3 Kinds of Journals for Self-Care

Self-care is a major buzz word these days. I see ideas for self-care every where I look. Is it because our world seems more stressful or out of control than ever? Maybe. Perhaps it’s because we live at such a fast pace…instant this, automatic that. Whatever the reason, practicing self-care is more than just the latest buzz word. It’s also good for your health.

Self-care can be anything that you do for yourself that benefits your physical, mental and/or emotional health. It doesn’t have to be anything excessive or out of the ordinary. In fact, you probably practice self-care on a regular basis and just didn’t know that’s what it was called. Do you exercise regularly? Yep, that’s self-care. So is getting enough sleep, prayer and meditation, using affirmations, eating healthy foods, giving yourself a break, and a ton of other things.

One method of self-care that I have found extremely beneficial is journaling. I currently keep a bullet journal and I love it. But there are other kinds of journals that are also great for our mental, emotional, and even physical health. In addition to bullet journaling, I recommend gratitude journals and art journals.

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Bullet Journal

Bullet journals are all the rage these days. A quick search on Instagram, Pinterest, or Tumblr will show you an amazing array of ideas. What I like best about using this system is I can make it whatever I want it to be. Do I want to use it as a planner? Great. Can I write my feelings and thoughts down? Check. Can I make a tracker for my health? Yes.

There are also bullet journal groups to help you get started. On Facebook, there are groups for weight loss, mental health, procrastination, and just for general support. Members share ideas of what works for them and cheer each other on. So not only do you get a personalized journal to help you, you also get a great community to support you with it.

Check out www.bulletjournal.com for the basics of bullet journaling. It doesn’t have to be complicated if you don’t want it to be. It can be as simple or as detailed as you like. For more detailed inspiration, check out: Bohoberry.com, Pageflutter.com, and Littlecoffeefox.com. They are three of my favorite bullet journal blogs.

A Little Advice

A little advice in regards to starting a bullet journal. Take it slow. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. Just make it what you want it to be. Leave out whatever doesn’t work for you. Give yourself the freedom to try new things, but set them aside if they aren’t what you really need or want. Your journal is supposed to provide support, not stress you out or make more work for you.

In my current journal, I keep track of my exercise, my medications, my mediation and prayers, and many other things. My tracker allows me to see what I am doing consistently and what I need to work on. I also have a section to write down good things I notice each day. I call it my “blessings” page. All these things help me take better care of myself. I have tried various formats since I started. Some worked, some didn’t. That’s the beauty of the bullet journal. I just keep the stuff that works and leave the rest.

Gratitude Journal

Gratitude journals have been around a little longer than bullet journals. If you’re not looking for an all-in-one planner, list keeper, tracker, and journal, then maybe a gratitude journal is for you. It is something that takes only a little time, but can add up to big changes.

A gratitude journal is simply a book where you write down what you have to be grateful for. Some people require themselves to write three things each day. Some people make lists. Others expand on the idea and include hopes and dreams and wishes too. The big idea behind writing down what we have to be grateful for is that we will start looking for those little things in life that we often overlook. So if we get into the habit of keeping a gratitude journal, it benefits us all day long because we are more aware of the good things around us.

You can start out slow. Just get a notebook and a pen and start writing. Or you can buy a special journal. There are loads of them online. I’ll list a few of them below. Each one takes a slightly different approach, but they’re all highly rated.

The 52 Lists Project

This one is really popular. It contains prompts to help you write about joy, gratitude, and positivity. There is one list per week, so if you don’t think you can be a daily journalist, this might be the book for you.

Start Where You Are

This book has prompts and activities to help you explore your feelings, dreams, and creativity. It also features inspirational quotes, which I love.

Gratitude: A Journal

This one is small enough to carry with you and follows the original idea of writing down three things each day. It also has inspirational quotes.

There are literally hundreds of gratitude journals available. Just pick one that speaks to you or do it on your own. The key is to start cultivating an attitude of gratitude. Having gratitude in our lives can increase our happiness and contentment, decrease our anxiety, and show us that what we have and what we are is enough in a world that often tells us otherwise.

Art Journal

The very act of creating is a sort of therapy. There are therapists that specialize in art therapy practices. But you don’t need a therapist to start an art journal. All you need is a few supplies and the desire to express yourself visually. Professional artists keep art journals for practice and exploration, but non-artists can also create visual journals. If you think creating one can help you, don’t hesitate because you think you’re not “creative” enough.

There are loads of places to find direction when creating an art journal. You can find pre-made books in local stationery and book stores and online. There are blogs and websites dedicated to the art journaling community. There is even a magazine called “Art Journaling.” I recommend looking at the following websites for inspiration.

DebbieHodge.com – I love this article by Debbie Hodge that contains links to more sites for even more inspiration.
Psychology Today – Search for “art journal” and see what comes up. I found a list of art journaling prompts and a whole series of ideas on art therapy interventions.
ArtJournalist.com – Here you will find a whole community of art journalists. The site has project ideas, tutorials, journal prompts, and community support.

Keep in mind you don’t actually have to draw or paint at all in an art journal. Maybe collage is a better fit for you. With collage, you can cut and paste in words and images you find elsewhere. Try magazines or online images. Cut words out of newspapers or junk mail. It’s all about expressing yourself through creating something. It doesn’t matter how you go about it.

Health Benefits of Keeping a Journal

There is evidence that regular journaling is beneficial to our physical, mental and emotional health. Some studies have shown that journaling can reduce asthma and rheumatoid arthritis symptoms (see here). Writing regularly can also increase our IQ and boost memory. Mindfulness is linked with happiness, and keeping a regular journal helps us be more mindful.

James Pennebaker, author of Writing to Heal: A Guided Journal for Recovering from Trauma & Emotional Upheaval, teaches that writing about emotional experiences can promote physical and emotional healing and help resolve trauma. His book guides the reader through writing exercises designed to promote well-being.

Journaling can also boost self-confidence. This happens in several ways. For starters, writing about good experiences allows us to relive them. This can boost our confidence for the next day or event in our lives. “We did well at work, in school, in the big game. Hey, we’re alright.” Keeping a journal can also boost our confidence levels when we keep at it. Being able to commit and be successful in our goal of keeping a journal can be a big hike to our self-esteem.

Did you know that keeping a journal can also boost your endorphins? Those are those feel good chemicals in our brain. Higher endorphin levels create more happiness and contentment. Since journals help us practice gratitude and keep us more mindful, they can also help us with our endorphin levels. This is why many therapists recommend journaling to depressed, anxious, and stressed patients.

Time to Start a Journal

If you’re already keeping a journal, thanks for reading this far. You probably recognize its benefits and are enjoying them already. If you’re not journaling, consider starting one. You don’t have to spend a lot of money or step too far out of your comfort zone or even spend a lot of time. Just put pen (or pencil or paintbrush) to paper and get started. Hopefully, these ideas have inspired you.

Thanks for reading and please share.