Selfcare has become a buzz word recently. It is something widely talked about and well known to be essential for mental health. But, sadly I don’t believe it is always being talked about in a constructive way! I think that mums especially are so busy and it feels like someone needs something from them in every waking moment. So when we talk about a ‘nice long soak in a bath’ or a ‘relaxing massage’ we aren’t really hitting on HOW to fit self-care into the modern mother’s life. I think that one way we can support not only self-care, but also healing and mental health is quite simply to journal.
There are actually countless research articles online about all the different ways that journaling supports anxiety, trauma healing, mental health, stress and depression. Journaling is also self-reflective which makes it a really helpful tool for when you might feel a little lost with who you are and what your purpose in life is.
According to Maud Purcell, a psychotherapist and journaling expert, journaling engages the left side of your brain. This is the analytical, logical, rational side of your brain. You use this part of your brain to think through events, prompts, situations and more. But (this is where the magic of journaling comes in) while the left side is occupied your creative right brain is able to lean into intuition, creativity and feeling. THIS is where you get in touch with the beliefs, triggers and real healing as you have overcome rational thinking and connected with the emotional self.
So what is journaling?
Essentially, journaling is unloading your thoughts. It might be physically such as in a notebook or it might be digitally, verbal, video or typed. The main thing is that it is a suitable format for you to be able to externalise what is on your mind.
If you are new to journaling you will probably get the most out of your time by utilising prompts. A prompt is a tool to help you start reflecting on concepts, thoughts, events, beliefs or more. It might be a question such as “How I allow change through self-reflection” or “How do I feel in this moment?” or “How has my upbringing around conflict shaped my habits today?”. A prompt will help you get started on your journaling journey. This elevates journaling from ‘dear diary” to a deep reflective tool.
So what do you need to get started?
Not much! A notebook, pen and a willingness to give it a go! Journaling doesn’t have to be large chunks of time. And the reality is if you are a parent you probably don’t have large chunks of time to sit and write with. 2-5 minutes is a great start! It doesn’t have to be a big commitment, but I know you really want those moments you dedicate to journaling to pay off! So I’ve put together this journaling ebook for you which is going to walk you through everything you need to know about integrating journaling into your busy life and how you can use it as a tool for self-care, healing, stress relief and overall mental health improvement. It is even packed full of prompts and ideas to make the most of your writing! Journaling has so many benefits for mothers, and I can’t wait to see more people connect with themselves in a whole new way.
You can also take my 7 day journaling challenge here to really begin this daily habit!