The joy of journaling and how it can help with your sobriety.
- Ben - Its That Sober Guy
- Sep 9, 2023
- 4 min read
I started journaling in 2020. I don’t know why this is one of my mindfulness habits that has managed to stick. It is something I’ve built into my daily routine and helps me a lot. Since becoming sober, the journal has helped even more, in organising my thoughts and feelings, and that is something I would recommend that everyone consider.
Types of journaling
One of the best things about journaling is there is no right or wrong way to do it. I like a written journal, but I’ve heard of people doing a picture journal or even an audio journal. Some people like to stick to a very short bullet-point style of journalling, whereas my journalling tends to be a bit wordier.
You do not need a lot to start journalling, just a pen and paper, or you can download a journalling app. There are lots of different types available in the app store on Google Play or iOS. Failing this there is also the It’s That Sober Guy PDF journal which you can find out more about below.
Finding your journalling space.
Look for a quiet space that you can easily access most days, I’ve one of two places to journal, my favourite is in the garden, on a warm morning listening to the birds, however, living in Britain; the weather does not always allow this, so my other place is sitting in the lounge, looking out the window into the garden.
I don’t have a fixed time to journal, but I do like to complete my journal in the morning. The main reason for this is I like to include some goal-setting for the day. Other people like to journal the last thing in the day, so they can reflect on the whole day. There is no right or wrong way to do this.
Benefits of journalling
The benefits of journalling start small but, in my opinion, they are incremental and amount to much bigger gains. Journalling helps you to develop a daily routine and get into the habit of dedicating time to self-development. On top of this, there is evidence to support that daily journalling can reduce overall levels of stress.
I like to use journalling for goal setting and monitoring, so the improvements I’ve made to my life, which started in my journal as goals, are endless.
Every few months, I like to re-read random old journal entries, this reflection is beneficial for me to realise how far I’ve grown emotionally.
Types of things to journal
You can journal about anything you like, but I like to have some common themes that I journal about each day. These include:
Mood – Daily score and whether is it going up or down.
Goal – What I would like to achieve by the time I next journal.
Monthly Mantra – Pick a new one each month and remind yourself each morning by writing it down.
Gratitude – Write down 3 things I’m thankful for in the last 24 hours.
Journal prompts – If you google journal prompts, you will get loads of ideas for journaling.
How journaling can benefit your sobriety?
This is the big one for me, and the reason that journalling has become one of the pillars of my sobriety. When you get sober you start to experience moods and feelings that you may not have done for a long time. For me, to begin with, this was very overwhelming. Journalling helped me unpick these new thoughts and feelings and helped me work out what was going on. At times I felt like without the journalling, my feelings may have overwhelmed me and led me back to alcohol. I’m pleased to say that due to the journalling, this never happened.
The It’s That Sober Guy Journal
I’m so passionate about journaling that in the end, I decided to create my own. This is still very much a work of progress, however, if you would like to download a copy of it. Please use or share this journal as you see fit.
So why not give it a go?
I hope from this post, you can see how beneficial any sobriety journey journalling can be. If you are still unsure, I would urge you to give it a go. You can do this by grabbing a pen and paper or completing our weekly journalling question within our online community. You can join this by clicking the link below.
So, what are you waiting for? I’ll even get you started with your first prompt, today I’m happy for…….
Happy journaling.
Ben – It's That Sober Guy
I’m not a trained addiction or mental health professional, information is based on my life experiences and shared in good faith to help others.
I want to keep It’s That Sober Guy free for those who wish to access it. However, if you can help with the running costs with a small donation, it would be very appreciated. Please be aware we are not a registered charity. Thank you for anything you can spare.
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