For as long as I can remember I have always kept a journal.

In my teen years it was my diary that contained the names of my crushes, gossip and my inner secrets. As I got older it became a safe haven for my thoughts, it helped me to express myself and even helped me to overcome my eating disorder. My journals were where my love for writing started, before I had this blog I had my journals.

Journaling has lots of different benefits especially for your mental health and wellbeing including:

• Helps you to process your thoughts and feelings

• Reduce stress’ and anxiety

• Helps to set goals and stay on track to achieving them

• Helps you to self reflect on your behaviour or feelings in certain situations

• Can help you to be more organised

• Makes you feel more grateful

• Brainstorm solutions to problems

• Express your thoughts and be creative

• Improves cognitive function

• Can improve your memory

• Improves your self confidence and self worth

WAYS OF JOURNALING

There’s a few different forms or ways you can journal but really there are no rules. This is your space to write and express but to get started I thought I would share some forms of journaling.

Some forms of journaling include:

• Gratitude journaling – by writing down what we are thankful and grateful for it can help you feel more positive and focus on the good in your life.

• Personal Planning Journaling – To help organise your day & life or set goals and targets for yourself. You can also set your weekly intentions and mantras. Being more organised is one of the best ways to reduce stress. Journaling this way will help with your memory and help you to remember to do important tasks.

• Emotional journaling – writing down your feelings and thoughts. This is a way to express your thoughts and feelings, it can help you to breakdown a specific event or thought, help you process your emotions and hopefully to help you find some different aspects or a positive outcome. I have also founds Its also a great way to spark my creativity.

• Tracking journal – to help you track your physical or emotional symptoms or feelings. I found this especially useful when I was sick in pregnancy as a way to track my symptoms and see where I was at each day and things I could speak to my doctors about. I also did a similar thing when I was overcoming my eating disorder to track my eating and physical symptoms.

WHEN TO JOURNAL:

Once again there is no right or wrong, its totally up to you but it is something you become better at and something that becomes more effective the longer you practice it. You can start with once a week to set yourself up for the week. Eventually a daily journall practice would be the goal and will give you the most benefit but just start small.

Below I have attached a “Weekly Wellness Journal” template that you can print out and fill in once a week (try on Sunday).

ACCESS YOUR FREE JOURNAL TEMPLATE HERE

I really hope you start to implement journaling into your routine for wellness and I hope this has been helpful to you.

PLEASE let me know if you download this or start your own journal.

With Love,

Brittany xx