Many writers will tell you that the thing they find most intimidating when they try to write is the blank white page. A blank page can be filled with literally any combination of words to tell any kind of story. But those infinite possibilities can, paradoxically, make it difficult to get started at all.
The challenge of the blank page can also be a problem for someone who is trying to start a journal.
In a recent post, we argued that keeping a journal can be a great way to support your mental health. We considered several different kinds of journals—including gratitude journals, reflection journals, and creative journals.
Maybe you read the post and decided you would like to keep a journal of your own, but you find that you are having trouble getting started.
In this blog entry, we are going to help you conquer the blank page so that you can enjoy the mental health advantages of journaling regularly. We are going to accomplish that the same way you teachers might have done it when you were in school: We are going to provide some prompts.
- Prime the pump for your gratitude journal: Try setting a timer for 10 minutes and writing down as many things you are grateful for as you can in that amount of time. This practice can make it easier to think of three things each day to write in your gratitude journal. You will have also created your own list of prompts. You can write about why you are grateful for each person, place, or thing that appears on your gratitude list in your gratitude journal or in a reflection journal.
- Face up to the challenges you are facing: When you are struggling with a mental health disorder, it can be tempting to try to ignore the symptoms and the disorder itself. But in your journal, you could turn this around. What is something—an emotion, an activity, a relationship, or something else you are finding to be a challenge? What are some steps you could take to make it easier or make a change? Listing things and situations that added to your overall stress and then exploring ways to make them less stressful is a useful exercise.
- Introduce yourself to…yourself: Imagine you are scheduled to meet someone for the first time. What are three things you would like that person to know about you? Consider why each of those things is important to you. Remind yourself that you are not solely defined by a mental health disorder. You can also use this exercise to consider what you would like to be able to tell an acquaintance in one year, five years, or even 10 years. This can be a good way to set goals to work toward.
- Consider the people you admire: Think about a person you look up to. The person could be someone you know personally, but it could also be someone you admire from afar or even someone from history. Write down what you admire about them. Can you develop these characteristics in yourself? How would you go about doing so?
- Spark your curiosity: What would you like to know more about? Jot down some subjects or ideas you could learn about. It can be something serious, something silly, or anything in between. Engaging your curiosity is good for your mental health. Your journal can help you get started.
- Return to an activity you enjoyed when you were growing up: Having an engaging hobby is a good way to support your mental well-being, but as an adult, it can be hard to know where to start. Use your journal to look back on memories of activities you enjoyed as a young person. Maybe you were in the high school band or the college choir. Perhaps you worked backstage on the school play or performed on stage in one capacity or another. Maybe you played a sport or were in a club that you enjoyed. Writing about those activities now may help you identify a hobby you could pick up again.
- Practice saying thank you: You can use your journal as a place to consider what you might write or say to a person who helped you through a tough time. Think of someone, then write a “thank you note” in your journal. You might decide to thank the person in real life, but even if you don’t, remembering kindnesses you have received from others can boost your mental health.
- Identify one big goal: Your journal is a great place to be ambitious, so write down your biggest goal. Then figure out the first step toward reaching that goal. And the second. And so on. Your goals may change over time, but this can still be a useful exercise in your journal as you look for achievable ways to improve your life.
Make a Note to Reach Out to Peak View
Located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Peak View Behavioral Health helps individuals who are struggling with a mental health disorder restore a sense of balance and hope to their lives. If you are struggling with mental health challenges of one kind or another, you can count on us to provide personalized care.
