way to do it – just focus on expressing yourself.

You can write about your day, a specific event, how you felt, judgments you had about yourself or others, etc. Or feel free to use the prompts below.

Journaling prompts (optional):

• What happened today/recently?
  • What emotion(s) are you feeling?
  • What physical sensations accompany these emotions?
  • What thoughts are running through your mind?
  • What did you want to impulsively say or do?
• Emotions are signals that we need something. What might you be needing today?
• What assumptions are you making about your situation or other people? Can you challenge those assumptions?
• What boundaries do you need to set with yourself or others?
• What is one way you can take care of yourself today?
• What are three things you’re grateful for today?

What to do with your journal entries:

You could throw them away or keep them to see how your thoughts and reactions have shifted over time.

For example, an excerpt of Mateo’s journal:

Journal entry above:
Two of my meetings today ran over again and it messed up my day. I had no time to eat lunch, never mind actually collect my thoughts. I’m frustrated because it makes me late and frazzled for my next meeting.

Writing about this, my jaw is clenched, my breathing is in my chest. I keep shaking my head in disbelief—why don’t they just set an agenda and stick to it? They don’t even apologize, which makes me so annoyed and I think it’s because I care about consideration for everyone’s time.

And I’m afraid of saying something because I’ll look like “that person.” And now I’m feeling resentful that they’re putting me in this position. I can’t keep letting them steamroll over my lunch break. I need to figure out how to set a firmer boundary, even if it means being “that person.”