One effective tool for self-analysis is journaling. Thanks to them, you can understand yourself, resolve pressing issues, set priorities and understand what goals are really important to you. You can master the technique of effectively keeping a diary on your own; the presence of a professional is not necessary. But still this process requires some systematization and order. Together with the publishing house Alpina Publisher, we have prepared instructions on how to keep diaries usefully.
Why do psychologists recommend keeping a diary?
Today, one of the popular ways to document life is to post on social networks.
And before, people kept diaries where they described events that took place, their thoughts, reasoning and emotions. The American psychotherapist Ira Progoff first thought about the fact that keeping such records is useful for deep self-analysis in the 50s of the last century. Progoff held the idea that everyone has sufficient resources for self-knowledge and self-help. The specialist wanted to find a psychological practice that would be accessible to everyone (at that time only rich people could afford psychotherapy), and would also help everyone find support in themselves. Progoff created a method of intensive, structured journaling. He suggested that clients write down their thoughts regularly. And not only rational reasoning, but also so-called twilight observations - absolutely everything that comes to mind. Progoff published a guide “At a Journal Workshop”, according to his rules, anyone can really keep a diary.
If you feel sad for a couple of hours after keeping a diary, this is normal, but if the entries plunge you into prolonged depression, anxiety and other unpleasant states, you should contact a professional psychologist. This is a general rule for any writing practice.
Keeping a diary online: benefit or harm?
Nowadays, electronic diaries are much more popular than paper ones. There are many reasons for this: modern and multifunctional gadgets, a large number of social networks, the rapid development of science and technology.
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However, are such diaries useful?
I’ll tell you about the main pros and cons of blogs and social pages.
| Advantages | Flaws |
| The opportunity to express yourself, share your thoughts with a large number of people and express your own opinion to a large audience. | There is a big risk that the public will not appreciate your efforts and will not support your opinion. |
| A quick way to get approval or praise is to find like-minded people. | A significant part of the truly important thoughts will remain to yourself, since not all emotions or experiences can be taken out of the open. |
| A chance to become famous by becoming a popular blogger who shares his thoughts with the audience on any subject. | There is a danger that the page will be deleted or closed due to complaints from network users. |
Of course, keeping an electronic version of a diary is often easier: your smartphone is always at hand, and any entry can be supplemented with a bright photo.
But psychologists are sure: only a paper personal diary can help a person cope with emotions and situations. In addition, over time, reading it will be much more interesting in handwritten form than on a phone screen.
How to keep a diary correctly so that it helps change your life?
A Bullet Journal, a diary with lists, will help you free your head from obsessive thoughts and direct the freed energy into action. From the point of view of neurophysiology, by briefly writing down plans and desired events, you extract unnecessary information from the brain and gain a resource for productive work, relationships, hobbies, sports and other activities.
How to keep a Bullet Journal:
- Divide your diary into three lists. In the first, describe the general things you want to do, without an exact date. In the second list, write down things for the next month. And in the third - daily plans.
- Come up with your own shootout system. For example, an empty circle is for tasks, a dash is for events, a check mark is for notes, and an asterisk is for lists. Tip: Add friends you plan to meet, books and movies you want to read and watch, and gratitude to yourself and others to your lists. The last list will definitely increase your happiness level and train the amygdala in your brain to activate in response to pleasant events.
- Mark off the things you have done and move those not done to the next period. Keep a journal regularly.
Formation of original pages
Select the optimal color scheme and the required number of sheets. Colors can vary - from light to dark tones; Using scissors, you can give the pages different shapes, add delicate lace or round them; When choosing a title page for a diary, give preference to thick materials; Using a hole punch, two holes are made on the left side, and two rings are threaded through it to connect the pages. If there are no rings, then you can tie the pages with a beautiful ribbon; To create pages, purchase a ready-made notebook and create a creative design.
Reflect according to the ABC scheme
The ABC Formula for Self-Reflection is a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) tool that has a strong evidence base.
Make a table of three columns, where A is Activating event, B is Beliefs, or beliefs, and C is Consequences, or action taken.
How does this work in practice? You write down an event that caused you unpleasant emotions. Next, record in writing the thoughts and beliefs that shaped your mood. And write down what you did in this situation.
