journaling Archives - Musings by Danna

5 Best Self-Care Habits to Implement this Fall

I can’t believe that it’s finally Fall in this half of the world! I love Fall personally. It’s starting to cool down here, although it never gets too cold in Florida really.

Today I am going to be sharing with you five habits that I want to implement this Fall. Let me know in the comments if you will be trying out any of these this Fall or if you have any other ideas you would like to try out!

1. Spend more time being active.

I am so happy that the weather is cooling off (at least a little bit)! This means I can spend time in the great outdoors being active. My day job is as an elementary school teacher and I am enjoying recess with my students a whole lot more now that the weather is cooler.

I am also taking lots of time to play with my dog. Her name is Mia and she is a 1 year old blue merle goldendoodle puppy. She is wonderful and I love her so much! She has brought me so much joy these past few months since she was rehomed to me in May. We are still working on her leash skills but I am excited to be able to take her on more, longer walks.

I am also planning to start a gym membership soon! I am really excited to get back into the gym. I used to exercise all the time. Honestly, I was exercising way too much at one point in my life. But now, I have decided to embrace joyful movement versus trying to make my body look any certain way.

2. Spend time in my journal.

I have had the same journal for a couple years now. I got it from my grandparents a couple years back. While it’s not necessary to have a pretty journal, I do honestly believe that it can make it easier to get yourself motivated to journal with a pretty journal.

Journaling is integral to my self-care. It helps me to process my thoughts and get things out of my head when I am feeling overwhelmed. Don’t forget to grab my free journal prompts for mental health from this page if you’re looking for a place to start with journaling, or looking for a way to spruce up your current practice!

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3. Read a good book.

I used to be a voracious reader growing up, but as my mental health has become more complex, I have struggled with concentration which has made it harder for me to enjoy reading. In case any of you have struggled with that as well, here are a few things I have tried to get myself back into reading.

I read poetry. Since there are frequent opportunities to stop, I don’t have to concentrate for long. I read books with shorter chapters for the same reason.

I am also interested in accountability with reading, so I am thinking about starting up a book club again. It helps me to know that someone is going to know whether I read or not, and they’re going to care. I love discussing books so I want to be able to contribute.

4. Take a moment to reconnect with yourself.

For me, this often looks like meditating. I personally am a huge fan of Insight Timer. I use certain meditation music tracks from them for different situations. It is often helpful for me to get to sleep at night.

Something I am wanting to implement more of would be breathwork. This is a somatic practice that helps to release energy in your body. I have tried a couple pre-recorded sessions with Meleah from https://www.meleahrose.com/about and I highly recommend her sessions.

5. Give yourself permission to be creative.

This is something I have been working on a lot recently. It can be hard for me to be creative because of my perfectionistic nature, but I truly love my creative side and don’t want to dampen it due to perfectionism. I am working to challenge those thoughts.

One of the biggest ways I am creative is through my pen palling. I have pen pals all over the world and I enjoy getting to decorate their letters and write about what has been going on since we last spoke. It is truly one of the best hobbies I have ever had.

Another way I aim to be more creative this Fall is by taking time to draw on a more regular basis. I recently found my sketchbook and have been wanting to try out some new techniques. I have no formal training in art, but enjoy it nonetheless.

In conclusion

I hope you will join me in trying out some new habits this fall! Whether you plan to follow along with my habits or try your own thing, let me know how it goes. I would love to hear about it.

We can always continue our discussion in my Facebook group.

How To Create A Morning Routine

Today, I would like to share with you how to create a morning routine by walking you through how I am creating my own new morning routine.

For those of you who don’t know, I recently moved for school. Between moving and school, a lot will be changing for me, so it’s time to revamp my morning routine.

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Why create a morning routine?

Some of you may not be know why you should create a morning routine. Why do the same things every day? Here are a few of my reasons:

It can be a time saver. You can get everything you want done quicker because there’s no debate about what to do next.
It helps you incorporate healthy practices into your day. When you have a routine, you are more likely to do these things regularly.
It allows you make time for what matters. If you schedule time for it regularly, it must be important to you.

