Why You Should Start Journaling for Anxiety
Writing helps you capture your thoughts and see them from a different point of view./ Photo: Bridget Jones’s diary.
MENTAL HEALTH
Journaling about the good things that happen to us every day, our small accomplishments, can help us reduce anxiety and develop a more positive mindset.
Maria Corisco
January 7, 2024 / 09:00
It’s easy that as a teenager you entrusted your hopes, sorrows and expectations to a diary. That intimate record in which you record everything that happens to you is often abandoned with age. But keep a diary -whether on paper or digitally – or what is more commonly known as journaling can bring many benefits no matter your age. And even more so if you offer it as exercise for good health.
In positive psychology there is such a thing as “Diary of Positive Emotions”It is a practice in which a person regularly records positive thoughts, experiences, and emotions in a diary or notebook. Now is not the time to write about disappointments, desires or disappointments, but focus on the good things that happened every day and develop an optimistic attitude.
It has been observed that people suffering from anxiety or depression can gain emotional and psychological benefits by incorporating this activity into their daily lives. This is evident from a study in which this practice was offered to patients with anxiety and its effects were measured. Among the findings, it was noted that it is “a well-accepted intervention that can effectively reduce some aspects of mental distress and improve aspects of well-being among patients with mild to moderate anxiety.”
The authors also note that this type of diary is quite likely.”a more pleasant and uplifting procedure compared to traditional expressive writing interventions, which focus on writing about deeply disturbing and traumatic events from the past.”
What can you write down?
A positive emotions diary usually includes:
- Happy moments: Write down daily events that brought you joy or happiness.
- Thank you: Write down the things you are grateful for.
- Achievements: Keep track of personal or professional achievements, no matter how small.
- Praise: Write down compliments or praise you receive from others.
- Achieved goals: Writing down goals or milestones achieved will help reinforce your sense of achievement.
Experts have observed that the practice of keeping a positive emotion journal can have several benefits, such as improving mood, reducing stress, increasing self-esteem and encouraging a more positive outlook on life. Focusing on the positive It seeks to distract attention from worries and stress. towards more pleasant and constructive aspects.
Write three good things at the end of the day.
On the same line Martin Seligmanknown for his contributions to positive psychology, developed an exercise called Three good deeds or Three good deedswhich means that at the end of each day a person writes down three good things that happened during the day and explain why they happened. The goal is to develop a more positive approach and train the mind to recognize and appreciate the positive aspects of life.
The “Three Good Things” exercise is simple but effective. Here’s how you can do it:
- Remember at the end of the day: Before you go to bed, take time to reflect on your day.
- Highlight three positive points: Think of three good or positive things that happened during the day. These could be situations, events, social interactions, personal achievements, or anything else that you consider positive and that you enjoy.
- Write them down in your diary: Write these three positive things down in a journal or notepad. It is important to write them down because the act of writing them down reinforces the experience and facilitates subsequent reflection.
- Why in detail: Next to each positive event, write a short explanation of why you think it happened or why it was meaningful to you. This will help you gain a deeper understanding of the reasons for positivity.
Its regular practice has been shown to have a positive effect on emotional well-being, reduce depression and increase life satisfaction.
Seligman noted that repeating this exercise can have a positive impact on long-term emotional well-being. By focusing on the positive and expressing gratitude, people can gain a more optimistic outlook on life and improve their quality of life.