The thought of being boring made you feel anxious and resentful. Please note that it was not the situation itself that caused this emotional background, but precisely your attitude towards it, thoughts about yourself in this situation. For example, another person might think that the guy has a lot to do and that he will call back when he is free. A third person would decide that the guy is “bad”, get angry and create a scandal. By keeping an ABC journal, you learn to notice how your specific thoughts about yourself, others, and the world trigger specific emotions. Try changing your ideas to feel better: write down alternative thoughts. For example:
“In fact, there are dozens of reasons why the guy didn’t call me back. Problems at work, in the family, with health. Maybe he's afraid. Maybe he has other priorities now. It may even be that he doesn't like me, but not necessarily because I'm boring. Maybe we're just different people. Or, on the contrary, he himself is boring, and I’m too active for him.”
Next, decide what you can do best for yourself in this situation. For example: “I don’t want to spend the whole day thinking about it, worrying. Perhaps the only way to find out what’s going on is to call yourself and find out the reason.”
. Regularly keeping such a diary will help you get to know yourself better, become aware of irrational thoughts and try to think differently, and therefore live differently.
Or draw, paste photographs, magazine clippings, tickets and anything else that is important to you to keep
A diary is not always exclusively a text that you wrote yourself.
Essentially, this is an archive of your impressions, into which you, like a herbarium, paste everything that you do not want to forget. Anonymous diary. 2000 © “Prozhito”
So, a fan of St. Petersburg “Zenith” in 2000 pasted portraits of her favorite football players, drawings and a photograph of the Depeche Mode group into her diary.
“August 3, 2000 Yesterday I was at Zenit with the girls. It was cool. Zenit - Spartak Alania 2:1. Zenit is a champion!!! How cool it was. In the 7th minute, Radimov scored a goal into the top corner so beautifully from a free kick.”
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6 more rules for effective and safe psychological recording
- Write regularly. Better 5 minutes, but every day, than an hour, but once a week.
- Write in a notebook that appeals to you visually. Let your writing practice be associated with something pleasant.
- Write in a comfortable place where there is no one or nothing to distract you.
- Periodically re-read your notes and conduct self-analysis: what continues to bother you and why, what do you want to change?
- Be sincere. Don't hide anything from yourself.
- Remember that paper will endure anything - throw out your emotions completely.
What to write about
Three things you are grateful for
Gratitude is a superpower that we all have. It helps us feel happier, less anxious, and more successful at work and in other areas of life. Write down what you were grateful for today.
One phrase for self-affirmation
Self-affirming phrases can also help build mental resilience. Choose your words carefully to get rid of something in your life or, conversely, to create something new.
One fear you will overcome today
To get rid of anxiety, you need to try to face some of your fears every day. This, of course, does not mean that you need to jump out of a plane every day or quit your job. We all have hundreds of little concerns that we try not to think about. Start small and repeat day after day. After some time, you will learn to control your fear and channel it in a positive direction.
Maiden kingdom
A notebook or notebook in pink tones, filled with bright colors, stickers and clippings from fashion magazines, with fragrant pages and photos of Hollywood stars - this could be a treasured book for girls. Here is the kingdom of girlish dreams and dreams. Secrets entrusted to the book are not revealed even to close people. They take care of her like the apple of her eye, never leaving her unattended for a moment.
Creating such a book is quite simple. The origami technique or simple appliqué techniques are taken as the basis for ideas for designing a notebook: light sketches and beautiful sketches can add romanticism and tenderness to an ordinary notebook, making it stand out with its uniqueness.
Wicker bookmarks, bows and ribbons, envelopes with nice little things, a dried flower or a heart-shaped valentine - every detail here is special, unique, and memorable.
Growing up, girls keep such notes for a long time. Occasionally, over a cup of cocoa, turning over familiar pages, she remembers those times with tender sadness. The first test poems, written specifically for LD, can bring back for a moment youth, full of hopes and desires.
Special date
Just like decorating a treasured book for girls, decorating festive and special pages and spreads is done. Valentine's Day, summer holiday, vacation or an unplanned trip - special occasions can be captured in a special way. By attaching pleasant souvenirs, photos and pictures from memorable events, it is possible to convey the emotions and spirit of that period.
Gift lists, Christmas tree paraphernalia, a photo of a New Year's costume or a letter to Santa Claus are used as New Year's ideas for decorating LDs. These items, saved in the diary, will fill its contents with a festive mood and convey the atmosphere of celebration.
