How Can Journaling Help You Manage Depression And Anxiety?

When dealing with depression or anxiety our thoughts become overwhelming. We are either stuck in events from the past or projecting our thoughts in fear, towards the future. In both cases, we find ourselves trapped in our minds, surrounded by an infinite number of thoughts loaded with a high negative emotional charge. Becoming aware and understanding this process, is the first step towards change. Discover how Journaling can help you fight depression and anxiety.

How can journaling help you?

While journaling, the simple act of expressing yourself by writing down your thoughts and emotions, unloads some of this overwhelming weight out of your mind.

Look at this as if you are figuratively moving these thoughts out of your head and onto paper, giving you have a different and clearer perspective over them.

Making this a daily practice will help you to spot the patterns, behaviors, and triggers of these worries, giving you the opportunity to come up with a plan to replace those limiting beliefs. Shifting your focus is the key to this process.

How to shift your focus?

Feelings of depression and anxiety often lead to comparison with other people, a sense of inferiority, and thoughts of lack and worry. Below, we listed 3 techniques to help you in this process.

1. Focus on Gratitude

The first step to change our minds from this negative state is to focus on the good things we already have in our lives. Focus on gratitude plays a major role in this chapter. As Tony Robbins said, “You can’t feel gratitude and fear at the same time“.

Start off your day writing down the things you are grateful for.

Program your mind from the very early hours of your day to focus on what really matters.

Truly embody and feel a sense of gratitude for the things you write down. Words alone are not as powerful as when mixed with emotion.

2. Write down your goals

Having a clear vision for your life and writing it down every day, will help you to move from a place of fear and worry to a place of focus and determination. See yourself accomplishing these goals as you write them down.

3. Use an Anchor Thought

Think of a thought that empowers you and lifts you up. It can be an image of yourself accomplishing your goals or a meaningful moment in your life.

Commit to any time a negative thought crosses your mind to use this thought as an anchor to shift your thinking and your state. Do this on a daily basis until it becomes automatic.

One other powerful exercise to help you build your confidence is to write down some of the most challenging experiences of your life, how you overcame them, and what you’ve learned from them.

As often is the case, you will realize that some of the most challenging moments you have been through, were the most empowering and life-changing ones. It will make you look at each situation as a chance to learn, grow, and overcome your limitations.

Make Journaling a daily practice. Use the tools and exercises that work best for you. For enhanced benefits,  combine this practice with other activities such as meditation, exercising, creative activities, and a balanced diet.

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