Does Journaling Actually Work? (Journaling 101)

Summary

This video script explores the benefits of journaling, a practice that may initially seem counterintuitive but is backed by evidence showing its positive impact on mental health and physical well-being. The speaker discusses how journaling can help process emotions, build narratives, and increase tolerance to discomfort, leading to personal growth and improved outcomes in various aspects of life. The script also addresses common concerns about journaling and offers practical advice on how to get started and what to journal about for maximum benefits.

Takeaways

• 📝 Journaling can have unexpectedly positive effects on various aspects of life, including grades, immune system responses, blood pressure, and blood glucose control.
• 🧠 The act of journaling may help to reduce avoidance of problems and negative emotions by confronting them in a controlled manner, similar to trauma exposure therapy.
• 💡 Journaling teaches individuals to tolerate discomfort and can lead to a decrease in the stress experienced when recalling negative emotions.
• 📈 It helps in building a narrative and making sense of life events, potentially leading to post-traumatic growth rather than post-traumatic stress disorder.
• 🔄 Journaling can change one's perspective by altering pronoun usage over time, reflecting a shift from self-blame or external blame to a more balanced view.
• 🤔 The process of journaling is akin to 'replay analysis' in gaming, where reflecting on past experiences can provide insights and lessons for improvement.
• ✍️ Physically writing in a journal, as opposed to typing, can slow down thoughts, aid in memory retention, and provide a more reflective experience.
• 📚 Reading one's own journal entries from time to time can reinforce the insights gained and solidify the learning from the journaling process.
• 🔑 There is no one-size-fits-all approach to journaling; it can be done in various frequencies and durations that suit the individual.
• 🌟 Expressing gratitude through journaling is a practice that has been shown to have additional positive psychological benefits.
• 🛤 The journey of journaling is not always linear; it can take unexpected turns, leading to different insights and realizations than initially intended.

Q & A

What is the initial perception of journaling presented in the script?

The script starts by expressing a common skepticism towards journaling, suggesting that it sounds like a terrible idea where one is expected to write down their deepest thoughts on paper with the expectation that it will somehow improve their problems.

What evidence is presented to support the benefits of journaling?

The script cites various studies that show journaling can have positive effects on grades, immune system responses, blood pressure, and blood glucose control, suggesting that it 'magically makes things better' despite the lack of a clear understanding of how it works.

How does journaling help in tolerating discomfort?

Journaling is likened to a form of trauma exposure therapy where individuals are exposed to their negative emotions in small doses, which over time, teaches them to tolerate discomfort and reduces the stress experienced when recalling these emotions.

What is the role of narrative in journaling and personal growth?

The script suggests that journaling helps construct a narrative about one's life, which is crucial for post-traumatic growth. People who can build a coherent story about their experiences are more likely to grow from negative situations rather than develop post-traumatic stress disorder.

How does journaling affect pronoun usage and self-perception?

Research indicates that journaling can change pronoun usage over time, reflecting a shift in perspective. For example, narcissists may start using more 'I' statements, recognizing their own faults, while those with low self-esteem may begin to use 'they' statements, holding others accountable.

What is the comparison made between journaling and replay analysis in gaming?

The script compares journaling to watching replays in gaming, suggesting that just as replay analysis can help identify areas for improvement in gaming, journaling can provide insights into personal behavior and life situations.

What are some of the psychological benefits of expressing gratitude through journaling?

While the script does not detail specific benefits, it implies that expressing gratitude in journaling is a positive practice supported by research showing various benefits, likely including improved mental well-being and reduced stress.

How does the frequency and duration of journaling sessions impact its effectiveness?

The script indicates that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to journaling. It can be effective in various forms, from 15 minutes a day for seven days to 30 minutes once a week, suggesting that consistency and personal preference play a role in determining the best journaling routine.

What are the advantages of physically writing in a journal over digital methods?

Physical writing slows down thought processes, allowing for deeper reflection, and commits experiences and insights more effectively to memory. It also provides a tangible record of one's thoughts and experiences.

Why might someone be hesitant to start journaling, according to the script?

People might be hesitant to journal due to concerns about the vulnerability of putting personal thoughts on paper, the belief that it won't solve problems, and the fear that someone else might read their private thoughts.

What is the final recommendation for someone considering starting a journaling practice?

The script encourages giving journaling a try, emphasizing that understanding the process and benefits, along with finding a personal approach that works, can lead to surprising ease and significant personal benefits.

