L360’s Evelyn Richards unlocks the power of writing, a path to clarity and emotional wellbeing.
In today’s fast-paced world, finding ways to unwind, reflect and process emotions is more important than ever.
One increasingly popular method for achieving this balance is journalling.
Whether you’re scribbling down thoughts in a notebook or using voice memos to verbalise feelings, journalling is a personal tool that allows you to slow down, reflect, and make sense of the thoughts swirling in your mind.
Grab a notebook, open a recording app, and start exploring your inner world today.
What is journalling?
Journalling is the simple practice of recording your thoughts, feelings and experiences, often with the intent to process and understand them.
It’s a deeply personal form of self-expression that can take many forms. Some people use traditional pen and paper, while others prefer digital formats like typing on a computer, using journalling apps, or even making voice notes.
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The beauty of journalling is that there are no strict rules. You can write every day or once a week, and your entries can be as short or as long as you like. Some might document daily life events, and some may explore emotions or ideas in depth, and others may focus on gratitude; the practice of writing down things – big or small – that you are thankful for in your life. Taking the time to acknowledge the positives can help change your mindset.
What are the different types of journalling?
There are various ways to approach journalling, depending on what you’re hoping to achieve. Here are a few ideas to inspire you:
Gratitude:
Focus on writing down things you’re thankful for each day, no matter how small. It could be a delicious meal, a kind gesture from a friend, or simply enjoying a sunny day.
Reflective:
This style encourages you to look back on your day, week, or a particular event and reflect on what you learned or felt. It’s especially helpful for processing emotions or making sense of personal challenges.
Stream of consciousness:
Just write whatever comes to mind. This is a great method for clearing mental clutter and getting thoughts out of your head.
Goal-oriented:
Use your journal to set and track personal or professional goals. Writing down your aspirations helps keep you accountable and focused.
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Creative:
Some people blend their thoughts with creative expression, such as drawing, writing poetry, or even pasting inspiring images or quotes.
Tracking:
For this one mindset and mindfulness coach Claire Renee Thomas from Reaching My Best explains: “It can be useful for women in particular to track their cycles.
“Whether it’s for conception or to monitor perimenopausal symptoms tracking your cycle, your mood, sleep and eating patterns can provide you with useful insight.”
What are the benefits of journalling?
Claire tells me: “Researchers believe that writing about the events in our lives can help us process the events. This can have physical and psychological benefits.”
She says that the act of writing something down can help to release the energy or emotion from an event from within our bodies.
“Unprocessed events are like rocks in a stream that stop the flow of energy in your body,” she says. “At some point these rocks start to get in the way and impact our physical or mental wellbeing. Journalling is a quick, cheap, low maintenance way to remove the rocks.
“When our energy flows well we feel alive, fulfilled and experience joy.”
Journalling prompts
Writer’s block?
Claire says: “My favourite prompt is to write down three things that I am grateful for. Some days that is really easy and other days it feels harder — and that’s OK.
“I like the prompts that ask you to look at how you feel because this is something that we’ve got out of the habit of doing. It can make us stop and reflect on the events of the day and their impact on us. This can provide valuable self-insight.”
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Here are 10 journalling prompts to inspire self-reflection and growth:
- What is one challenge I’ve recently overcome, and how did it change me?
- What does happiness mean to me, and how can I create more of it in my life?
- What are three things I’m proud of today?
- What is one fear holding me back, and how can I begin to face it?
- Who in my life brings me the most joy, and why?
- What is a personal goal I’d like to achieve this year, and what steps can I take to get there?
- How do I recharge when I feel overwhelmed or stressed?
- What is something I’ve learned about myself recently?
- How do I define success, and is my definition aligned with what I’m currently pursuing?
- What would I do differently if I had no fear of judgment from others?
‘I tried journalling for a month — here’s what I thought’
I used The Shine Your Light Journal (£22.99), a stunning black journal with gold-sprayed edges. As well as daily observations, reflections and gratitude practice, it has spaces dedicated to tracking sleep, food, menstrual and lunar cycles.
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When I first started journalling, I had big aspirations of writing in my journal every day. I imagined using my daily commute to build a would be a serene, whimsical, meditative experience — spilling my thoughts onto the page with ease.
But the reality? I would often forget to do it, especially on busy days. The call of a TikTok binge or a particularly un-put-downable book would be too loud to ignore.
Sometimes, days would go by before I remembered to open my journal again.
However, when I spoke to Claire, she said this is totally fine.
“Of course it’s OK to forget a day. Ther’is no one but yourself to ‘judge’ what you write or how often you write.
“Starting new habits can be really hard so the best way to build them is to make them really small and tag each onto another habit.”
I realised that the pressure to journal every day wasn’t necessary for it to be beneficial. Journalling became a tool I could turn to whenever I needed it, whether it was daily or sporadically.
Over time, I grew more consistent, but I also embraced the idea that even on the days I missed, the act of returning to my journal was still a meaningful practice. Journalling doesn’t have to be perfect — it just has to work for you.
The key is finding a method that works for you, without putting too much pressure on how often or how perfectly you do it.
Whether you’re jotting down daily reflections, pouring your heart out in a stream-of-consciousness rant, or recording your thoughts with a voice note, journalling provides a space for you to connect with yourself in a meaningful way.
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Voice noting: a journalling alternative for verbal processors
For those who find writing difficult or prefer to express their thoughts out loud, voice noting is an excellent alternative form of journalling.
Voice noting involves recording your thoughts, emotions, or reflections verbally rather than writing them down. For many people, speaking out loud feels more natural, and it can be a quicker way to process emotions.
Much like traditional journalling, voice noting offers a private space to vent, reflect and think deeply. It’s especially beneficial for those who find their emotions flow more easily through speech or who may struggle with sitting still long enough to write. Plus, it’s convenient — you can record a voice note while you’re driving, walking, or even lying in bed.
Personally, when I’m feeling overwhelmed and don’t have the energy to sit down and write, voice noting has been a wonderful alternative.
Just speaking my thoughts aloud helps me untangle my feelings and often leads to insights I wouldn’t have reached otherwise. There’s something freeing about verbalising your emotions and hearing them back — it’s like having a conversation with yourself.
