If you’re ready to get started using your journal to combat your worries, there’s a few tips you’ll want to follow.
While the simple act of writing down our worries can prove beneficial, there are ways to make journaling for worry more effective. So, let’s look at some of the top tips to make the most out of your worry journal.
Don’t censor what you write in it!
First, you’re going to want to make sure you don’t censor what you write in the journal. When you’re just getting started, it’s easy to get stuck on what you should be writing.
The trouble is, the more you think about it, the less effective the journal is going to be. You need to be able to write in an uncensored way, allowing your feelings and fears to present themselves naturally.
When you write down your worries without censoring them, it gives you a much better understanding. This in turn will allow you to better figure out ways to deal with them.
Use it to list ways you can relax.
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As well as using the journal to list and assess your worries, you can also use it to write down ways to relax.
So, after writing down whatever it is that’s causing you to worry, make a separate list of the ways you can relax. It could be taking a bath, listening to music or taking a walk out in nature. Having a list of actionable things you can do to reduce your stress and worry is helpful for managing them.
You can also use it to refer back to whenever you feel yourself starting to focus on your worries. Being able to divert them with relaxing activities will help during the times you don’t have access to your journal.
Make an effort to write in it every day.
As with most things in life, the key to making a worry journal work most effectively, is to be consistent. You’ll want to aim to write in the journal every single day.
You don’t need to spend hours going over your worries. Just a few minutes each day is enough to start to feel the benefits. Even on the days where you don’t feel as worried, use the journal to list the things you’re grateful for.
You’ll often find the more positive you are, the easier it becomes to remain in that happier, calmer state.
Create a plan on how to tackle your worries.
If there’s just one tip you follow from this list, you’ll want it to be this one. After identifying your worries, creating a plan on how to tackle them is what’s going to give you the biggest peace of mind.
You’ll find it’s much easier to figure out how to resolve your worries once they’re written down in front of you. Creating an action plan to resolve whatever it is that is causing the worry, will help you to feel more in control.
The more in control you feel, the less likely you’ll be to find yourself stressing at night. This in turn will hep you to sleep much easier.
Once finished, place the journal out of sight.
After you’ve written in your journal each day, resolve to place it out of sight. This enables you to fully forget about the worries you’ve just listed until the next day.
You can even make a to do list of the ways your going to fix your problem, or at least make your worry manageable. Think about how would your life be without that worry.
Allowing yourself just a brief time to think about and address your worries daily, is often all you need to reduce them. It’s important to switch off from them after you’ve written them down. The simple act of placing your journal out of sight is usually enough to help you put your worries behind you until the next day.
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If you follow the tips above, you’re sure to get the most out of your worry journal. You’ll also be surprised just how helpful it can be to get you to sleep better.