Outlines

00:00

📝 The Power of Journaling

This paragraph discusses the skepticism and eventual acceptance of journaling's benefits. Initially, the author expresses doubt about journaling's effectiveness, questioning how writing down problems could improve them. However, they go on to present evidence from psychological and physiological studies that suggest journaling can indeed have positive effects on grades, immune system responses, blood pressure, and blood glucose control. The author introduces the concept of HD coaching, which integrates understanding of motivation and lasting behavioral change, and invites viewers to explore this further through a provided link.

05:02

🧠 Emotional Processing and Narrative Building

The second paragraph delves into the mechanisms behind journaling, highlighting how it can help with emotional processing and avoidance of problems. It compares journaling to trauma exposure therapy, suggesting that by confronting negative emotions in small doses, individuals can learn to tolerate discomfort. The paragraph also touches on the idea of building a narrative through journaling, which can lead to post-traumatic growth rather than PTSD. It discusses the importance of pronoun usage in journaling as an indicator of changing perspectives and personal growth.

10:03

🤔 Journaling for Perspective and Learning

This paragraph explores the role of journaling in changing perspectives and learning from experiences. It uses the analogy of replay analysis in video games to illustrate how reflecting on past events can lead to insights and improvements. The author emphasizes that journaling is not about finding immediate solutions but rather about understanding and processing experiences to build a more cohesive narrative of one's life, which can help in personal development and growth.

15:04

✍️ The Practice of Journaling

The final paragraph provides practical advice on how to approach journaling. It discusses the delayed effects of journaling, suggesting that the benefits may not be immediately apparent but can be profound over time. The author advises on the frequency and duration of journaling sessions, recommending consistency but without a strict formula. The paragraph also emphasizes the importance of writing about emotional experiences and occasionally revisiting past entries. It concludes with a recommendation to physically write in a journal to slow down thought processes and commit insights to memory.

Keywords

💡Journaling

Journaling is the practice of regularly writing down one's thoughts, feelings, and experiences. In the context of the video, it is presented as a therapeutic tool that can improve mental and physical health, as well as academic performance. The script mentions various studies that show the benefits of journaling, such as increased grades and improved immune system responses.

💡Evoking Emotions

Evoking emotions refers to the act of bringing forth or stimulating feelings. The video discusses how journaling can evoke emotions in a controlled manner, similar to how diet soda might be a less intense version of regular soda. This process is likened to trauma exposure therapy, where negative emotions are faced in small doses, leading to a decreased emotional burden over time.

💡Tolerance of Discomfort

Tolerance of discomfort is the ability to endure or accept unpleasant feelings or situations. The script explains that journaling helps individuals learn to tolerate discomfort by repeatedly confronting negative emotions in a safe environment, which can lead to reduced stress levels and avoidance behaviors.

💡Narrative

A narrative is a story or account of events and experiences. The video highlights the importance of constructing a narrative through journaling, which can help individuals make sense of their lives and grow from negative experiences. This is particularly relevant in the context of post-traumatic growth, where individuals can develop a more positive outlook after a traumatic event.

💡Pronoun Usage

Pronoun usage in journaling is analyzed to understand shifts in perspective. The script notes that people with negative cognitive patterns may initially use 'I' or 'they' excessively, but as they journal, they begin to mix pronouns, indicating a change in narrative and perspective. This shift can lead to healthier self-perception and accountability.

💡Avoidance

Avoidance is the act of keeping away from or not dealing with something. The video script explains that journaling can decrease avoidance behaviors by confronting and processing emotions and experiences that were previously evaded, leading to a more直面ful engagement with life's challenges.

💡Post-Traumatic Growth

Post-traumatic growth refers to the positive psychological change experienced as a result of struggling with highly challenging life circumstances. The script uses this term to describe how some individuals can emerge stronger and more appreciative of life after a traumatic event, and how journaling can facilitate this growth by helping to construct a positive narrative.

💡PTSD

PTSD stands for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, a mental health condition triggered by experiencing or witnessing a terrifying event. The video contrasts PTSD with post-traumatic growth, suggesting that the ability to construct a narrative through journaling can influence whether an individual develops PTSD or experiences growth after a trauma.

💡Replay Analysis

Replay analysis is a concept borrowed from gaming, where players review their gameplay to learn from mistakes and improve. The script compares journaling to replay analysis, suggesting that reflecting on past experiences through writing can provide insights and learning opportunities that might not be immediately apparent.

