Welcome back to my blog! Today, we will discuss a popular mindfulness technique—journaling.  

When you think of journaling, the following image likely comes to mind: sitting at your desk at night, whipping out your journal, and opening to a fresh page that is bursting with potential. You carefully print the date at the top and let the day’s events crawl out of the cage of your brain. Before you know it, multiple pages are full of your recollections from that day.

I once kept this type of journal during middle school. Occasionally, when I find it difficult to sleep at night, I unearth that ancient, well-loved journal from the depths of my nightstand. I transport myself back to when ten-year-old me helped my mom make blueberry pancakes for breakfast. Or perhaps, I teleport to 2016 and relive my first day of middle school.  

Journaling of this kind has the potential to benefit your mental health in many ways; in a 2018 systematic review of expressive writing techniques, journaling was shown to improve one’s blood pressure, lung and liver function, immune system, and mood. In addition, those who journaled experienced an increase in GPA—something college students surely appreciate! Additionally, in a 2022 systematic review, journaling was shown to improve the mental wellbeing of people suffering from anxiety, PTSD, and depression.  

Although I once journaled in this way, I find it hard to conjure up the time—and, I might admit, the patience—to sit down and journal. If you find yourself in a similar situation, do not fret, for journaling is a magical world with a plethora of techniques to try; in fact, this article lists 20 different types of journaling—look at all those options to choose from! 

One non-traditional method of journaling that I partake in does not involve any words—crazy, right? Instead of writing down your emotions, try drawing them. And the best part? No artistic skill is required! Just draw whatever comes to

mind. Maybe, on a good day, you draw smiley faces and rainbows. Or, on a bad day, you heavily scribble on the whole page, even tearing it in a few places—this artistic type of journaling can be as simple as that. 

Next, I will introduce you to gratitude journaling—a very powerful practice. I first began this practice when one of my high school friends (and fellow mindfulness enthusiasts) gifted me a gratitude journal. Each page features seven sets of three lines—one set for each day of the week. At the end of each day, I write down three things that evoked gratitude in me. Most of the time, I find myself jotting down the small things that made me happy during the day. As proof, I recently appreciated “the pink calculator I found at Target,” “the curly fries at the dining hall,” and “sleeping in until 9 am.” Even if you think that everything went wrong one day, I guarantee that you will recall at least three things that went right. In this way, my gratitude journal helps me to appreciate the little things in life that I usually take for granted. 

One last atypical type of journaling that I partake in almost resembles keeping a log—it involves making a running list of every movie I watch. Then, if the time presents itself, I’ll draw a scene from the film and sprinkle in a few lines that stuck with me. I suppose it brings me the same kind of joy that finding a new butterfly would bring to an insect collector—it’s as if I created my own personal treasure trove of films. This type of journal can be adapted to TV shows, novels, and songs, as well, and it helps me to appreciate what I chose to dedicate my attention to for the past few hours. 

As this post comes to a conclusion, I hope your perception of journaling was able to expand. No matter the form it takes, the benefits of journaling are plentiful—just try it for yourself!