How to create a Mindful Journaling practice

My journaling practice is a big part of my Mindfulness routine - I sit on my mediation pillow, open my journal, and write down my intentions, my affirmations, what I’m grateful for, and any emotions that feel stuck in my mind and body. This act of writing out my thoughts gives me space to process things that are heavy, and reflect on what’s going well in my life. Sometimes I write a paragraph and other days it’s two pages. Each day is different and I give myself permission to express on those pages. The act of writing is very grounding and frees up space for new energy.

This past year, we’ve been in a cycle of stress and anxiety. A Mindful Journaling practice gives us the opportunity to decompress our emotions and process our feelings. Studies have shown that expressive writing increases mental and emotional wellness. Journaling decreases stress, helps us process emotions, and increase our sense of gratitude an positive outlook.

It doesn’t matter what the pages look like because Mindful Journaling is for you, by you. A space created for you to lovingly dive in to yourself.

This practice allows us to freely explore ourselves without judgement and with curiosity. Getting to know yourself is an act of self-compassion and it’s a wonderful way to grow. It doesn’t matter what the pages look like because Mindful Journaling is for you, by you. A space created for you to lovingly dive in to yourself. You may start with a certain thought in mind - but allow yourself to flow through the process.

To get started, find a journal or notebook that you like - there are plenty on Etsy and in your local bookstore. This will become a healing ritual, so make it special you can draw on some of the pages or create a Mindful Bullet Journal if you prefer a more organized approach. Find a space in your home that has a light and comfortable energy. I created a small Mediation corner in my room that’s the perfect space for me to relax and dive in to my practice. Do your best to write every day, make it a ritual. Creating a ritual takes time, but it’s easier if you link it with something. You can make your coffee and sit in your journaling space while enjoying your morning beverage, that way when you make your coffee in the morning you will remember to journal.

Here are a few journal prompts to help you get started:

If you’re just getting started, try this list. Write down 3 things you’re grateful for, 3 affirmations and 3 intentions:

Gratitude:

Affirmations:

Intentions:

If you’d like to dive deeper into the practice, try these:

1. What am I feeling? Notice where it comes up in your thoughts and in your body.
2. What is the thought I tell myself to create this feeling?
3. Is there a an expectation for a person/situation? What does this look like?
4. Get in a space of love and align your heart. Then, write down, I cancel my expectation for…
6. Stay in this space of grounding, create a new loving intention for yourself. What is this intention and how does it feel in your body?

Dive deeper into your Mindfulness practice.