Chapter Content
Okay, so, let's talk about mental health and, um, you know, journaling. I feel like everyone *knows* journaling is good for you, right? Like, it's supposed to be this amazing tool for creating space in your head and just generally improving your mental well-being. But, honestly, how many of us actually *do* it consistently? It's tough!
I think a lot of times, we imagine this ideal version of ourselves, you know? The one who has like, a perfectly quiet evening, thirty minutes to just dedicate to deep, reflective writing on all these, like, really interesting, complex prompts. But, uh, real life? Not so much. So, we end up thinking, "Well, I just don't have the time. Journaling isn't for me."
But here's the thing, and this is super important: even just five minutes of journaling every day can seriously make a difference. Like, a *big* difference to your mental health. And that's why I wanted to share this super simple method that I came up with, it's called the 1-1-1 method.
Basically, every evening, at the very end of your day, you just open up your journal, or, you know, whatever you use – a digital app, whatever works for you – and you write down three simple things. That's it.
First, you write down one win from the day. Just one! Anything that made you feel good, anything you accomplished, no matter how small.
Second, you write down one point of tension, anxiety, or stress. Just one thing that's been bugging you, something that you need to get off your chest.
And finally, you write down one point of gratitude. One thing you're grateful for in your life.
Seriously, the whole thing takes maybe five minutes, tops. Unless, you know, you're feeling really inspired by something and want to write a little more, which is totally fine, of course.
The reason why this method works so well, I think, is because it's so ridiculously simple. The one win lets you appreciate your progress, even on days that feel tough. The one point of tension, well, it's just therapeutic to get that stuff out of your head and onto paper. And the one point of gratitude just reminds you of the good things in your life, the things that really matter.
So, yeah, simple structure, low time commitment...it's just a really easy way to start building a journaling practice that can actually make a real difference in your mental health.
Now, if you really wanna, like, double down and make this stick, here's another tip: create a group chat with a few friends who also want to start journaling. And all you do is, every evening, once you've done your 1-1-1 journaling, you just send a "Done" message to the group. That's it! It's just a way to keep each other accountable and, you know, build that journaling streak. So, yeah, give it a shot. I think you might be surprised at how much of a difference five minutes can make.