💡Physical Writing

Physical writing refers to the act of writing by hand, as opposed to typing on a digital device. The video advocates for physical writing when journaling, as it slows down the thought process, aids memory retention, and provides a tangible record of one's reflections. The script contrasts this with digital journaling, suggesting that the physical act of writing has unique benefits.

💡Delayed Effects

Delayed effects in the context of journaling refer to the potential long-term benefits that may not be immediately apparent. The script mentions that journaling can lead to improvements or revelations months later, emphasizing that the impact of journaling is not always immediate but can be profound over time.

Highlights

Journaling is suggested to have a positive impact on mental health and well-being, despite initial skepticism.

Studies show that journaling can improve students' grades, which is an unexpected benefit.

Journaling has been linked to physiological benefits such as improved immune system responses and better blood pressure and glucose control.

The video discusses the potential mechanisms behind journaling's benefits, including the idea of emotional exposure in small doses.

Journaling may help individuals tolerate discomfort by repeatedly exposing them to their negative emotions in a controlled manner.

The practice of journaling can lead to a decrease in the stress experienced when recalling negative emotions over time.

Journaling can potentially increase an individual's ability to tolerate negative emotions and reduce avoidance behavior.

Constructing a narrative through journaling can lead to post-traumatic growth rather than post-traumatic stress disorder.

Research indicates that journaling can change pronoun usage, reflecting a shift in perspective and narrative about one's life.

Journaling is compared to replay analysis in gaming, suggesting it can help identify areas for personal improvement.

The video suggests that journaling can have delayed effects, with benefits becoming apparent even months after the act.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to journaling; it should be adapted to the individual's preferences and needs.

Emotional experiences, both positive and negative, are recommended topics for journaling to express and process feelings.

The act of physically writing, as opposed to typing, can slow down thoughts and aid in memory retention.

Journaling can be a fluid process where the topic may evolve naturally over the course of writing.

The video addresses common concerns about journaling, such as the fear of others reading one's private thoughts.

The benefits of journaling are highlighted through various research findings and personal anecdotes.

The video concludes by emphasizing the ease and effectiveness of journaling once one understands its mechanisms and methods.

