Mothers have the hardest job of all. The tiredness, the worry, and the stress often cause them to feel stuck in a rut. If they don’t handle the constant feeling of being stressed out, they are facing anxiety and depression, as well as other mental health issues.
Being a mom is the most rewarding role of them all, but it’s also a hard thing to adjust to. But, what if we told you that there’s a thing that can get you back on track and help you get rid of the stress? Having a mom journal is the perfect kind of therapy for the literary-minded women who love the written word. Even if you’re not a prolific writer, you can benefit from this. After all, your journal is only for you and nobody else.
Reasons to Keep a Mom Journal
By doing positive journaling, you can help your personal development and growth. People who regularly record their deepest thoughts get an insight into the reasons for their negative moods or behaviors. And not only that. Journaling is known to reduce the stress and boost the overall health, as well as increase the self-esteem of the writer. Janet Smith, an online essay writer at Edubirdie and a mother of three says: ‘’Writing is healing. I didn’t really believe in it since, let’s face it, it sounds like a silly way to treat postpartum stress. But, I decided to test it and now I use it daily. It makes my life much easier.’’
Are you intrigued? If you are, check out the best tips for stress relief journaling.
Journals for Moms: How to Keep One
If you aren’t a writer and have never kept a journal before, it is never too late to start. Here are some tips that will get you on the right direction.
1. Introduce Yourself to the Journal
Start writing in the journal as if it doesn’t know who you are and what you do. Describe where you live, what you do for a living, how many kids you have, how big your family is, etc. Speak of your relationships and your surroundings. Before you get into the details of your everyday life, tell your journal who you are.
2. Is That Something You Wanted?
Once you share your story and the details of your life, it is time to take a look at what you have. The things you just wrote – are they what you wanted them to be? Are you in a situation in your life where you wanted to be? How do you feel about your life, your family, and your child? Is there something that’s still missing?
3. Write without Censoring
Your journal is to make your life as a mom easier. You aren’t writing it for an audience and, unless you decide to, you never have to show it to anyone. So, why would you bother with grammar or details? Just go with the flow and write as your thoughts reach you. This is called the ‘stream of consciousness’ and is the best thing you can do to relieve all that tension.
4. Let Your Hands Speak to Each Other
Why not add a bit of childish behavior to your journal writing? Letting the inner child out can really help you with the anxiety and in this case, it can prove to be a very useful trick for getting the thoughts out on paper.
How do you let the hands speak to each other? It is simple – you ask a question with one and answer it with the other.
https://unsplash.com/photos/8eSrC43qdro
5. Write Down the Things You Are Grateful For
One big mistake moms do when they write in their journal is that they forget about it when they feel happy and grateful. Don’t stop writing in your journal. When you are having a good day, note down the things that you are grateful for or make you happy. These are the things you’ll get back to when you start feeling stressed again.
https://unsplash.com/photos/M4lve6jR26E
6. Note Down Quotes You Like
You don’t have to be a vivid reader to come across a quote. In fact, a quote doesn’t even have to be from an actual author. If you like what someone says, whether it is in your everyday life, on TV, or in a book – write it down. Consider it your own motivational tool for later.
7. Keep a Log of Your Successes
Since you’re a mom, you probably have a log of the successes of your child. You take photos when he or she takes his first step, you celebrate their first word, etc. But, what about your successes?
After all, every success of your child is your success, too. Whatever you feel successful about, write it down in your journal. Make your own log of successes. If you manage to get a good night sleep after a month of not sleeping, praise it in your journal. If you finally got your child to eat broccoli after a long struggle, write about it in your journal.
The more this list grows, the more it will motivate and inspire you.
8. Write the Bad in Third Person
Writing about your bad experience and bad days in third person helps you get distance. When you get distance, you also get perspective. Therefore, when you have something bad to write, always use third person.
9. Write the Lyrics from Your Favorite Songs
What are your favorite songs at the moment? Music is known to heal the soul and reduce stress, so every once in a while, scribble your favorite lyrics on the journal’s pages. This way, when you go back to read something, you can hum your favorite song in your head and boost your mood.
Conclusion
Motherhood is amazing, but it can also be frustrating and stressful. Some mothers choose to get therapy to reduce the tension, while others simply do nothing. Finally, there are those who use natural means to express themselves. One such method is the positive journaling, a psychological tool that has helped many people overcome their stressful life periods.
If you feel like you can do this, you should definitely test it. Everyone can try it. It’s free and it’s fun, and if it works – it can turn your life around for the better.
Author’s Bio:
Jeremy Raynolds is a freelance writer with a PhD in psychology. His work is mainly focused on psychology-related topics, but Jeremy prefers resolving psychological issues with natural approaches and he works as editor at TopCV Review. If you look him up, be prepared to learn about the most useful and effective ways to get rid of any kind of stress and depression.
