Journaling - what is it good for?
I’m so glad you asked!
I don’t claim to be an expert, but I do know a thing or two, since I’ve been journaling for 41 years. Yes, I still have my journals from 1981!
In this post I’ll share those decades of wisdom with you. We’ll talk about what journaling is, the benefits of journaling, how to get started, and how to make it more accessible for those of us with ADHD.
What Is Journaling?
The dictionary defines a journal as “a record of experiences, ideas, or reflections kept regularly for private use.”
When I chat with folks about journaling, I always try to emphasize that there are no rules to journaling. Journaling is as unique as you are! You do it however you want to.
That said, what most people think of when they hear the word “journaling” is writing about your thoughts and experiences, usually to increase self-awareness. We spend most of our lives whizzing through our days. There is precious little time to self-reflect, to gain self-awareness, to make changes, and live the most fulfilling and satisfying life we can. Journaling is one of the strategies that many ADHD people find helpful for self-reflection.
In a presentation on journaling, I remember hearing the phrase, “Direct the rage to the page.” Journals are a productive way to vent; a cathartic way to spill feelings and thoughts on the page.
Some people prefer to journal about their experiences, while others may choose fiction or poetic ways to express themselves. Some have a set number of pages to complete in one day; others “jot a thought” daily.
In short - journaling is whatever you want or need it to be. There is no right or wrong way to journal because you’re writing for yourself and no one else. Identifying the journaling style that feels the most liberating and empowering is an individual process. But, in the end, that’s what it’s all about!
Benefits of Journaling for Adult ADHD
- 🥵 Frees up mental resources. Studies show that expressive writing helps our brains to cool down when we’re worrying. It frees up space that can be used on other tasks.
- 💥 Lessens emotional reactivity. A study from UCLA found that written words can make an experience of trauma less intense. Each journaling session lowers your brain’s reactions, making them less intense.
- 💪 Strengthens physical health. Psychologist James Pennebaker believes that journaling strengthens our immune systems. It acts as a stress relief tool by reducing the impact of stressors on our immune cells.
- 💗 Enhances emotional intelligence. Science has shown that when you journal, you improve your emotional intelligence.
- 🧑🤝🧑 Strengthens relationships. Journaling can help put some distance between you and your thoughts, helping you gain perspective, clarity, and empathy.
- ✅ Boosts productivity. Just 10 min a day of journaling can have huge benefits on organization, daily structure, and performance.
- 🧠 Improves memory. Writing improves working memory - our ability to temporarily store and use information.
My Brain Books
As you explore the best methods for your journaling practice, I thought I’d share a bit about what I do, as inspiration.
I believe that my brain is for generating ideas, not for holding them. But when you have adult ADHD, you have a LOT of ideas. To keep myself organized, I have various journals I call “brain books.” Here are a few examples:
- Journal Brain Book ~ it’s my main brain book at the moment.
- Ideas Brain Book ~ as fast and furious as my ideas are coming these days, I try to capture them in this book. If my ideas brain book is not right in front of me, I’ll put the thought in my Notes App on my phone and transfer later.
- Quotes Brain Book ~ I have one location to keep track of all the quotes that I create and reference.
- School Notes Brain Book ~ all my notes from each class, workshop, or coaching lab are kept in one place.
- Success/Praise Log Brain Book ~ part of my journey is to be reminded of the successes and praise reports throughout my life.
Just having different Brain Books has been a huge help to me. It reminds me of those plates that have separate spots for food, different foods doesn’t touch each other. I’m not one of those people when it comes to food; however, for my brain books, this is the system that I have set up.
Finding the Right Journaling Style for You
The key to journaling is discovering the right type of journaling style for you. The type of journaling that’s right for you may change depending on your circumstances - that’s okay! You may decide to do separate books, like me (or files, if you’re more tech-savvy), or you may utilize dividers, color-coding, or other methods to keep yourself organized.
Here are a few things to consider as you experiment.
1. Journaling on Your Own Terms
- Remember, there’s no right or wrong way to journal.
- If you find yourself stuck on what to write, or how to write it, remember this acronym: KISS - Keep It Small and Simple!