My new morning routine

My morning routine will have to change to adapt to my new schedule. With that being said, remember that it is important to frequently evaluate your routine and make sure it is serving you.

Here are the things I plan to do daily in my morning routine:

Journaling

I want to journal every morning to just get all my thoughts out so I can go about my day with less stress.

For me, this will look like a practice called Morning Pages, which comes from the book “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron. I haven’t actually read this book yet, but I have heard a lot about this practice and I would like to try it.

Essentially, it is three pages of stream of consciousness writing that you do when you wake up in the morning.

Of course, there are plenty of other journaling practices one could do in the morning. Some can be found in my post on gratitude journaling.

Take my medication

This is an essential part of my daily routine. I have to take my medication in the morning, afternoon, and at bedtime.

For people who struggle with their mental health, finding the right medication or combination of medications can be essential to recovery.

I would encourage you to search on Psychology Today if you are in need of a psychiatrist to prescribe medications. They also have directories for therapists and group therapy if you are in need.

Plan my day

For me, this looks like bullet journaling. For others, it may look like using a planner or time blocking on Google Calendar.

This keeps me on track to get everything that I need done so that I don’t miss any tasks, small or large.

I like to color code when I plan, so I will have different colors of pens for different types of tasks. Each of my classes starting later this month will likely get its own color assigned to it.

Eat breakfast

I never miss breakfast. It’s so important to your physical and mental health to be eating enough and part of that is getting in all your meals and snacks.

When I was younger, I struggled with an eating disorder. Part of not falling back into that is to make eating all my meals a non-negotiable habit.

I feel so much healthier now that I allow myself to eat whenever I feel hungry. Hunger is not the enemy. It’s just a signal from your body that you need food. It’s okay and even necessary to listen to that signal.

Take care of my dog

I am training a service dog to help me with my mental health. Her name is Lily. I walk her at night usually because it’s so hot during the day this time of year, but I still have to take her out and feed her in the morning.

I also like to give her some play time. She has a toy fox that she loves.

While training takes place randomly throughout the day, I do like to do some targeted training daily. Her training with tasks to assist me is going great, but we still need some work on public access skills since we haven’t been leaving the house except for essentials lately.

Follow my Instagram @musingsbydanna if you’d like to see Lily! I will be posting some videos of her soon, hopefully.

Exercise

This will be a new habit for me as well. I used to over-exercise when I had an eating disorder, so I will be monitoring this morning habit closely to make sure it stays healthy.

I got workout clothes today since I didn’t have any, so I am one step closer to starting this habit.

The benefits of exercise are more than just physical. I am much more concerned with how exercising may be able to help with my depression. I know I always feel better even after just taking a walk, so I am hoping that adding in an actual workout will make the benefits greater and longer lasting.

Shower and get ready for my day

Showering can be hard for those of us who have experienced trauma. If this is something you’re struggling with, I would highly recommend two things. First, wear an oversized shirt or swimsuit that you can wash under while you shower. Second, listen to something calming during your shower.

I am usually the type of person to shower at night, but with adding in a morning workout, I feel like a morning shower is going to be pretty important.

Then, I will move on to getting dressed and ready!

A final note on morning routines

Your morning routine doesn’t have to look like mine though. You should customize it to look exactly how you want!

Feel free to email me (my contact info can be found here) and let me know what you have done to create a morning routine or exercise routine that you love.

As always, please share this post on social media if you enjoyed it. And don’t forget to sign up for my email list below! I will be letting everyone on my email list know how this new routine is going soon.

Until next time,

Danna

Don't forget to subscribe to our email list for weekly updates from Musings by Danna, plus 17 free journal prompts for mental health!

Journaling for Anxiety Relief

Today, I would like to talk about some ways you can use journaling for anxiety relief.

Journaling can be a great tool for anxiety. It can help you learn how to regulate your thought process better so that you can lower your anxiety in both the short and long-term.

