About the Podcast Episode

Ever try (and fail) to make journaling a habit? There’s so much research showing how beneficial journaling is for our mental health and well-being, but why is it so hard to do? This episode shares 3 reasons why you might be struggling to journal. Listen in to overcome these obstacles so you can start journaling regularly and begin experiencing all the benefits that come from this awesome practice with the page!

Blog Post Version of the Episode

Research has shown time and time again that journaling is a powerful tool for improving mental health and well-being.

It helps us:

Reduce anxiety by helping us express our thoughts and feelings
Reduce overwhelm by decluttering our minds and dumping our worries on paper
Process painful experiences by giving us the space to write down what happened
Come to realizations of how our past is influencing our present — sometimes in negative ways — because reflecting and writing things down helps us to see patterns and make connections.

This is just scratching the surface of what journaling can do for your mental health and well-being.

I know for me personally, it saved my life when I was at my lowest point — completely depressed, numb, and disassociated from myself.

I never would have realized how bad I was feeling, and I never would have pursued therapy and medication, if it wasn’t for journaling.

So, if there’s so many benefits to journaling, why don't we all do it more often?

Well, one of the things I remind my coaching clients over and over again is that having more information about the benefits of something isn’t what motivates us to take consistent action or develop helpful habits.

It might motivate us for a little while, but it doesn’t last.

A big part of building habits in your life has less to do with knowledge of the habit, and more to do with knowing what is getting in your way — your unique obstacles and challenges.

And this can only be done through — you guessed it — developing self-awareness through journaling, and also talking through things!

So, journaling is really a cornerstone tool that you need in your mental health toolbox that makes the rest of your self-care journey so much easier because whenever you find yourself struggling to stick with a new habit you’re trying to build, you can use the tool of journaling to discover and work through the obstacles that are getting in your way.

So, without further ado, let’s get into the three reasons why you are struggling to make journaling a habit.

#1: You are romanticizing it.

Listen, I love an aesthetic journaling video just as much as the next person, but those videos are not real life!

They are pretty to look at, but to expect yourself to have the perfect setting, with the perfect beverage, with the perfect journal and pen, etc. before you allow yourself to journal — you’re never going to journal!

Perfection, especially for us moms, does not exist.

And it’s something I see constantly getting in the way of my clients taking action on the thing they want to do so that they can actually experience the benefits of that practice.

Journaling is a tool! That’s it. It’s a tool.

It’s not a romantic exercise that requires a luxurious setting and perfect serenity surrounding you.

If anything, my life-saving journaling moments occurred while my kids had the “Little Baby Bum” TV show blasting in the background because that was the only thing that would occupy my 2-year-old and my 6-month-old long enough for me to scribble down my thoughts on some printer paper.

If I waited for things to be perfect, I never would have journaled, and I don’t know where I’d be now if I didn’t pick it back up during that time of my life because I was so lost and depressed, and it was on the page that I was able to realize how much I was suffering and made the step-by-step decisions each week to get the help I needed.

So, start thinking of journaling simply as a tool — nothing more.

All you need is paper and something to write with. That’s it.

#2: You are trying to journal a certain way instead of responding to what you need.

The Artist’s Way is a popular journaling method that suggests that you write 3 pages of stream of consciousness every day.

Then, there are other influencers telling you to write just one page.

Long story short, everyone has an opinion about how you should journal, and we get stuck trying to do it the “right way” or the way someone we saw online is doing it.

This is where you have to let your perfectionistic trauma response go. Trying to be perfect with how you journal is holding you back.

Instead, think of journaling as meeting whatever need you have at that moment.

Some days, I feel overwhelmed by everything I have to do, so journaling that day is me making a list of everything that overwhelms me and taking action on the first doable thing so that I can feel less overwhelmed.

Other days, I feel like I’m not doing enough, so journaling that day is me writing down all things I’ve accomplished in my day, week, month, or life — depending on what I feel I need to reflect on in that moment.

And some days, I just feel like my feelings are a jumbled mess and I’m really angry, and on those days, I am cursing and fuming on the page, dropping f-bombs and angry words until I feel calmer because I’ve safely released my pain on a page where there’s no talking back and no judgment.

Your journaling practice gets to be whatever you need it to be.

It gets to change every single day.

It’s a safe place where you get to ask yourself, “How am I feeling today? What do I need” and you get to respond to that question on the page, which helps you get closer and closer to meeting your needs in real life.

In short, the right way to journal is the way that makes you feel most supported on that given day.

#3: The blank page overwhelms you, and you think that using journal prompts is cheating.

If you’re not a regular journal-er, it’s understandable if the blank page overwhelms you.

Not everyone finds it easy to start writing from nothing — and that is okay!

This is where starting with a question — like using journal prompts — can be so helpful.

Remember, if you make a habit easy to do you’re more likely to do it. It’s brain-hacking at its finest.

Using journal prompts to help you journal is one of the best ways to make journaling easier.

I use the below journal prompts in my monthly Coaching & Community Calls to help my clients set their self-care and boundary-setting intentions for the month ahead.

The prompts are:

How are you doing mentally, emotionally, and physically?
What type of self-care do you need most right now to support you through whatever you're going through? (think: Basic, Boring, Brilliant, Bougie from the 4B Self-Care Framework©).
What boundaries do you need to free up time and energy for your self-care? (think: decrease, delete, delegate from the 3D Boundary-Setting Framework).

If you want these journal prompts sent to you every Sunday, subscribe to my weekly letter, I link to these prompts in every email I send so that you can be reminded to journal and set your intentions.

The No Longer Last Journey™ Podcast

Personal stories, inspiration, and advice to help moms prioritize their health, happiness, and well-being — hosted by Mia Hemstad.

Hi there, I’m Mia Hemstad!

I’m a mom, abuse survivor, self-care coach, and the founder of The No Longer Last Journey™ — a movement to empower mothers to make their health, happiness, and well-being a priority.
I’m also a maternal mental health policy advocate, and I live with PTSD and depression.
I love helping moms make their health, happiness, and well-being a priority!

If you’re ready to start your No Longer Last Journey™, here’s how I can help you!

4B Self-Care Framework© [Free Guide]: A great way to get started on your self-care journey, this guide provides an easy-to-use framework that makes self-care actually supportive rather than another burden on your to-do list. Get the Guide →
Rituals that Replenish Workshop [one-time payment of $50]: This DIY 3-hour workshop (1 hour per week) will help you get to know your true wants and needs and will help you develop the habit of practicing one self-care ritual in your daily life. Learn More →
The No Longer Last Journey™ Coaching Program [$75 a month for 12 months or a one-time payment of $750]: This 12-month program includes monthly coaching & community calls, classes, reflection guides, and weekly self-care reminders to help you overcome obstacles, improve your self-worth, and make self-care a sustainable and supportive part of your life. Learn More →