- Bee okay with being consistently inconsistent. Just like there’s no right or wrong way to journal, there’s also no right or wrong frequency. In fact, the reflecting on the periods of your life you decide not to journal may reveal important insights.
2. How Do I Start?
Well, how would you start a conversation with a best friend? Your journal is, or can be, one of your most intimate friends - someone you can confide in without fear of judgment. Here are a few simple sentence stems you can experiment with:
- Dear Me…
- Hello world…
- I’m thankful for…
- Today will be great because…
- I feel…
- I wish…
3. What Do I Write About?
Since you already know you can write about anything, you may be getting stuck here due to decision fatigue or overwhelm. After all, if you can do anything you want, well…that’s a lot of possibility to choose from! Here are jut a few ideas to get you started:
- Venting. Maybe you just need a place to “yell.” If you can’t do it out loud, your journal is a great place to just say everything you want to say without worrying about hurting someone’s feelings.
- Brain dump. Feeling overwhelmed? A brain dump is a great way to just empty your brain. Thoughts, feelings, reminders, projects and to-dos, random ideas… getting everything out of your brain so you can see it makes it much easier to organize and prioritize!
- Keeping track of details. ADHD brains are known for memory challenges. During especially stressful times, like a divorce, grieving a death, job transitions, etc, can make memory even worse. Journaling is a great way to keep track of details of meetings, phone calls, events, etc.
- Letters to self. Write a letter to your past self - this can be good for re-processing events when you learn new information, or just for [decreasing negative emotions](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10927754/#:~:text=Writing to past-self decreased,letter to their past-self.). Write a letter to your future self as you commit to goals, or even to your present self if you need some encouragement.
- The apology you never received. Unfortunately, we don’t always get an apology when someone hurts us. In these cases, it can be really powerful to write that apology yourself - writing to yourself as if you are the person who hurt you. It doesn’t work for everyone, but for some, it really helps to create closure.
- Historical and family records. Maybe you use journaling to write about people in your family, or special events or occasions. You could write letters to future generations, or use a journal to add context to family photos.
- Success journal. It can be so difficult to remember the things we did well. But when you’re feeling low, reviewing past successes can help. Record the times you feel proud of yourself, even for something small. When you get thank you cards, or good reports at work or school, make a copy and put it in your success journal.
- Gratitude. Research has found that daily gratitude journaling can improve sleep quality, strengthen relationships, lower physical pain symptoms, and increases feelings of joy.
Making Journaling More Accessible for ADHD
- 🥳 Make It Fun. ADHD brains crave novelty, so maybe that means switching up journal prompts regularly, using different colored pens, etc.
- ❄️Let It Go. Don’t set unrealistic expectations for yourself - let go of the idea that journaling MUST be a daily thing, or that you have to write something profound or lengthy.
- 🤏 Keep It Bite-Sized. For a lot of ADHDers, the thought of committing to lengthy journaling sessions can feel overwhelming. Break it into small chunks, like 5 minutes at a time, or set tiny goals, like 150 words, or two sentences.
- 🎨 Get Creative. Who says journaling has to be limited to words on a page? Flex your creative muscles by incorporating doodles, sketches, stickers, or collages into your journaling practice. Ever seen junk journals?
- 📑 Use Templates. You can find these everywhere online - or even make them yourself. This could be creating pre-made prompts for yourself so you don’t need to come up with what to write on the spot. Or, even make questions for yourself with pre-written answer choices to tick off at the end of the day.
Write On!
Journaling is a powerful tool for self-reflection, emotional processing, and personal growth – especially for those with ADHD. While there's no single "right" way to journal, the key is finding the methods and styles that work best for your unique needs and preferences.
Don't get bogged down by strict rules or expectations. The beauty of journaling is that it can be tailored to your individual circumstances, interests, and goals. Whether you prefer creative junk journaling, gratitude lists, fiction writing, or good old-fashioned brain dumps, make your journal a sacred space of self-expression without judgment.
Be patient and keep an open mind as you explore different journaling techniques. You may need to experiment to discover what helps quiet your mind, process emotions, and spark self-awareness. But with some curiosity and self-compassion, journaling can be a transformative addition to your ADHD self-care toolkit. So grab a pen (or keyboard!) and write your way to a calmer, more self-aware you!