Transcripts

today we're going to talk a little bit

about journaling and if you're like me

journaling actually sounds like a

terrible idea I'm supposed to put down

my deepest darkest thoughts on a piece

of paper and then somehow that'll

magically improve the problem yeah

thanks but no thanks what difference

does it make if I just write down all of

the things that I can't fix is it like

journaling actually just magically makes

things better when we just write about

them and I know this sounds absolutely

insane but the answer is yes actually

yes that's exactly how it works we have

no idea how this actually happens but it

seems like there's actually really

strong evidence that journaling just

magically makes things better now you

may be confused by that what do you mean

it magically makes things better so

here's just an example of a couple of

really interesting studies so the first

is that a group of psychologists have

repeatedly measured students who journal

and they Journal about all kinds of

different things so sometimes they'll

talk about their emotions sometimes

they'll talk about what they're doing

that day but the one thing that's really

bizarre is journaling seems to increase

their grades another example of things

kind of magically getting better that we

don't understand comes from studies of

physiology so people will do studies on

the effects of journaling on things like

antibody responses the immune system

response to cancer treatment and

vaccines their studies about how

journaling improves like blood pressure

and even like improves some degree of

like blood glucose control and all kinds

of unrelated things hey there thanks for

watching and I'm glad these videos have

been helpful a lot of times I'll read

the comments and see people asking well

what do I actually do about it which is

a great question and unfortunately the

resources out there haven't been that

great which is precisely why I started

HD in the first place HG coaches are

trained on a curriculum that integrates

my understanding of what motivates us

what paralyzes us and most importantly

what leads to Lasting behavioral change

if you're ready to take the next step HG

coaches can help you build the life that

you want they've helped people build

careers help people find relationship

steps build networks of friends and even

do things like discover their passions

or pursue Hobbies so if this sounds like

something that you'd be interested in

check out the link in the description

below so what do we know about how it

works right so okay if you're thinking

listen to this and you're thinking okay

wait so like if I start journaling it's

going to improve my blood pressure make

me physically healthier and all also

increase my grades like that sounds

really bizarre like how on Earth can it

possibly do that and so let's try to

dive in and understand a little bit

about the mechanisms of journaling so

the first thing that makes journaling

actually kind of hard is if you have a

problem in life you spend most of your

time avoiding that problem right so like

if I'm if I'm worried about what my

friends think of me I'm not going to

spend my time thinking about her I don't

want to spend my time thinking about it

because spending my time thinking about

it like having a thought Loop about it

seems to not help at all and instead

what our mind naturally wants to do is

distract ourselves from problems so your

mind may be kind of like this like you

may be thinking okay if I can fix

something I'm happy to think about it so

I'm happy to work on a problem when it

results in something productive but I

don't want to spend time thinking about

something unless it actually like moves

the needle forward in some way right so

completely natural so when you Journal

about something that is emotionally

challenging it tends to evoke those

emotions and this is exactly what we

spend most of our time avoiding right

this is why we will spend time on social

media or play video games or whatever

like because we want to avoid these

negative emotions but there's something

that's really interesting that happens

when you Journal so when you Journal you

start to evoke these emotions but you

evoke them in kind of like a diet sort

of way so it's not like regular Coke

it's like Diet Coke or Diet soda and and

if you think about the the emotional

burden that you feel when you Journal is

less than the actual experience so some

people have hypothesized that this is

almost like trauma exposure therapy

where you are exposing yourself to your

negative emotions in small small small

doses and what we tend to see over time

with people who Journal is like yeah the

experience of journaling is kind of

uncomfortable but what it actually does

is teaches you how to tolerate

discomfort and so if you're thinking

about if you Journal about let's say an

uncomfortable social situation an

awkward social situation like you're at

a restaurant and a waiter walks up to

you and says enjoy your meal and then

you say thanks you too and then you're

cringing about it for the next couple of

days and as you're trying to fall asleep

you just think about this really cringe

moment where you're terrified right

there's nothing you can really do about

it as you Journal that the cringe comes

up and the interesting thing is that as

you experience more and more of that

negative emotion while you're journaling

over time people have done studies on

this the amount of negative emotion that

you experience or really the amount of

stress that you experience when

recalling the emotion actually goes down

and so as your stress level goes down

you start to resist negative emotion and

then what happens is something actually

really cool is now that you no longer

need to fear negative emotion you can

actually have cringe moments and not

worry about them so it seems that

journaling actually increases our

ability tolerate negative emotion so the

more we Journal it seems like one of the

biggest advantages is that increase in

journaling decreases our avoidance of

negative things or things that make us

feel bad there are a couple of other

angles of journaling that people have

sort of hypothesized or explored so

another good example of this is building

a narrative so there's a lot of research

that shows that if human beings go

through a traumatic experience they

don't all develop PTSD so for example

there are human beings that will go

through a traumatic experience and like

half of them will enter into something

called post-traumatic growth and pro

post-traumatic growth is when something

kind of bad happens to you but you grow

as a person and you actually end up kind

of like better than you started off and

there are some people that I've talked

to that were super bizarre but like I

