Journaling: An Effective Way to Release Emotions

My best friend passed away when I was 21. Since then, I’ve gotten into the habit of journaling whenever my heart is heavy.

Right now, I’m doing the same through heartbreak and it’s healing me. I’ve found the comfort journalling provided me with when my best friend died — you can too.

Research shows journaling helps reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how journaling is an effective way of releasing any emotion you might be battling with:

Let it out

“Journaling is paying attention to the inside for the purpose of living well from the inside out.” — Lee Wise

With emotions, it is necessary to not attach and identify yourself with them, but let go. Easier said than done, I know. The normal response to any overpowering emotion is followed by shouting, screaming or crying. But you can also write away your pain…

By journaling, I allow my fingers to tell me how I feel. I write and let it out. This is because I see emotions as visitors; something vital in coping with feelings.

I don’t think, I just write.

It’s like all my emotions flood out and find their new home on paper.

The research shows journalling is a good way of identifying your stressors, so once you’re done with the details…

Read over it

“Journaling is like whispering to one’s self and listening at the same time.” — Mina Murray

Now is your time to listen — the enlightening stage. Sometimes we feel off or our heart is heavy, and we can’t seem to pinpoint why (welcome to the woman’s world!).

That’s where journaling provides an effective way to release and tap into your emotions. Enter into a state of listening to yourself attentively and look at your words with foreign eyes.

I tend to read my words over as if I haven’t seen them before — it aids my emotions to be detached and drained within an instant. Reading over the scribbles of your emotional state of mind may just help you…

Identify the problem

“A journal is your completely unaltered voice.” — Lucy Dacus

Due to the fact, journalling is your untethered soul letting out what it wants with no restraints, makes it an effective way to release emotions. Once you’ve written and read over your thoughts, a problem, realization or even resolution might set in.

For me, a problem will become clearer when journaling. Then I decide to do something about it, rather than keep it in.

Journaling is like a problem page.

I’m not saying that journaling will be the answer to all your inner suffering, but it might just lead you to encounter what has been heavy on your heart. It has for me once before and is again.

A journal is for you to fill with the breathings of your heart. Afterwards, you can breathe in and out by identifying your problem as a chance to provide an opportunity to…

Practice positive self-talk

“The starting point of discovering who you are, your gifts, your talents, your dreams, is being comfortable with yourself. Spend time alone. Write in a journal.” — Robin Sharma

Demeaning self-talk is a product of feeling battered down by endless emotions. The self-talk will send you crazy if you don’t do something about it like journaling.

After writing, reading and identifying what’s going on, then give yourself time to give thanks. I sometimes don’t think journaling is ‘worth it’ until I do it.

I notice how taking the time out to sit down and be still (and not meditate!), strengthens my soul and gets me back on track. I am proud when I hesitate at relaying my anger on somebody else, and rather write it down to stop feeling down.

In conclusion

Journaling is an effective way to release emotions and realize your worth; that’s what it’s made me feel during grief and heartache.

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