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Journaling is one of my favorite ways to work through my emotions. In fact, it’s been proven to improve your mental health! So, here are my DOs and DONTs of emotional journaling.

The DONTs of Journaling

First of all, let’s start with the DONTs. There are a few things I DONT do when I’m journaling.

DONT #1

DONT journal for keeping a record of your day.

To me, keeping a record of your day is more of a diary. If that’s why you write, don’t do your feelings journal and historical diary in the same place.

If you want to keep it for others to look at, don’t write both of those in the same place.

DONT #2

DONT write for others to read.

When I look back at my feelings’ journals, I would never want another person to look at them because they’re incredibly personal.

Also, they’re not meant to be an accurate reflection of my life. They’re merely meant to be a space where I can unload.

So, DONT write for others to read. Just let it be a free place for your feelings.

DONT #3

DONT write for too long.

If you write for more than an hour, it’s possible that you can get stuck in your emotion and do more harm than good.

If you’re looking for a guide to help you work through your emotions, I made something to help you with that!

So make sure to limit yourself to an hour at the absolute most.

DONT #4

DONT judge yourself for what you write.

The more free you allow yourself to be, the more you’ll be able to discover about your emotions.

Here are a list of questions you can use while you’re journaling to process your emotions.

So, be as non-judgmental as you can when you write.

DONT #5

DONT process your emotions at bedtime.

Sometimes, you can get upset when you’re writing and get a burst of energy from your emotions, then it might be hard to sleep.

As someone who has struggled with sleeping, I take this rule pretty seriously. If you can relate, here are some tips to help you sleep.

So, try to write in the morning.

The DOs of Journaling

Now, let’s move onto the DOs!

DO #1

DO write like no one is reading. You can be as poetic, childish, silly or incoherent as you want!

Feelings don’t always make sense, so don’t obligate yourself to make it be a certain way. You can even draw what you’re feeling.

Let your journal be a place where you’re completely yourself. If you’re worried about privacy, destroy the pages you don’t want to be seen after you’re done writing them.

DO #2

DO write for at least 15 minutes, or 3 pages- whichever comes first.

Any less, and you might not get the mental health benefits out of it.

Also, it’s actually been proven that writing for 15 minutes every day helps improve your mental health! So, get that time in.

If you’re looking for tips on starting your own emotional health routine, I got you right here.

DO #3

Finally, DO find a pretty journal to write in, if that’s your thing.

If you find your journal aesthetically pleasing, you’re more likely to want to write in it. Decide if you like your pages lined or unlined. Personally, I like mine lined!

So, get yourself a nice journal that’s pretty, k?

Conclusion

Writing in your journal for emotions is proven to improve your mental health. It can also help you work through those heavy feelings. So, remember the DOs and DONTs of journaling for your emotions!