remember seeing you know working with

cancer patients when I was a medical

student and an intern and them saying

weird things like cancer survivors like

yeah cancer was the best thing that ever

happened to me and I'm sitting there

thinking like what do you mean how on

Earth can that possibly make sense

cancer sounds devastating and they'll

say this weird kind of stuff like oh

yeah like cancer made me realize like

how much like life is how amazing life

truly is it made me appreciate life so

much more it made me appreciate the

people around me and like all this kind

of like super positive stuff and I'm

kind of scratching my head but like okay

if that's what you say on the flip side

so sometimes if you have a traumatic

experience it's not what doesn't kill

you only makes you stronger the other

unfortunate truth is that what doesn't

kill you can you for the rest of

your life and this is the case of

something like PTSD where a trauma

lingers and continues to damage someone

then some researchers got kind of

curious and were trying to figure out

okay what's the difference between going

to post traumatic growth route and going

the post-traumatic stress disorder route

what determines whether someone is able

to like heal from trauma and become a

stronger person one of the major

variables is something called narrative

so people who are able to construct

some kind of narrative about their life

are the ones who will like grow from

negative experiences this is where doing

something like journaling can actually

help us construct a narrative it is a

very very cohesive exercise that can

help us make sense of the events around

us there's studies that show that people

who Journal will change their pronoun

usage now we're not talking about

transgender kind of stuff what I mean is

that if you normally think about a

situation so let's say that you're like

you have social anxiety and you sort of

think about a situation and as your mind

understands the situation you think oh

my God I look so stupid Oh my God these

people don't like me

um I I don't know how to behave properly

people must think I'm awkward people

must feel like I'm a third wheel people

must not like the way that I I think and

so if you think about those thoughts

what is the subject of those thoughts

I'm saying people people people people

people people think this about me people

think that about me people think this

about me people think that about me and

so one of the really interesting things

is that when people are stuck in a

negative cognitive pattern they tend to

be focused either too much on themselves

I'm I'm at fault this is all my fault

this is my problem I'm a waste of space

people I don't like hanging out with

people or whatever it's i i i i i or

it's people people people people and if

you look at someone like a narcissist

this is a really good example so a

narcissist when they construct a

narrative about their life other people

are always messing with them these

people don't like me they don't respect

me they don't love me despite everything

that I do they don't experience any

gratitude for me so someone who's

narcissistic is always thinking about

them them them them on the flip side if

someone has something like a mood

disorder and it isn't a depressive

episode the person who's always at fault

is themselves I'm a waste of space my

family is better off without me Etc et

cetera et cetera I don't like the way

that I look when I look in the mirror

I'm ugly I'm this I'm this I'm this I'm

this I'm this so the key thing though is

that narcissists always use they in them

or people and people who are depressed

will always always use III so there's

data that shows that when you start to

journal that becomes fluid so literally

people will analyze the pronouns that

are used in journaling and at the

beginning of journaling you'll say III

or you'll say they they they they they

but as you Journal more you start to mix

the two statements and so like this is

an example of let's say a narcissist two

journals will say these people don't

like me these people don't respect me

and then over time as they Journal

they'll start to say well sometimes I

don't behave respectfully towards them

sometimes maybe I'm the one who's

actually at fault I could have started

doing this better and for people who are

depressed you'll see the opposite I'm a

waste of space I'm not valuable other

people sometimes don't treat me with

respect and I sometimes can be valuable

but people don't give me what I deserve

so what will literally see is a

fluctuation in the pronoun usage and

what that sort of indicates is that

people are changing their narratives so

as a narcissist starts to journal they

start to realize and they start to use

more I statements and start to realize

oh maybe I am at fault this is really

cool because once you start to realize

okay wait wait a second maybe they're

not to blame maybe I'm to blame you may

need that or the flip side if you have

super low self-esteem is you're always

going to be blaming yourself and you'll

start to hold other people accountable

so it seems like journaling helps us

kind of change perspectives and build a

more cohesive narrative so I think part

of the reason that sometimes we get

stuck in life is because we don't

actually learn from our mistakes right

so if you play like a video game for

example you can be hard stuck at bronze

for like years and sometimes in real

life that's sort of true too a good

example of this would be something where

you feel like this kind of stuff keeps

happening and you find yourself in the

same situation over and over and over

again and one of the interesting things

things there is that if you look at

something like therapy or coaching these

are things things that help you

understand where the problem is and

journaling can sometimes help you do

that as well I think of journaling kind

of like replay analysis where if you

think about okay I can play five you

know rounds of a particular video game

but which one will actually teach me

more if I play five rounds of a video

game or if I play three rounds of a

video game and I spend two hours like

analyzing my replays and thinking about

what I could be doing better and it

turns out that that's true of journaling

as well because as we go through life we

never really sit down and like think

about in a kind of objective cohesive

way what we could be doing better our

mind May generate all kinds of thoughts

but it's different right so if you sit

down and actually like watch one of your

replays you're going to notice so much

more about what you could be doing

anyone who plays a game and loses a game

will immediately if you ask them some

kind of question hey why did you lose

this game they'll jump to some answer

right they'll give you an answer they'll

