Hugh Venables explores how keeping a journal helps put you on the right track to good health.
Taylor Swift, Alexander the Great, Michael Palin, Albert Einstein, Meghan Markle. They all found time to do it. But me – keep a journal? I am too busy living to write down the minutiae of my daily life, you protest. And besides, what would I write, and who would be interested in reading it anyway?
As children, so many of us thought it would be great to keep a diary. I don’t know about you, but for me that was the first new year’s resolution to be broken, even faster than the one about promising myself I would be nice to my little sister.
Yet now, my journal (not my diary, I’ll explain the difference in a moment), is a constant friend, a companion without whom life would be less rich, less fulfilling. Barely a day goes by when we don’t talk.
Journallers are passionate about their craft, evangelists for the cause. They know first-hand the benefits of taking the time – perhaps just a few minutes each day – to write. So how do they do it, what do they get from it? And, suppose you were to give it a go – where would you start.
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Diary comes from the Latin, dies, meaning day. A diary is something that logs your days, lists what happened. Bad ones frequently feature the words ‘and then I…’ many times. Diaries are useful, but they are not journals. The word Journal has its etymological roots in the French word Journeé, a day. Journeé also means the distance travelled in a day, a highly appropriate metaphor, a journey.
Journals don’t focus merely on what has happened or what might happen; they centre more on why and how things happen. Most importantly, they explore how those things impact on how you feel. Journalling gives you the freedom to explore your inner thoughts and feelings, about the things you do, the things others do, and how you relate to the world around you. And because it is only for you – no-one else need ever read it – it gives you the opportunity to be absolutely honest with yourself, without fear of disapproval or ridicule from others. And that is the ultimate in what some would call ‘self-therapy’.
When talking doesn’t crack it
Talking it over is often the way we deal with the things that are concerning us or exciting us – ‘a trouble shared’ and all that. But sometimes talking won’t do it. There is a science behind the idea that writing it down processes things differently, as Oundle psychologist, Dr Naomi Murphy, explains:
“Studies show that writing uses a different side of the brain than when we talk, so we process information and thoughts in a particular and unique way when we write them down. The reflective nature of writing, especially using pen and paper, has been demonstrated to be hugely beneficial.
“There is no doubt that journalling has a positive impact on mental well-being but there is growing evidence that it benefits physical health too. In a 2018 Cambridge study, participants were asked to write about their deepest thoughts and feelings surrounding the most stressful or upsetting events in their lives. Four months later, those who wrote about their experiences for 15 minutes a day reported fewer visits to the doctor and fewer sick days. It is little surprise that therapists and counsellors increasingly incorporate journalling into their programmes.”
For most people, time spent in private self-reflection is the most appropriate way of processing positive and negative experiences. A journal is always there, a constant listening ear. And, strange though it sounds, once you develop the relationship, the journal will feed back to you in the most remarkable ways.
Debunking the myths
Of course, there are so many reasons not to start a journal. I don’t have time. I am no good at writing. I’d quickly run out of things to say.
Overcome them.
Make time – stop trawling social media for just fifteen minutes and communicate with yourself instead. It doesn’t have to be perfect prose, or even grammatically correct – no-one except you is going to read it.
The alchemy of words
And honestly, you will never run out of things to say. Even if you start the entry with ‘I’m struggling to think what to write today’ – you can then ask yourself why you are struggling and what makes you feel that way. The alchemy of words will carry you forwards.
So how will you start? Try introducing yourself. Outline what prompted you to put pen to paper (or tap the keyboard – that’s fine). Set out what you want to achieve and then make your own rules. Here are some of mine:
- Try to write every day, but don’t beat yourself up if you don’t
- Be totally honest, even if it feels uncomfortable at first – remember, it’s private
- Feel free to digress – it will take you to all kinds of interesting places
- Observe what you see and hear, but focus mostly on how you feel about it
- Look backwards, look forwards, be in the moment, but all the time reflect
- Write in the present tense if you can, even about the past – it makes things more alive and immediate
- Never later amend what you have written on a particular day – it reflects how you felt at the time, even if now you feel differently. Instead, refer to it and write about how it looks now.
Nurturing the habit will mean writing your journal is not a pressure or an imposition, but will quickly become an enjoyable integral part of your life. Once you have established the habit, go back and read what you wrote – a week ago, a month ago, three years ago. I promise, you will be amazed at who you are, and how you have developed and how much better you understand yourself – and how utterly brilliant and life-enhancing the process is. Now, that’s a thought worth writing down!
This article first appeared in The Active Magazine.