Do you ever feel like your life is just one hectic day after the next? Sometimes, it feels impossible to take care of yourself in a meaningful way. It’s easy to put off self-care for when things are better or until we have more time. But what if I told you that there was an easier way?
That’s right! I’m going to show you how to write and keep a self-care journal so that even on the busiest days, you can find some peace and release stress by writing down what matters most.
Why Self Care Matters?
This section will explore what self-care means from an emotional standpoint and provide tips for managing our overall mental state. It also includes ways to be mindful about taking time out for yourself when you are feeling stressed.
Self-care is a huge buzzword these days – but what does it really mean? The dictionary defines self-care as “looking after oneself or one’s personal needs in order to maintain physical health and emotional well being.”
Essentially, this means that you’re taking time for yourself – through activities like writing down your thoughts, spending some quality time with friends and family members, going on walks outside of your office building (or home), reading a book instead of checking email first thing in the morning…all the things that make us feel good about ourselves!
Self-care also includes looking at how we manage stress levels so that they don’t get out of control. It can be hard to find ways to do all those things under pressure, but it’s important to carve out some time for ourselves because we deserve it!
What are the benefits of keeping a self care journal?
Keeping track of what you do every day can help remind you that there is still good in your world, even when life feels like one hectic day after another.
It also provides an outlet to talk about everything on your mind without feeling judged and helps get those thoughts off your chest so they do not weigh us down.
Keeping a self-care journal may be just what you need to ensure that every day isn’t just surviving – but thriving!
How To Write In A Way That Promotes Wellbeing (Instead Of Bringing On More Stress)
It’s hard these days to find time to do anything for ourselves – which is why we may be tempted to avoid self-care altogether. But that’s not an option! We need to make sure our mental health isn’t suffering in silence and that we’re taking the steps necessary to promote wellbeing instead of bringing on more stress.
In this section, you’ll find some helpful tips for writing about yourself:
- Use positive language when describing your thoughts and feelings
- Start sentences with “I feel… because…” or “This is true for me when . .” This can make it easier to be honest and open about what you’re feeling, without judgment.
- Keep a balance of all areas of your life – physical activity routines, mindfulness exercises, special moments with friends and family members. It’s ok to write about your stresses and limits in the same journal as you do all of these things.
- Don’t forget to include how you feel physically as well as emotionally
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What To Include In Your Journal?
This section covers mindfulness exercises, physical activity routines, or special moments with friends and family members. We even have some full sample pages at the end!
Examples of what to include in your journal:
Mindfulness Exercises
When was the last time you took a few moments to close your eyes and focus on your breath? The point of this exercise is not to clear our minds but rather to bring attention back where it’s needed – your body. Spending just three minutes focusing on one word at a time, can be a great way to clear your mind and start the day with more intention.
Meditation doesn’t have to be perfect, you just have to show up
Physical Activity Routines
Exercise is so important for staying healthy! It’s also an outlet where you don’t have to worry about judging yourself – because it feels good! Just make sure that whatever exercise routine you choose doesn’t cause injury or pain.
Special Moments With Friends And Family Members
We all need that one person in our lives who we can be 100% ourselves around. Where being vulnerable is the norm and not a scary thing to do! This is because it’s so important for us to invest time into relationships even when life gets busy. It’s worth it to take the time!
What you’re grateful for
Include everything you can think of. Both big things like “I’m so lucky I was able to spend today reading a book” as well as small things like the taste of your favourite snack
What you’re looking forward to
What keeps you excited? Whatever the big milestone is, include it in your journal.
Difficult moments
Feel free to talk about difficult moments(but not for too long) and how you handled them. It’s important to remember that difficult moments are inevitable, but they don’t have power over us if we know what steps we took in response to the obstacles.
What to keep in mind for your self-care journal
Don’t judge yourself for feeling bad or anything you’ve done. This is what your self-care journal is for – to help the process, not make things worse!
This might be the only time you take some “me” time and reveal your thoughts and feelings without judgment from anyone else during the day. That’s what makes self-care so important.
Write in whatever form that feels the most natural to you! This is a great way to get creative. Do something different with your thoughts while also taking time for yourself. It can be helpful to find ways of writing that feel good to you. Write for as long or a short a time period as feels comfortable.
