As it is Child Mental Health Week this week we thought we would suggest an easy and fun way to process some of our thoughts and feelings
Journaling
Writing things down isn’t new but do you know how good it is for you?
- Writing things down is a big step to improving and keeping our mental health. In other words – it helps to keep us feeling
- By writing things down we can begin to understand ourselves better, and we begin to get more comfortable about expressing our ideas, opinions, thoughts and feelings.
- It can help us to work through anything that is worrying us
- By writing and doodling we can become more creative – we play around with ideas without anyone there to see
How do I get started?
Some people just pick up a pen and start writing about anything that just comes into their head.
Other people get put off by that. Using prompts can help you get started, help you to focus on something that’s bothering you, or help you to write about something new and different.
So grab a nice pen. Maybe try coloured pens, glitter pens, stickers – anything to help you enjoy this, get creative, be whacky, be thoughtful, be what you need to be as you get started…………….. Some people write first thing in the morning, others before they go to bed – dumping their worries onto the paper to help them get to sleep. Whenever you decide will be a good time – just give it a go and see what happens.
Here are some ideas of Journaling Prompts (writing lists can help – even a list of things you’d like to write about can help get you into the swing of journaling)
Ideas for lists:
What makes you feel happy when you feel sad?
What words do you want to hear when you’re having a bad day?
10 Things you’re thankful for (I bet once you get started you can think of way more than 10)
Who are you grateful for right now? Write 10 things you like about this person.
Write a list of your favourite foods? Who would you like to invite round for tea?
If you could be anyone else for the day – who would you be and why?
Write about someone you care about and why they are important to you.
Write a list of all the things that make being your age difficult at times. What needs to happen to make things less difficult?
Other Journaling Prompts:
If you found Aladdin’s lamp today and were granted three wishes – what would they be and how would they change your life?
Write about your favourite cuddly toy. How old were you when you got him/her? Who from? Where have you taken him/her? What sort of things would you both talk about if he/she could talk back to you?
Draw or write about an amusement park (you could design your own). What would you put in it? Who would you go with?
Pick a book from your bookshelf. Open it on any page – write down the first sentence and then carry on writing – with this sentence as your first sentence.
Good luck with your journaling. Let us know how you get on – we’d love to hear from you.
