Why journaling your thoughts could actually make you a happier person

Got a problem? These days someone might suggest you journal it. Not only has journal morphed into a verb but a widespread practice in self-care. People journal emotions, gratitude, goals etc. Why so specific and is it any different from keeping a diary?

“There are multiple ways to journal for our wellbeing, dependent on what people are trying to achieve or work on,” explains Wellington-based consultant clinical psychologist Lisa Cheung.

“We have positive intentions and plans but may not do anything if we are solely thinking about them. By writing them down we are more likely to put our intentions into action.”

While intention might be the guiding factor, a major function is that, “Journaling gives people the power of pausing and reflecting,” says Cheung.

For instance, “To recognise any unhelpful thought pattern, organise experiences or examine cause and effect, first we need to know what they are. Once we have taken a moment to recognise what we are thinking and how we are feeling, we can start to put strategies in place that are helpful for our wellbeing.”

Strategies such as setting achievable goals – another thing to journal: “Humans are not always geared to automatically think in a structured way,” says Cheung. “But when we stop to write, rather than just continue on autopilot, we are more able to break things down into manageable goals and problem-solve.”

Seeing your thought process in black and white can be illuminating. Auckland-based screenwriter, playwright and writing teacher Kathryn Burnett is a fan.

“The act of getting thoughts and feelings out of your head and onto the page feels freeing,” she says. “Particularly if you’re stuck in a loop of negative thoughts.”

Burnett values journaling as, “An easy and safe way to dig into what’s going on for you. It can also allow some perspective – when you read back over your journal it can be fascinating what your subconscious has thrown up – and you are better able to look at it more objectively.”

Julia Cameron is perhaps the modern trailblazer for journaling as liberation. Her book, The Artist’s Way, recommends stream-of-consciousness journaling, written first thing in the morning, with a set of challenges to help ‘discover and recover’ what she calls the ‘inner artist’.

People credit the book with changing their livelihoods, not to mention their lives. It has sold more than four million copies over the past 30 years. Supporters include Martin Scorsese, John Cleese, Pete Towshend, Reese Witherspoon… the list goes on.

I’ve tried it. There is something brilliantly cathartic about committing the flotsam and jetsam of your morning thoughts to paper, like clearing the decks before the day begins.

Done at the other end of the day, “Journaling thoughts can help calm active minds if people are unable to sleep,” says Cheung. Once you’ve committed thoughts or worries to paper, you can rest safe in the knowledge that you can deal with them tomorrow; like putting your thoughts to bed, too.

I’ve saved the best for last. The idea of a gratitude journal may have the more cynical among us reaching for the sick bucket. If you’re that way inclined, consider rephrasing it.

Call it Reasons to be Cheerful or Three Things I’m Thankful For, the point is, there’s evidence that links habitual gratitude to wellbeing and there are wide-ranging studies, from teen eating behaviour to inflammation in patients with heart failure, that show journaling gratitude can improve aspects of health.

It might not come naturally at first. “We are geared to notice threat and the negative, it’s part of our survival mechanism,” says Cheung. “It’s more effortful to notice the positive.”

But doing it makes a difference. “By noticing the genuinely positive things around us on a regular basis, we can both develop a habit and then develop new neural pathways in our brains so that over time (and time frames will depend on the individual and what people are working on) it becomes easier.”

Keen to journal gratitude, Lisa Cheung has some pointers.

• You don’t need a fancy journal, you can write on a scrap of paper.
• Gratitude can be as simple as noticing when someone keeps the lift door open for you, a colleague offering you a cup of tea, being in the fresh air etc, whatever is genuinely positive for you (it’s subjective and might be different each day).
• Aim to notice three positive things a day, then jot these down. By doing this daily, we train ourselves to notice the positives which is helpful for our wellbeing and developing a habit which becomes easier over time.
• Wellbeing is an ongoing journey which takes continued effort. If you like journaling gratitude, it’s helpful to keep doing it.