![]() Writing small bits each night inspired her to begin a long-form journal that she writes in every few weeks to help her sort out “more extreme emotions that are a result of bigger, more complicated situations,” since there’s not much room in her Happiness Project journal for extended feelings. ![]() I write a quick tidbit about my day before bed and it helps me process, reflect, and just take a beat,” Williams adds. She bought this journal back in 2015 - so she’s almost done with it - and spends about five minutes per day writing her one line about a moment she enjoyed. “It’s short but still makes me feel like I’m documenting my life,” explains Erin Williams, an L.A.-based public-relations executive. It doesn’t make you feel like you have to “be happy all the time,” she notes, and while it is a five-year commitment, you’re not writing for more than ten minutes per day. “I think they can sometimes make you feel a little bit worse when you’ve just had a really shitty day,” she says, but Boardman feels this one is actually productive. And while you can pick up journaling with any notebook in your house, below we have seven journals with prompts recommended by journalers and experts to get you started.Ĭertain happiness planners “can be a little much,” says Boardman. “It’s not something that should be totally low effort, but it shouldn’t be something that you’re dreading either,” which can happen if you put too many strict guidelines on your journaling process. Give it your unconditional attention for a chunk of time,” she says.īoardman also recommends people start with journaling just a few days a week, unless your journal specifically requires a daily approach, because you don’t want to put too much pressure on yourself. “Don’t have the TV on in the background or text through it. For that five minutes, Boardman also notes it’s important to really concentrate on it. Allotting 30 minutes to journal “is a very big goal to start with,” says Gurley 5 to 10 minutes is more attainable. “It’s like when you start working out, you start with a small routine and gradually build up on that,” says O’Keeffe, and it’s a similar concept with journaling. Jennifer O’Keeffe, a New York City–based psychiatrist with the Gold Center, advises beginners to start small with how long they journal. Because journaling newcomers may not know how long they should be writing - or how to even begin writing - these journals provide prompts to guide them through the process, as well as a time cap. And that’s where these wellness, gratitude, and happiness journals come in. There’s really no wrong way to journal, according to our experts, but “sometimes a blank page can be really intimidating,” says Samantha Boardman, founder of Positive Prescription, clinical instructor in psychiatry, and assistant attending psychiatrist at Weill Cornell Medical College. ![]() When we write down our thoughts, “it usually decreases the intensity of the emotion and helps us really articulate what we’re feeling and why we’re feeling that way.” “As a stress-reduction strategy, journaling has been around for a really long time and a wide variety of people find it helpful,” says Alison Gurley, a New York City–based psychologist. During these trying times, it’s important to consider how you’re feeling and if needed, implement different coping mechanisms to help you make it through - one of which is journaling. And while there are small things we can do at home to help - such as donating money to organizations benefiting those on the front lines and just literally staying home - the constant stress from what’s happening now and simultaneously not knowing what will happen next takes a toll. With the pandemic spreading, the economy collapsing, and the headlines becoming increasingly dire, it can feel impossible to process what’s going on in the world around us. ![]()
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