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A User’s Guide to Journaling

Keeping a diary has benefits for your body and mind.

Have you ever wished you had a friend who was always available, kept all your secrets, never judged you, and helped you understand yourself better? If so, you might enjoy keeping a diary or journal. People write in journals for all sorts of reasons. They might journal to get through stressful times, to document their lives, or as an outlet for their creativity. Or they might just do it because it’s fun. Keeping a journal can also be good for you. Studies show that writing about stressful events can lower your heart rate and reduce feelings of hostility. Other studies suggest that journaling improves your ability to focus. And it doesn’t have to be a fancy leather notebook you write in with a quill pen. Just about anything will work as a journal, even your phone. Here’s how to get started.

No Rules

Journaling should feel like the opposite of homework. If you get hung up on a bunch of rules (“I must write three pages every night at 7:30 p.m.”), it will start to feel like a chore. Instead, do whatever feels best. For example:

  • Try writing in both pen and pencil.
  • Write with music on or in silence. 
  • Add doodles or sketches.
  • Write at the bus stop or under a tree. 
  • Write first thing when you wake up in the morning or last thing before you go to bed.
  • Try journaling with friends (really!).
  • Try writing by hand, typing on a computer, or typing into the Notes app on your phone.

Noteworthy Diarists

Many famous people have kept journals. Other people have become famous for their journals, which give us glimpses into what it was like to live through important times and events.

Charles Darwin 

His diary from his voyage on the H.M.S. Beagle includes notes and illustrations that helped him develop his groundbreaking theory of natural selection. 

Frida Kahlo  

This Mexican painter, famous for her self-portraits, kept extensive diaries filled with poems, love letters, paintings, sketches, and whimsical doodles.

Octavia Butler 

Early on, Butler wrote about her goal to become a best-selling, prize-winning science fiction writer in her journal. It came true!

Stumped for What to Write About?

Try these prompts.

  • Write about something that made you smile today.
  • Write about something that made you anxious this week.
  • Describe your surroundings.
  • Look at a recent photo of yourself and describe what you see.
  • Write about a time someone made an assumption about you. Were they right?
Mental Health
Coping Skills, Anxiety, Stress & Stress Relief

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