5 Tips on Journaling

By Breah Woo

When you look up tips on how to relax, journaling is typically one of the first listed. However, figuring out how to start journaling can be tricky, so here are some tips on where to begin.

1. Find a relaxing place

This could be anywhere from your bed to a local cafe to a bench by the Washington monument. Pick a place where you feel most comfortable.

2. Do not set any expectations

Journaling can be whatever you make it to be. There is no need to set a time limit or a page limit. Just journal until you want to stop, which could be an hour or maybe even just ten minutes. Understanding when to stop helps you know yourself better and this is why journaling can also be a great way to better understand who you are as a person.

3. Write about what comes to mind at that very moment

If you do not have any prior thoughts of what to write about, take a couple minutes to just sit, let your mind wander, and then write about what you think of.

4. Be open

You can set expectations about what you are going to write about like goals, values, or something pressing in your mind, but be open to any other thoughts that come up during your writing. Do not push those thoughts away because they are not what you thought you were going to write about. Instead embrace them.

5. Do not stress about figuring out the why

Oftentimes there is a pressure to figure out why some thoughts are occurring and how to fix them, but in order to destress sometimes you should not try to. Worrying about how to fix them will only cause you more stress in the long run, so just let the thoughts happen and if they become harmful to you, then you can try to understand and fix them.