If you’re doing something for the first time, make sure not to go too fast (or it will feel like torture). Be aware that self-care is also taking care of ourselves emotionally and physically, so don’t neglect one area for another. And if there’s anything else on your mind that needs processing but doesn’t seem to fit into one category? Include it anyways!
Tips For Keeping Up With Your Self-care Journal
This section covers tips and suggestions for how to keep up with your journal. It is important to be aware that this self-care practice does take time. Here are some things to consider:
Start of the Day
Start each day with a few minutes of sitting and writing, for however long you need to. This can be both before bed and in the morning – whatever time is most convenient for your schedule. Some people like starting their mornings. Others prefer using it at night because they want to process emotions from that day.
Frequency
For most people, it’s best to try and write at least every few days as a minimum. Some prefer writing each day for several minutes. Others like writing when they have time during the week (like on vacation). It all depends on personal preference! The important thing is that you’re conscious of your self-care and doing what feels best for you.
Journaling Style
For some people, this self-care practice can feel like a chore because it’s something they have to “force themselves” to do when really there are other things they would rather be doing (and may end up skipping it altogether).
One way of decreasing this feeling is to try and journal with a friend, where you help each other be more accountable for the practice. You can also choose when it’s best for both of you so that one person doesn’t have the responsibility of always being available while the other get time for themselves.
Length
Try not to force yourself to write for a long time or journal for more than you’re comfortable with. If something needs to be processed and it doesn’t seem like it will fit in the other categories? Just include it anyways! This is your journal – do what feels best for you.
Tools
Journals can come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, and colours. Some people prefer using a notebook, while others like to use their phones or tablets. There is no right way or wrong way of doing this! You might want to try making your journal something you bring with you throughout the day, for when those quiet moments happen as well as in times where we need self-care more than ever (like after trauma).
Sample Pages for Your Self-care Journal
This section includes some sample pages from a completed self-care journal – for inspiration! After you’ve finished reading these samples, you can scroll down and write your own entry in the comment section below.
One: My Favorite Thing About Today
I didn’t think I would be able to do this today, but I did it anyway and felt so proud of myself for finishing something that scared me. It was really hard at first because my mind kept racing with the usual “what ifs,” but I just kept reminding myself that it will be okay, and I knew that this was the right thing to do.
Two: My Goal for This Week
I want to try meditating every day next week, even though I’ve never done it before! It’s hard when my mind is so busy and I have a lot of anxiety, but I think this would be really helpful for me.
Three: My Favorite Part of Today
I’m going to dinner with one of my best friends tonight, which will help make the day go by so much faster! We both don’t know each other’s schedules too well anymore because we’ve been so busy lately, and it’s nice to have a starting point for our conversation.
Four: What I Need to do This Week
I know that my goals will be harder with the holidays coming up, but I need to prioritize exercise this week because I want to feel confident! It’s just as important during winter as during summer, and I need to keep in mind that this might not be the healthiest time of year for me.
Five: My Favorite Memory of Today
My favourite memory from today is when my friend’s cat came to visit, and I got to take a nap with it. It was so sweet because she knew that I needed time for myself too!
Six: What Helps Me Feel Better
When I’m feeling really sad or anxious, my cat helps so much! There’s something about how they always know just when you’re upset or had a bad day, and they’ll curl up with you to keep you company. I love how affectionate my cat is even though I don’t have much time for her lately, so it’s nice that when she comes over. There are no limits on the treats!
Seven: What Causes Me Stress
I need to find more time for myself this week, which will be hard because of everything that’s already on my plate. I’m in the middle of planning a holiday party at work and should have started it weeks ago, but they’re just wasn’t time!
Eight: My Favorite Quote
“Sometimes you’ll never know what could have been, and it’s better that way.”
-George Lamming
Putting It All Together And Celebrating Ourselves!
What should we do with our self-care journal after it’s been completed? The answer depends on what type of person you are. Some people might feel the need to finish their journal and then move onto a new one. Others will want to keep looking back at old entries to remember what they’ve been through.
You can decide for yourself which is best. It’s important not to let our journal become overwhelming and focus on the positives as much as possible!
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