3 Journaling Exercises for Self-care

Journaling saved my life. No, really, it did. When I had nowhere to go and no one to turn to, it was journaling that shed some light into my life. And helped me see in the darkness. 

But it doesn’t even have to be that deep. It could be as simple as dealing with daily stress and struggles. Because we all have them. And we all deserve a way to process them. Each and every day.

So here are some journaling exercises that you can do to help you process. You can do one a day, one a week or just pick one when you have some time. And remember, journaling is self-care, and self-care is everything. 

For each exercise, all you need is something to write on and with. Use a scrap piece of paper, your phone or your favorite notebook. Make it enjoyable. Get cozy, light a candle, drink a hot beverage. And let your self-care soothe you. 

#1 Freewrite

This is exactly as it sounds. For a freewrite, you write freely. Set a timer or just write until you feel done. Until you get it all out onto the page. 

After, reflect on what you wrote and on how you feel. Then write about it 🙂

#2 Thought Tracker

For this exercise, list all your thoughts. Skip a space in between each one so you can do the second part of the exercise. 

After listing your thoughts, assess each one. Put a positive (+) symbol next to positive thoughts, a negative symbol (-) next to negative thoughts and a neutral symbol (+/-) next to neutral thoughts. 

When you’ve finished assessing, tally them up. How many positive thoughts did you have? Negative? Neutral? 

Now reflect: what are your thoughts telling you? What should you keep doing the same? What should you do differently? 

#3 Letter to Your Past Self 

This can be as surface or as deep as you’d like it to be. You can focus on accomplishments you’ve made, things you wish you’d done differently, things you’ve overcome, etc. 

Whatever you decide to write about (and the first thing that comes to mind is probably what you should go with), pick a past age of yourself and write the letter to younger you. 

If you’re struggling with what to write about, do the freewrite exercise above and just write everything that comes to mind. Then pick one. 

When you’re done, read your letter out loud as if your younger self is sitting right in front of you. And grab a box of tissues because these are usually quite emotional. 

***

However you decide to write, remember, journaling is an easy way to connect with yourself. Happy writing!

For more journaling exercises, see my online journaling workshops! 

Subscribe to my website | Like me on Facebook | Follow me on Twitter | Follow me on Instagram

Photo by Ashlyn Ciara on Unsplash