So, your journal isn’t working. Don’t worry. One of the most common reasons people say they don’t journal is that they tried it and nothing happened. If this is you, don’t “write off” (pun intended) journaling just because it didn’t immediately boost your mindset.
Reality check: wellness journaling is a skill.
When we say “there is no wrong way to journal”, that’s only half true. All journal prompts have their place. But, if you are looking for a specific outcome, you need to journal with intention. You might just be getting in your own way. Before you swear off journaling for good, check to see if you are getting in your own way.
The 3 Myths of Journaling
When it comes to journaling, there are three big myths. Most of these will block you from keeping a satisfying journal practice. Coincidentally, they also all deal with an “all or nothing” attitude.
The first step in improving your journal practice is looking out for these myths. Do you believe them? Really take the time to investigate why or why not.
Every Day or Nothing
Believe it or not, you can get pretty addicted to journaling. You might find yourself writing dozens of pages every day or obsessively writing that line-a-day no matter what. Behind this behavior is one simple myth: “If I don’t journal all the time, it doesn’t count”.
If you really want to boost your mindset with a journal, you can’t let it become a chore. Journaling isn’t the kind of thing you do out of obligation to your health like flossing or eating enough fiber. Instead, it should be a hobby fueled by self-compassion and curiosity.
Remember, consistency does NOT mean every day. Whatever schedule you set for yourself is a-okay.
“Good” Thoughts or Nothing
Another terrible journaling myth is that you can only ever have one emotion in your journal. When this happens, you either turn to toxic positivity or heavy self-criticism. Both options suck.
Journals are like mirrors; they can only reflect what you give. If you really want to journal well, you need to show it every part of you.
That means journaling gratitude lists AND doing shadow work. It also means defining your goals, venting, self-reflecting, gossiping, and more. Only then will you start to feel like your journal is working.
Well Said or Nothing
We all love a good journal story. It’s romantic to hear about your great-great-grandmother’s journal or the diary of a famous celebrity. Unfortunately, this often makes people believe that they have to write for an audience. As in, “Write this perfectly or don’t write it at all.”
You are not bad at journaling if you can’t figure out what you want to say or how you want to say it. That’s human. The good thing about journaling privately is that no one else can judge whether or not what you wrote made sense. In fact, that kind of censorship is exactly what stops your journal from helping you boost your mindset.
But Consistency *Still* Isn’t Working?
Once you’ve cleared out those journaling myths, there is still more you can do if your journal routine isn’t working.
First, let’s challenge the word “working”. If the only thing your journal ever gives you is a few minutes of rest, then it’s doing a good job. You are doing a good job.
Of course, that’s not what people mean when they say their journal isn’t working for them. It is exhausting when nothing happens. We all have goals for ourselves and our journals – why wouldn’t you want to see progress?
Below, you’ll find some journaling tips to boost your mindset. As simple as they are, we can all use a healthy reminder now and again. Use these whenever you feel your journal is stuck in a rut.
Health Comes First
Eat. Hydrate. Shower. Sleep.
If you haven’t taken care of those 4 major needs – now is not the time to journal. You cannot expect yourself to journal well on an empty stomach. Between your basic bodily needs and journaling, your body should always be the top choice. Actually, your journal depends on it!
Did you know that Maslow borrowed much of his theory from the Blackfoot Nation? In their culture, the pyramid is actually a tipi that reaches towards the sky. This model is also flipped. Unlike the western perspective, self-actualization is actually the base of a large goal, “cultural perpetuity”. Basically, the work begins with knowing who you are and ends with knowing how to support your community best.
This is the sweet spot of journaling. The Blackfoot Nation perspective reminds us that self-growth is a tool to inspire and influence a better world. There is no better test to see if your journal is “working”. How’s that for a boost to your mindset?
The Worst Self Critic
Recent studies have shown that your brain believes you. When you list out all of your strengths and dream up positive affirmations, it believes you. And of course, when you jokingly or seriously put yourself down, it believes you too.
Insulting yourself or 3 straight journal pages is not shadow work and it certainly isn’t wellness journaling. No matter what your journaling goals are, you need better self-confidence. Only then will you trust yourself enough to truly experiment and be vulnerable in your journal.
Psst. The trick is finding compassion for yourself.
But it’s the Worlds That’s Wrong!
Fact: no amount of journaling can cure capitalism, racism, sexism, etc. Sometimes the problem isn’t you. Whenever you start to feel overwhelmed that your journal “isn’t working”, ask yourself this very fair question:
How much of this problem is in my control?
If your answer is “not much”, then you can’t expect your journal to fix it either. There is no way to boost your mindset completely when that nagging issue isn’t your fault. In that case, use your journal to vent. Anger is allowed! Grief is allowed! You and your genuine feelings are allowed!
Sure, it might feel stale some days. But that feeling is also a part of the process. However you feel, your journal will be your number one co-conspirator.
Denial is Not Just a River
Almost every journaler I have ever talked to mentions this phenomenon. You *know* that something isn’t right, but you can only seem to write about how great life is. Literally no judgment. We all do it!
Hot take, sometimes you need to write a few denial journal prompts before you can get to the truth. Life can get raw and scary. There is no reason to pick at the wound if you aren’t ready. Leave that unpacking work to your therapist.
But there is a catch. Your journal won’t work if you don’t tell the truth. If you are noticing that “everything is fine” but you still feel a bit annoyed at your journal…there’s probably something more going on. Again, no pressure. Just know that resentment is a warning siren. It can help you figure out what is at the root of your issue. And yes, I promise the problem isn’t your journal.
Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda
Out of all the words in the world, there are 3 you really need to look out for in your journal: “should”, “could”, and “would”. 9 times out of 10, these words mean you are more focused on what isn’t than what is. You cannot boost your mindset if you don’t acknowledge what you are actually experiencing.
There are many things you may try to wish away with those 3 magic words. Maybe you want to live in a world where you did everything you “should”. Another common wish is to have other people do everything they “could” to help you. If only you “would” stop getting in your own way.
See how none of those thoughts actually process the emotions you are feeling right now? It’s not like you can’t ever use these words in your journal. Just be careful. If your journal isn’t changing anything, look back to see if you’ve actually been writing about reality.
