How To Keep A Mental Health Journal – Since bullet magazine started a few years ago, a lot has changed and developed along the way. To begin with, I was an advocate of minimalism, only seeing the gray highlighter when I really wanted something to pop! Now I can’t seem to make a flyer without it looking like a shirt shop across the page (in a functional, coordinated way of course!). However, one thing has remained constant, and that is the positive impact bullet journaling has had on my mental health. In the same way that my style has changed, I started bullet journaling initially for organizational purposes, but it has now become an important part of my mental health practice. After living with clinical anxiety for almost 10 years, I have developed a good coping mechanism and a bullet journal has become a very effective staple in my care routine.
I’m going to share five ways you can journal to take care of your mental well-being and how I use these techniques to help on my journey with mental health issues.
How To Keep A Mental Health Journal
Getting your thoughts out of your head and onto paper is an extremely effective way to relieve stress and anxiety. Taking your thoughts and writing them down on paper has the same effect as talking to someone. It allows you to process your thoughts and feelings, when you think about what is really going on there! Seeing it physically on paper also gives you a chance to go back to your thoughts and solve some problems when you’re in a better frame of mind.
Ways To Bullet Journal To Benefit Your Mental Health
I use my bullet journal for reflective journaling, like keeping a journal. I create weekly news and at the end of the day I share my thoughts and feelings. I split a page for about three days, to avoid the pressure of filling an entire blank page. You can also use it for a “to do” list, or a “brain dump”, an easy place to write things down, knowing they are there to look at later.
Mood tracking is a great way to get a very quick check-in with yourself on a daily basis. It gives you a chance to stop, think and write down how you feel inside. I use a very simple graphical method, where the days of the month are counted below, and my mood is marked from very low to very happy with smileys (very confusing…). The reason I use such a simple graphic method is that when I’m really low it’s easy to pick up a pen and point, without having to think too much about anything. I can also see trends on specific days, or in a flow of days. The graph also gives me space to write down what I might feel really bad about or feel really happy about. For example, I can write ‘insomnia’ next to a low day, so that in the future I know to prioritize my 8 hours of sleep, or write ‘went for coffee with a good friend’. holiday, so I know to do it often.
Along with my mood tracker, I keep a simple habit tracker and for days I complete each habit I track. I track things like exercise, morning routine, medications, hydration, etc. Choosing good habits that we know will benefit our health and well-being is hard to do in a busy life, so tracking my progress keeps me motivated. Again, I can see examples of missing days like, or correlations between low days in my mood, and whether missing out on good habits has affected my mental health.
A Workout For Your Mental Health
One thing I would caution against is using this as a tool to beat yourself up. Some days, even days at a time, I can’t track anyone, especially if I’m too busy or depressed. It’s good to have those empty spaces – just as long as you can get back to it.
These are my favorite type of spread to make – the ‘Pick me up’ spread. Just make a spreadsheet that includes a selection of activities you can do when you’re feeling low or stressed, that you know are effective in improving your mental state. To create these spreads, I use my mood tracker notes to gather ideas for things that I know work for me when I’m anxious or stressed, and I label them with a piece of paper or washi tape. . , so that they can see easily. Things like; go for a walk, journal, stay hydrated, pray, talk to someone you trust, etc. To take them one step further, you can list these ideas in order of least successful. You can also include motivational quotes and sayings as emotional boosters in your weekly newsletters.
The great thing about this method is that you can completely customize it. What works for me may not work for you. For example, my faith is a big part of my life that helps me a lot, so I include Bible verses throughout my spread. Maybe your thing is poetry or music, write a few words or lines from your favorite poem. This spread is also an opportunity for you to unleash your creativity if you are so inclined. Which brings me to my next bujo method…
Wellbeing Support During Covid 19 — Park Primary School
When you think of mindfulness, you might think of sitting cross-legged in meditation, reading an adult coloring book, or closing your eyes and eating a cookie like you really mean it!
Mindfulness is an effective way to relieve stress and anxiety. All that is required is to be fully present, aware of where you are and what you are doing, without allowing the mind to be active or judgmental. It basically means being completely immersed and focused on your surroundings or activity so your mind doesn’t wander a hundred miles an hour away from where you are or what you’re doing.
You can be gentle with just about anything, including bullet journals. Bullet journaling is one activity I can do that completely clears my mind of worries, because I’m so focused on what I’m doing. If you’re anything like me and like to get artsy, take the time to highlight, use washi stickers, stickers or paint and get creative with your flyers. If your aesthetic is minimal, you can get creative with bullet journal content; try gratitude journals, write songs or poems, or learn calligraphy techniques.
How To Bullet Journal For Mental Health: 19 Page Ideas
I always told myself, if the fun of bullet journals is going to diminish, or become a chore, then I have to change something! Bullet Journaling is so fun and sustainable because it’s completely customizable and it can evolve with you.
Bullet Journal in a way you will enjoy. If you’re a minimalist, enjoy your unique gray highlighter and black pen; If you are a sticker geek, enjoy stickers; if you enjoy doodling and painting, include that in your flyers! Enjoy what you do, because doing something you enjoy is a surefire way to improve your mental well-being!
Bullet journaling has been a wonderful system, not only for staying organized, but for helping me track my mental health and well-being. Whether you’re looking after your overall mental health or dealing with more serious mental health issues like anxiety or depression, there are many ways using a bullet journal can help you maintain and improve your sense of well-being. It may involve implementing skills learned in therapy, such as mindfulness, or a special journal to get your thoughts down on paper only. Try some of these techniques, find out what might work for you, improve as you go, and have fun!
Building Better Mental Health
Temi Manning, also known as Live Mail Plans, is a software and lifestyle influencer from the UK. She creates digital content on Instagram and YouTube about journaling, planning, wellness and faith. Temi started sharing her creative passion on Instagram in 2017. Since then, she has started a small business called Living Letter Designs, selling wall art and gifts, and working with various brands to create lifestyle content. In addition, Temi works part-time in digital marketing for a charity in the UK and also writes features for various religious blogs and software. Bullet Journal Anxiety Management: Part One Jul 9, 2017 Now: Creative Learning on Skillshare + Download Code Jul 30, 2017
Following on from the mental health thing, I was immediately drawn to Lili’s posts on the Bullet Journal Junkies Facebook group – it was such a thoughtful way to use bullet journals as a way to manage and nurture mental health. I had to share that wisdom with the rest of us!
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Ways To Prioritize Your Mental Health Today
I first learned about the Bullet Journal system in early 2016, when