Don't forget to subscribe to our email list for weekly updates from Musings by Danna, plus 17 free journal prompts for mental health!

“And then what would happen?”

This is one technique you can use as a journaling exercise or as an exercise for your thought process. The main key here is to try to be realistic.

Write what you are worried might happen. Then, you continue to write what would happen next until you realize that eventually things will be okay again, even if they are temporarily not great.

Here’s an example:

I might have a panic attack while giving my presentation for class.

And then what would happen?

Well, I would probably start crying and mess up on my presentation.

And then what would happen?

I might not make a great grade on the presentation.

And then what would happen?

I currently have a 90 in the class, so I might end up with a B or a C. But I would still pass. And since this class isn’t in my major, that’s good enough for me.

See how this journaling technique can walk you through the thought process to discover that things will eventually be okay again?

You do have to make sure you catch yourself before you fall into a pessimistic cycle of, “Well, then my life would be over.” It takes practice, but this journaling exercise really can help.

Of course, some things may take longer to be truly okay again depending on the severity of the situation. But things almost always have a way of working out.

Worst/Best/Most likely

This is another journaling technique for anxiety. It’s pretty simple as well and probably the least time consuming out of our journaling exercises here today.

You simply write down the worst case scenario in the situation you’re worried about, the best case scenario in that situation, and the most likely scenario in that situation too.

Here’s an example.

Situation: I lost my job.

Worst case scenario: I can’t afford to keep living on my own and have to move back in with my parents even though I am too old to be doing that.

Best case scenario: I use this as an opportunity to find my dream job or start a new business. I make more money than I ever did before and fall in love with my new job.

Most likely scenario: I have to pick up a job doing something that isn’t what I want to make ends meet until I find a job I enjoy again.

Make a list

This is my favorite method of journaling for anxiety relief. However, it is a bit more complex than the other two methods.

First, you make a list of everything that is currently causing you anxiety.

Then, you pick one to work on at a time. Start with the most anxiety provoking one or the one with the soonest deadline.

After that, write down why it’s making you anxious, what you have done and still can do to prepare, and what you will do if the worst case scenario happens to mitigate the negative effects.

You can then work through the rest of the items on the list that are causing you anxiety if you have time. If not, put the list away somewhere you don’t have to look at it and come back to it when you have more time.

Here’s a brief example:

A list of things that are making me anxious

I have a Spanish test this week that I need to do well on.
My friend is starting cancer treatments this month.
My phone is about to break and I don’t have the money to replace it.

Why is it making me anxious: My Spanish test is making me anxious because I really want to get a good grade in that class. I have never taken a foreign language test before, so I don’t know what to expect.

Preparation: I have watched the study guide videos multiple times. I attended class regularly. I have met with my professor during office hours and still have time to do so one more time before the test.

Worst case scenario: If the worst case scenario happens and I fail the test, I will meet with my professor to see what the chances of me passing the class are to decide if I should withdraw. If I can still pass the class, I will try to see if my professor can show me where I went wrong so I can improve.

Thoughts on journaling for anxiety relief

These techniques can all help lower your anxiety.

When you are considering which journaling exercise for anxiety relief to choose, consider how much time you have and how many things you are feeling anxious about.

Don’t be afraid to try journaling for anxiety relief. It really is a great tool to have to help you with your mental health.

I hope you enjoyed my post! Please consider leaving a comment or sharing a link on social media if you did. You can find my contact info here. And don’t forget to sign up for my email list below!

Until next time,

Danna

Don't forget to subscribe to our email list for weekly updates from Musings by Danna, plus 17 free journal prompts for mental health!

Gratitude Journaling Benefits and Methods

Gratitude journaling is something that brings me great joy. It allows me to reflect on my day and my life.

But what is gratitude journaling?

Gratitude journaling allows you to reflect on the things in your life that you are thankful for. There are so many ways to use a gratitude journal, but in this post, I will be discussing my top three methods, as well as the benefits of gratitude journaling and how to start one.

