Journaling is an effective self management tool because it encourages mindfulness.

Below you will find a collection of short mindfulness questions and activities you may wish to complete in your journal. Each one is aimed at mental health development and maintenance by encouraging acknowledgement, acceptance, and personal growth.

Life assessment – write down a list of everything you have to be grateful for. Write down your best qualities and your best features. Write down the people you feel close too who make you feel good. Write down what you own. Write down your biggest comforts and luxuries. Write down your sentimental memories with those people and possessions you’ve listed. When you have finished writing, smile. Allow yourself a moment of guilt free thanks and gratitude.

Investigative statement flow chart… try not to go too deep with this activity. It is best used for day to day contemplation rather than traumatic events unless you have the support of a therapist.

Something happened (start writing the event you have to contemplate)…. It made me feel (how did it make you feel)… I think it happened because (write down the various perspectives and any build up happenings)… my role in it was (hold yourself accountable)… I can do this next time to change the outcome… finish by concluding with a sensible plan of action to adjust the outcome.

100 Lines. Write 100 lines of things you are happy about, sad about, excited for, would like to do/try. Keep each scentence to one or two lines. If there aren’t enough on the list to reach 100 lines, rewrite the most significant ones, or else the whole list until 100 lines are filled. If you wrote a list of things you feel bad about, it’s all the more important to see this as an opportunity to act… apologise or else forgive where applicable. In the event that a cathartic release hasn’t been attained, consider if the depth of sadness requires you to seek additional support.

Write letters you may never send. Express yourself freely addressing people you want to speak to. Tell them all you wish you could say. You don’t have to identify them directly, especially if the message is more broad, just write until you’ve said your piece.

Perspective shifts. When you are experiencing something, write down what you feel and how you went through it. Once you’ve done that, write how another person involved might have felt or experienced the event too. You can do this for as many people as necessary. It may help to resolve anger and tension where arguments have taken place.

Doodle and daydream for a peaceful moment of escape. Maybe search youtube for “how to draw…” and give it a go yourself. The activity allows you time to relax and suspend thinking about anything else… because you’re in a state of redirected concentration. You may also develop your drawing skills while making your journal more interesting for your eyes.

Mood monitoring! Write down every day of the month and draw the appropriate number of boxes or shapes. Create a colour code or pattern key for a bad, neutral, and good day. Each night take a few seconds to colour in the code. If your mood dips and you can see it, you will know when to seek comfort or support. More elaborate keys include having high vs low anxiety days, feeling positive or negative, goals completed/some goals completed/ no goals completed etc.

There are literally hundreds of activities but it would cause this collection to be excessive. Follow us for future posts packed with activities and ideas for your own mindful journal.