Zen Pen
Feeling frazzled? Jackie Hillegers discovers why mind journaling could be your new best friend.
If you’re anything like me, your opinionated brain is constantly drafting tomorrow’s to-do list while you’re brushing your teeth, or creating a worst-case scenario while you’re trying to enjoy your walk.
But a delightfully weird and wonderful solution called mind journaling – the process of writing down a messy collection of raw and unfiltered thoughts – is changing lives in the most surprising ways.
So let’s explore why mind journaling might just become your new best friend:
IT’S LIKE DECLUTTERING YOUR BRAIN …. MARIE KONDO STYLE
Imagine your mind is a closet (the one you use daily, but haven’t cleaned out thoroughly since 2010).
Mind journaling is your chance to pull everything out of that closet and sift through it, throwing away anything that does not serve you.
You can then neatly fold away the thoughts that spark joy (or at least make sense). Every time you journal, you give your brain breathing room and space.
I tell my clients that “You now have space in your brain to learn exciting and positive new things.”
You don’t need to carry around excessive thoughts that weigh you down. The result? Less mental congestion and more clarity.
IT HELPS YOU VENT WITHOUT RUINING RELATIONSHIPS
We all have moments we cannot take back – hateful words spoken in anger, or a text sent to a loved one that we now regret. Spill your unfiltered emotions onto paper instead, without worrying about being misunderstood.
I think of mind journaling as a self-counselling session – you are releasing how you felt at that time or in that moment, and since it’s only seen by you, you can’t get in trouble.
Yell in capital letters, cry tears onto the ink, or swear and rip it to shreds – the page doesn’t judge you!
Once you’ve gotten all your true feelings out, you often realise what’s bothering you… and it’s rarely what you thought it was.
IT ENCOURAGES CREATIVITY FOR THE ‘NON-CREATIVE’
Mind journaling isn’t just for deep thinkers or tortured poets; it’s for everyone, especially those who think they’re not creative. Because, guess what? You are.
You were creative as a child with the most vivid imagination, and were super-proud of every drawing you did. The only difference between then and now is that you are more critical about your creative ability.
The more you journal, the more your mind learns to think in wild and wonderful new directions.
IT REDUCES STRESS AND ANXIETY
Study after study shows that journaling helps reduce stress, anxiety, and even depression. Why? Because naming your emotions and exploring your inner world calms your nervous system. Your cortisol (the stress hormone) takes a breather, and your heart rate follows.
I cannot talk enough about how powerful it is to bleed your soul onto paper. If you don’t want people to read it, paint over it. It can be a great way of saying that the layer is now buried and forgotten.
Brain dumps are my favourite – I scribble words in all different sizes and fonts, continuously turning my paper around so it appears layered, jumbled, and unreadable.
IT’S A GREAT PROBLEM SOLVER
Here’s a journaling superpower no one talks about enough – it turns you into a detective when you have a recurring problem or a “why do I always do that” moment.
Write your thoughts down. Explore them. Play with them. Flip them upside down. Suddenly, you’re not stuck IN the problem – you’re outside of it, looking in.
Mind journaling gives you distance, and with distance comes insight. You become your own coach, advisor, and strategist.
IT HELPS YOU SLEEP BETTER
Can’t sleep because your brain is in overdrive? Try a 10-minute “brain dump” journal before bed. Write down everything – tasks, worries, random thoughts or your grocery list.
Studies show that journaling before bed helps you fall asleep faster, and allows you to have a much deeper sleep. Why? Because once your mind sees those thoughts on paper, it doesn’t need to hold onto them anymore. It’s like telling your brain, “Don’t worry, it’s all sorted, now go to sleep.”
GETTING STARTED
You don’t need a fancy notebook (though a cute one never hurts). You don’t need perfect grammar. You just need you, a pen, and paper – and you can be as weird, boring or funny as you like.
A fun new activity I want to try is taking my small handbag-size journal to a coffee shop and allowing myself to “sip and write” whatever comes to mind.
Try a different coffee shop each week to support your local community, or even invite a friend to attend a silent mind journaling coffee date.
Write a different prompt or question each week, such as, “What is bothering me right now?” or “What do I need to do more of?”
FINAL WORDS: IT’S MESSY MAGIC
Mind journaling is messy magic. It’s not about being profound or polished. It’s about being honest with yourself.
It is a beautiful mess, and a completely unfiltered journey that makes life a little more livable… and a lot more fun.
So grab a pen – laugh, cry, doodle, swear and wonder. There’s no wrong way to do it. And if it changes your life a little (or a lot), that’s just part of the magic.
How to mind journal:
- Write whatever comes to mind, without judgment or editing.
- Think of it as an emotional release.
- Vent frustrations, fears or confusion.
- Focus on mental clarity and how you feel internally.
Benefits include:
- Helps reveal patterns, thoughts, and beliefs you might not notice.
- Helps you become aware of racing or looping thoughts.
- Great for anyone seeking clarity or creativity.
- Perfect before bed, especially for night owls with busy brains.
- It feels like hitting “refresh” on your mental browser.
