11 benefits of anxiety journaling and tips to get started

Writing can help get swirling thoughts out of your head. And, thoughts on paper make it easier to reflect and see patterns. Starting an anxiety journal may help reduce anxiety, and help you manage stress. 

Discover the mental health benefits that accompany anxiety journaling and find some inspiration for how to get started.

What is anxiety journaling?

Anxiety journaling is the act of writing down thoughts and feelings, which helps people understand themselves more and recognize what they need to improve. Studies have shown that anxiety journaling can help you manage your anxiety.

The primary goal of daily journaling for anxiety is to get your negative thoughts out of your head and someplace else.

Is journaling good for anxiety?

Journaling can be an effective tool for managing anxiety. Journaling itself is a big thought record, and seeing your fears and anxieties written down on paper is the first step to acknowledging them and moving past them.

It helps you track your symptoms, too. Journaling helps you keep a record of your experiences to help you learn how to improve your mental health and provide anxiety relief.

Here are some other potential benefits:

• Emotional release: Writing down your thoughts and feelings can provide an outlet for pent-up emotions.
• Clarity: Putting your worries on paper can help you gain perspective and identify thought patterns.
• Problem-solving: Journaling can assist in brainstorming solutions to issues causing anxiety.
• Stress reduction: The act of writing itself can be calming and meditative.
• Self-awareness: Regular journaling can help you better understand your triggers and reactions.
• Progress tracking: Looking back on past entries can show how you've grown and overcome challenges.

While journaling is helpful for many, its effectiveness can vary from person to person. If you're interested in trying it, consider starting with short, regular sessions and experimenting with different techniques to find what works best for you.

11 ways journaling helps anxiety

Journaling is often recommended to people struggling with their mental health. It’s a straightforward, non-demanding approach to controlling emotions and improving your mood.

Here are some of the main health benefits of journaling for anxiety:

1. It reduces stress levels 
2. It can clear your head, which improves your ability to focus and cognitive function
3. It enables more efficient problem-solving. Jotting things down allows us to see hurdles from multiple angles
4. It can help you stop overthinking and practice self-awareness  
5. It may reduce physical symptoms  — for instance, researchers found that women with breast cancer who journaled about their situation had fewer cancer-related appointments and reported fewer symptoms. 
6.  It’s fun, low cost, and will elevate your mood
7.  It helps uplift your emotional well-being and builds a positive mindset
8.  It encourages you to open up and write about your feelings or struggles
9.  It breaks a cycle of brooding and holding things inside you
10.  It builds your self-awareness and helps you become more in tune with your emotions
11. You might identify limiting beliefs that you can work to overcome

Think of journaling as talking to the world's best listener. You'll be free of judgment and won't have to worry about being interrupted, and you'll always be in a safe space away from prying eyes and opinions. Your worry journal is your own; it doesn't have any standards or regulations.

How can journaling help you with anxiety?

Anxiety is your body's natural response to stressful events. It's normal to feel anxious, fearful and worried sometimes. But if anxiety hinders your everyday life, you may need to make a change. Unchecked, chronic overthinking and pessimistic self-talk can lead to anxiety disorders or depression. Perhaps you've been exploring all sorts of tools to help with anxiety, but nothing seems to work.

A great coping strategy is, of course, journaling. 

Anxiety journaling provides instant, temporary relief from overwhelming thoughts. It helps you face anxious thoughts, and even embrace them. By writing things down, you’ll face your vulnerabilities, which can reduce stress. 

And there's research to back it up, too. Positive affect journaling (PAJ) has been found to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and improve well-being. The act of writing down thoughts and feelings helps people understand themselves more and recognize what they need to improve.

The practice puts thoughts and feelings into words and makes them easier to identify. Studies have even recommended that PAJ should be integrated into routine care for anxiety to help improve people's quality of life.

It’s important to have a space to vent freely. In a journal, you can write down a list of everything causing stress without worrying about burdening your loved ones. Journal entries are a healthy way to privately dump out your thoughts.

If you don’t know where to start, ask a professional. Therapists often incorporate journaling into cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The practice encourages people to analyze the harsh beliefs they hold about themselves. 

Research has shown that gratitude journaling, in particular, gives us a happiness boost. The dopamine levels in our brain increase which improves our mood, and even our sleeping habits. 

Language is a powerful tool — let your words be fuel. Reread what you’ve written, especially positive notes. With journaling, you can immerse yourself in self-love and self-compassion. And, in a lot of ways, journaling can help you take care of your mental health. 

8 tips to start an anxiety journal

Journaling about your anxiety will look slightly different for everyone. Here are some tips to help you start:

1. Keep it focused

Set a timer for 5-10 minutes to write about your anxious thoughts and feelings. Don't pressure yourself to write extensively. When the time is up, take a few deep breaths and move on.

2. Make it a habit

Having a routine helps you stay organized. Establish a routine for anxiety journaling. Try writing at the same time daily, perhaps in the morning to set a positive tone or at night to release worries before bed. Having a set time will help you prioritize this new habit. 

3. Do what feels right

There's no rulebook when it comes to anxiety journaling. Your spelling, handwriting, and subject matter don't matter. You don’t need to follow templates or fill out a certain format. Write freely about your anxious thoughts, physical symptoms, triggers, or coping strategies. Use whatever method helps you express and understand your anxiety best.

4. Write on anything

Use whatever writing method feels most calming and accessible. For some, writing in a pretty journal makes them feel inspired. For others, it doesn't.

It doesn't matter what you're writing on — or where — as long as you write. Feel free to journal in a notebook, on a computer, or using random scraps of paper and napkins. You can write with colorful pens, use stickers, draw, handwrite, or type out your thoughts.