Four benefits of gratitude journaling:

Gratitude journaling can have several positive impacts on your life. First, it helps you recognize positive aspects of your life and draw attention to them. This can help with negative thinking patterns and help lower levels of depression.

It can also help you be more thankful for the people in your life. If you are taking time to reflect on what others are doing for you, this can have a positive impact on your relationships.

Gratitude journaling can also improve your physical health. People who keep a gratitude journal have less symptoms of physical illness and less pain than those who do not. They also report both more sleep and higher quality sleep because they are not tossing and turning from stress as much.

It can improve your self-esteem by helping you reflect on your accomplishments. Gratitude journaling can also help you feel like you are a person who is worthy of the kindness of others.

Three methods of gratitude journaling:

There are many ways one can keep a gratitude journal. I will be discussing my top three favorite methods. I invite you to try each of them and see what works for you.

GLAD Journaling:

GLAD Journaling is my personal favorite way to do gratitude journaling. I learned about it from my therapist quite a while back and I still use it frequently.

GLAD is an acronym that stands for Grateful, Learned, Accomplished, and Delight. At the end of the day, I like to write one sentence for each of the four categories to help me reflect upon my day and recognize the positives. The four categories may overlap some. This is okay. You can put things into whatever category feels best to you.

The “Grateful” category is pretty self-explanatory. Write about something you are grateful for that you experienced or appreciated that day.

In the “Learned” category, you write about something new you discovered that day. It can be anything from learning something about yourself or others to learning a new skill or fun fact.

For the “Accomplished” category, take a moment to reflect on everything you accomplished that day. Write down your favorite or biggest accomplishment, something you are proud of for that day. Even accomplishments that others may consider small can count. You deserve to be proud of yourself for whatever you were able to accomplish.

For the “Delight” category, write about one thing you enjoyed about the day or something that made you really happy. Writing about my “Delight” for the day always makes me smile.

Your GLAD Journal might look something like this:

3 things I am grateful for:

This is a second method of gratitude journaling. It does not have categories like GLAD Journaling does. Instead, you simply come up with three things you are grateful for each day.

Try to do this at the same time each day. Many people prefer to do this in the mornings, first thing when they wake up.

While it sounds like a fairly simple exercise, the challenge comes when you have been doing it for a while since you want to try your best not to repeat yourself over time. This means that the more specific you can get, the better.

Yours could look something like this:

What would my life be like without this?

The third and final method of gratitude journaling that I will be sharing with you today is “What would my life be like without this?” This is probably the most time consuming of the exercises, but it does go deeper than the rest.

For this exercise, you will want to think about something or someone really important to you. Write it down.

Then, you will start to write about how your life would be different without this thing or person.

Close out the exerise by writing “I am grateful for _____ because _____.”

The following picture is an example, although I would recommend trying to make yours longer if possible.

Starting a gratitude journal

Starting a journal of any kind can feel overwhelming to begin with. The first thing I like to do when I am starting a new journal is to pick out a journal that makes me feel excited. I have found that when I have a pretty journal, I am more likely to continue using it.

Another important thing is to find a writing utensil that feels good to you. That may sound silly, but there’s nothing worse that trying to write with a pencil that squeaks or a pen that doesn’t write smoothly. I have recently discovered the magic that is erasable pens and it has honestly been a game changer.

Once you have your journal and writing utensil(s) picked out, it’s time to pick a method to use. There is nothing wrong with going back and forth between different methods of gratitude journaling, nor is there anything wrong with sticking to one method.

The internet has a plethora of ideas for more specific prompts if that’s your style. If you are struggling to come up with things to be thankful for, I would highly recommend searching for gratitude journaling prompts. Then you can decide whether you would like to adapt their ideas to fit one of the ideas above or do a free writing exercise on a prompt.

Please reach out to me if you have any questions, or comment below! (You can find my contact information here.) And don’t forget to subscribe to my email list so you can always keep up to date on my posts!

Until next time,

Danna