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H<\/span>umans have been jotting down their feelings and experiences for millennia. The earliest example of a diary is over 4,500 years old, written on papyrus by a mid-level official who helped in constructing the Great Pyramid of Giza.<\/p>\n Since then, other noteworthy diarists have included Lord Byron, Virginia Woolf, Albert Einstein, Audre Lorde and also me. (One guess as to which of those intellectual powerhouses recently journaled about getting a tummy ache after eating too many Swedish Fish.)<\/p>\n But many find journaling difficult, even embarrassing. On forums such as Reddit and Quora, users post, \u201cWhy am I embarrassed by journaling, even though I know no one will see it but me?\u201d and \u201cWhy do I feel stupid while writing a diary?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis is such a human feeling,\u201d says Emily Chertow, founder of a series of guided workshops and events called Journaling Classes. Chertow says that because society emphasizes how we act, behave and present ourselves, \u201cit can feel uncomfortable to show up as our full, unfiltered selves\u201d.<\/p>\n Research has shown there are some mental and physical health benefits to journaling, but they are extremely context specific, meaning the results depend on you and your particular situation. Still, one meta-analysis concluded that while more research is needed to fully understand its effects, journaling is a cheap, easy and low-risk practice. In other words: why not give it a go?<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how to start journaling.<\/p>\n \u201cThe simplest way to define journaling is that you are putting your thoughts on paper,\u201d said Melissa Nunes-Harwitt, a licensed clinical social worker and therapist at the University of Rochester Medical Center. \u201c[It] is about taking something from inside yourself and giving it an external place to land.\u201d<\/p>\n It differs from other forms of writing, she explains, because you are doing it for yourself, not for an audience. What matters is not the product but the process. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to reread things you\u2019ve written \u2013 not only that day, but ever!\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Journaling can be a \u201csubtle but powerful form of self-validation\u201d, says Nunes-Harwitt. \u201cEvery time you write down something you\u2019re thinking or feeling, you are honoring your unique self and allowing a release of emotional energy,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n More research is needed to determine the concrete effects of journaling, but regular diarists say it helps them clarify their own thoughts and emotions about things that happen in their lives.<\/p>\n Putting something into words \u201cchanges our perspective\u201d, said Dr James Pennebaker, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Texas, Austin, who has extensively studied the effects of expressive writing. If you have an upsetting experience and don\u2019t want to talk about it, the brain tends to want to bury it and move on.<\/p>\n Graphic with three lines of text that say, in bold, ‘Well Actually’, then ‘Read more on living a good life in a complex world,’ then a pinkish-lavender pill-shaped button with white letters that say ‘More from this section’\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWriting forces you to describe it and tie it to other things,\u201d Pennebaker says. \u201cIt gives you the opportunity to dig much more deeply than if you\u2019re just ruminating about it.\u201d<\/p>\n If you keep writing about a challenging topic and don\u2019t feel like it\u2019s helping, it might be helpful to seek help from a therapist, he adds.<\/p>\n Do you need a special leather-bound notebook for journaling? Must you have a fancy pen?<\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t have to be that deep,\u201d says Chertow.<\/p>\n The best journal is one you\u2019ll actually use, whether it\u2019s an elegant personalized diary or a simple notepad from a convenience store. You can also type out your thoughts on your phone or computer if that feels more comfortable.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat matters most is that it feels accessible to you,\u201d says Chertow.<\/p>\n Does paper feel too permanent? \u201cTry writing on a white board and erasing it afterwards,\u201d Nunes-Harwitt says.<\/p>\n There is no research that shows when or how often one should journal in order to experience the benefits. It boils down to personal preference.<\/p>\n \u201cJournaling, like yoga or meditation, is a practice,\u201d says Chertow. \u201cThe more you do it, the more you get out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n Consistency is more important than doing it every day, she says. She suggests starting small: \u201cSet a reminder in your calendar to put pen to paper for even just 5 minutes, a few times a week.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s normal for journaling frequency and volume to fluctuate over time, says Nunes-Harwitt. \u201cWrite things down when they feel pressing in your mind or body,\u201d she says. \u201cYou might write twice in a day and then not touch your journal for a week. You can write one sentence or three pages.\u201d<\/p>\n Experts emphasize that there is no \u201cwrong\u201d way to journal.<\/p>\n \u201cI love reflecting on a day I\u2019ve had \u2013 pulling out small moments and details, and then exploring the lived experience of them. How did they make me feel? What stood out?\u201d says Cherkow.<\/p>\n If that feels like too much, Cherkow suggests starting smaller, with a list. Write down a gratitude list, a to-do list \u2013 any sort will work. \u201cLists are easy, low-pressure ways to get pen to paper,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Journaling is an opportunity to be \u201ccompletely honest with yourself\u201d, says Pennebaker.<\/p>\n If there are topics you don\u2019t feel comfortable being honest about even with your best friend or therapist, writing can enable you to get more clear about what you feel and why.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re thinking about [an issue] too much and you keep coming back to it, that is a sign that writing could be a good step,\u201d says Pennebaker.<\/p>\n And if you come face to face with a blank page and realize you have nothing to say, you can simply incorporate that discomfort into your journaling process, Nunes-Harwitt says.<\/p>\n \u201cJournaling can bring up thoughts of how you are \u2018supposed to\u2019 or \u2018should\u2019 do things,\u201d she says. \u201cRather than fighting those thoughts, make them part of the process by writing down those negative messages.\u201d Doing so can help decrease their intensity.<\/p>\n Often, when people don\u2019t think journaling is for them, it\u2019s because they have internalized rules about what it should look like, Nunes-Harwitt says. So try keeping a journal around for a while, and write in it whenever you want and however you want.<\/p>\nWhat is journaling?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Why should you journal?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
How often should you journal?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
What should you journal about?<\/strong><\/h2>\n