5. Set realistic goals

Remember that journaling is a tool to manage anxiety, not cure it. It's helpful but not the only way to take care of your mental health. Journaling is a fantastic step to kickstart your journey toward building strength and resilience. You can set emotional goals along the way and couple journaling with other strategies like therapy or relaxation techniques. Be sure to celebrate small improvements in understanding and coping with your anxiety along the way. 

6. Reflect on your entries

Along the way, pause and ask yourself questions about your thoughts and emotions. Notice how your body feels while writing. Have you noticed any patterns? What have you learned about your anxiety? Asking questions can help you uncover your triggers or think of other strategies that'll help.

6. Incorporate anxiety-specific techniques

Try anxiety-focused journaling methods like worry lists, gratitude entries, or "reframing negative thoughts" exercises. You could also track your anxiety levels on a scale of 1-10 each day.

7. Get creative

This is your journal, so do whatever you please with it. Do you want to address your entries to anyone? Do you feel like doodling or drawing? You could try making it a bullet journal, or only write in bullet points — because who says you need to have full sentences? Design your journal in a way that's both meaningful and effective for you.

8. Find a comfortable space

Designate a quiet, comforting area for your anxiety journaling. This could be a cozy corner at home, a peaceful outdoor spot, or even your car. Ensure it's a place where you feel secure expressing your anxious thoughts without judgment. Wherever you feel like you can relieve stress and worries, make it your special spot.

20 journal prompts for anxiety

A blank page is intimidating. No wonder it takes us a long time to start on that weekly report for work. But don’t fret: that’s what writing prompts are for. 

Here's a list of anxiety journal prompts to help reframe your mindset and anything else weighing on your mind.

1. If I could make a promise to myself, it would be…
2. I’m so sick of…
3. List 10 positive affirmations you can repeat when your anxiety spikes 
4. What does your perfect day look like?
5. Think of a time when you failed at something or made a mistake. What did you learn?
6. Write a letter to your childhood self 
7. What are three things that triggered my anxiety today, and how did I cope with each?
8. If my anxiety were a person, what would I say to them?
9. List 5 things I'm grateful for right now, no matter how small.
10. What's the worst-case scenario I'm worried about, and how likely is it to actually happen?
11. Describe a recent situation where I overcame my anxiety. How did I feel afterward?
12. What are three self-care activities I can do this week to manage my anxiety?
13. If I could wave a magic wand and make one aspect of my anxiety disappear, what would it be and why?
14. Write about a time when my anxiety was wrong. How did the situation actually turn out?
15. What physical symptoms do I experience when anxious? How can I address each one?
16. List 3 strengths I have that can help me face my anxiety.
17. Imagine my future self who has learned to manage anxiety well. What advice would they give me?
18. What's one small step I can take today to challenge my anxiety?
19. Describe a safe, calming place (real or imaginary) in detail. How does being there make me feel?
20. Write a compassionate letter to myself about my anxiety struggles and progress.

You can find more journal prompts online or buy a journal with suggestions on each page. Until you know what you like writing about, you can experiment with different writing styles and content types.

3 journaling exercises for anxiety

The following exercises are designed to help you process anxious thoughts, challenge negative patterns, and cultivate a more balanced perspective.

Remember, the goal isn't perfection but rather self-exploration. Approach these exercises with an open mind and be patient with yourself as you navigate your thoughts and feelings.

Exercise 1: worry flow:

This exercise helps release anxious thoughts onto paper.

Start by writing "My worries right now are:" at the top of your page. Then, set a timer for 5 minutes. Begin writing every worry that comes to mind, no matter how big or small. Don't stop to edit or judge - just let your thoughts flow freely onto the page.

When the timer goes off, take a deep breath. Now, read through your list. For each worry, ask yourself: "Is this something I can control?" If yes, jot down one small action you could take. If no, write "Let go" next to it.

This exercise helps externalize your worries and sort them into actionable items and things to release.

Exercise 2: anxiety reframe:

This technique helps challenge anxious thoughts.

Divide your page into two columns. Label the left side "Anxious Thought" and the right side "Reframe."

In the left column, write down an anxious thought you're having. For example, "I'll mess up my presentation and everyone will think I'm incompetent."

In the right column, write a more balanced or positive perspective. For instance, "I've prepared well for this presentation. Even if I make a small mistake, it's unlikely anyone will judge me harshly for it."

Do this for 3-5 anxious thoughts. This exercise helps you practice looking at situations from a different, less anxiety-provoking angle.

Exercise 3: gratitude anchor:

This exercise helps shift focus from anxiety to positivity.

Start by writing today's date, then "Three things I'm grateful for:"

Take a moment to reflect, then write down three things you appreciate, no matter how small. They could be as simple as "the warm sun on my face" or "my comfortable bed."

After each item, write a sentence about why you're grateful for it and how it makes you feel.

This practice can help anchor you in positive experiences, providing a counterbalance to anxious thoughts.

Remember, there's no right or wrong way to do these exercises. The goal is to help you process your anxiety and gain new perspectives. Take your time, be kind to yourself, and let your thoughts flow freely onto the page.

Bottom line

The most important thing about journaling is to start. Where you choose to go from there doesn't matter because there isn't one way to learn how to journal for anxiety.

Anxiety journaling is a way to still your racing mind and calm your heart. You don't have to produce anything profound or revolutionary.

Connect with a BetterUp Coach to help you confront your feelings head-on so you can become your best, most vibrant self. Changing thought patterns is challenging, but it’s possible if you’re willing to do the work. Our coaches are here to support you every step of the way.