say oh I lost this game because of a b c

and d they think they know what the

answer is but if that same person

actually sits down and watches a replay

what they'll discover is ten thousand

things that their mind didn't

immediately jump to so hopefully by now

you're willing to kind of give

journaling a shot and so then the next

question becomes okay how do I journal

and this is super cool because a lot of

people have tried to figure out okay

like what's the right way to journal so

just to give you all a couple of

examples there are some studies that

look at journaling like 15 minutes a day

for seven days in a row there are some

studies that look at journaling like 30

minutes once a week for like seven weeks

there are all kinds of different like

dosages and frequencies and durations of

journaling so here's what we kind of

know about journaling the first is that

journaling can have delayed effects so

there are some studies that show that

even a single episode of journaling can

lead to some kind of or Improvement or

Revelation up to six months away so I

know it sounds kind of bizarre but this

is one of the reasons that it's hard to

journal because we don't really see the

benefit right away so it does appear

that journaling can have very delayed

benefits that are kind of unexpected the

next thing is that there isn't really a

magical formula so I'd say kind of do

what works for you you need some degree

of consistency so I'd say anywhere

between 15 minutes and one hour and as

frequently as every day if you feel like

it or up to once a week now what kind of

stuff should you Journal about now this

is what's super interesting so there's

some data that shows that it doesn't

matter what you Journal about you're

going to get some kind of benefit but

what I found to be consistently useful

for psychological things is first of all

that you write about some kind of

emotional experience that you've had and

what do we mean by emotional experience

we don't really just mean something that

that happened bad like if you had an

awesome week you can could talk about

like how awesome your week was and how

grateful you are to your friends because

expressing gratitude and journaling is a

whole different area of research that

shows all kinds of positive benefits the

second thing is that I would strongly

recommend that from time to time you

actually read your journal and for those

of y'all that are paranoid that someone

else is going to find my journal and

read it just think about this for a

second okay we have professional authors

who have dedicated their entire life to

writing something to entice someone to

read it these are things like

best-selling novels and if you were to

pick up a best-selling novel today what

do you think would happen you'd read a

little bit of it and you'd set it down

our attention span is now so short that

no one will have the attention span and

dedication to sit down and read through

some kind of amateur fan fiction

autobiography crap that is your life so

if you're like me you're terrified that

people are going to read your Journal

but they don't have the attention span

for it so you can write whatever you

want and it doesn't really matter right

for you okay so write about emotional

experiences if you can you want to read

it from time to time one thing that I

highly recommend is that you physically

write so a lot of people will like to

journal using something like you know a

word editing software or something like

that Microsoft Word Google Docs or

whatever and you can journal on a laptop

there's no like big deal with that or

desktop or whatever but what are there a

couple of things about physically

writing that I think are really

important the first is that physically

writing slows your thoughts down if you

slow your thoughts down you're you'll

kind of sit with them a little bit more

and you'll be able to process things a

little bit the other really interesting

thing about writing is that writing

commits things to memory if you have

some kind of insight like this may have

happened to you before where you kind of

have This brilliant idea as you're going

to bed at night and what happens the

next day do you remember what your

brilliant ideas the next day you wake up

that kind of disappears right you have

This brilliant idea oh my God this is

how I'm gonna make a billion dollars I

just had this great product idea I have

this great idea for a story I had all

these great ideas and they just

disappear into the wind another simple

example of this is you can read

something like study something for

school and you can understand it while

you're reading it and the next day where

does it go it disappears so one of the

cool things about journaling is that

chances are that when you Journal it'll

whatever you write about will sink into

your memory more I kind of think about

journaling like getting into a canoe and

kind of going down river where the part

that you control is like sure you're

paddling a little bit here or there but

it's primarily the river that's carrying

you Downstream right and the same thing

kind of happens when you Journal is that

sure you can pick a particular topic but

if you journal for 30 minutes I can

almost guarantee you that where you end

up will be very different from where you

started at the end of the day a lot of

people are really concerned about

journaling right so we've like heard

that journaling is good for you like you

can look at like oh this article about

like how to deal with burnout on

LinkedIn written by some guy with an MBA

says oh yeah journey is really good and

you can hear about psychiatrists like

myself or therapists or other people

like maybe your friends who are like

yeah like journaling has totally helped

me like journaling helps so much but if

you're kind of like me you don't really

know how to journal right because no one

ever teaches you how to journal you're

kind of confused like how is this

supposed to help me it doesn't actually

fix any of my problems all it does is

even if I write about the terrible stuff

first of all it makes me feel terrible

when I write it secondly like it doesn't

actually fix the problem and thirdly

like what if someone reads it this

sounds like a terrible idea you're

asking me to commit the most painful

thoughts that I have to a piece of paper

and then it's going to be vulnerable and

like anyone could read it that's not

like a terrible idea it sort of does

sound like a terrible idea and that's

why if you really understand how

journaling works if you really

understand some of the data behind the

evidence behind journaling and you start

to understand a little bit about how to

actually do it you will be amazed at

first of all how easy it is and second

of all how much it actually helps you