How to Use Letter Writing as a Form of Journaling

This post contains a letter I wrote to my toddler in order to capture how she has become an inspiration to me as her mother. Using letters as a form of journaling is a quick, easy way to document your thoughts on people, events, and yourself. It can be used as self care and memory keeping.

What would you write to your toddler? Do you have an older child or an infant? What would you include in a letter to them? Take some time out and do that today. Capture your thoughts and emotions.

Letters as a form of journaling

Letters are fun to do for memory keeping, as well as great for helping to capture your feelings towards certain situations. Sometimes these letters illustrate some feelings that are not always positive. And that is okay. That is how journaling is so helpful as it allows us to focus on our thoughts about a person or situation and find creative ways to problem solve what is happening if that is needed.

Dear Toddler- You are awesome!

Dear Toddler,

I am amazed by your growth and changes over the past year. Because we were home together I was able to see so much of your changes and development. 

I can not believe how independent you have become. I can not imagine our family without you in it. Once you were born, you fit in so well. You made a place for yourself and have not allowed us to overlook you, even though you are the smallest among us. You have proven to be the mightiest.

I admire your perseverance. Your never quit attitude. Your bravery.

This weekend you decided to scale a climbing wall. The foot holds were too spread apart for you since it was for older people but you went up several times, each time higher.

I pray you keep this attitude as you grow and don’t let anyone discourage you from trying new things. I have to stop myself sometimes from preventing you doing things, because I want you to be safe. My actions could slow your development down.

Keep that confidence and that sweet smile.

I know you will continue to amaze me everyday and I know you will do great things!

I love you so!

Love always,

Your Mommy

Journaling

Journaling is a great form of self care and so beneficial for your mental health.

Get creative with journaling

Journaling allows you to think in a different way. Using prompts will allow you to be able to process information in a different manner. I am not an artist; however journaling lets me create a picture with words and also lets me create a document that I can save for the future.

Improve your mood

Being able to identify and express your feelings helps to improve your mood. Sharing your feelings with yourself is excellent for being able to release what you are feeling. It allows you to focus more energy on the present and be intentional on what you have to do.

Help with decision making

Journaling can help you see both sides of a situation. Being able to do this mentally is somewhat of a challenge. Writing changes the process you use to make a decision. Allow yourself the ability to look at situations using logical steps removing your emotions when you can.

Have a memory keeper

Writing will allow you to be able to capture what happened on different days. The days that are regular and not exciting. As well as the days that are full of things that you don’t want to forget. Putting these events into words allows them to return to your experience when you read over your words in the future.

Journal prompts for self discovery

• Dear Child-
• Dear Spouse-
• Dear Me today-
• Dear Me in 5 years-
• Dear Me when I was 18 years old-

For more information about journaling, check out this post that I wrote on journaling and using it for self care here. https://theshannajanel.com/find-out-what-journaling-can-do-for-you/

National Alliance on Mental Illness

If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, seek help. If it is an emergency, call 911.

If you are looking for mental health assistance that is non-emergent, reach out to the National Alliance on Mental Illness https://www.nami.org/help. The NAMI HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–8 p.m., ET.

1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or info@nami.org

You can also text NAMI at Text NAMI to 741-741.

Connect with a trained crisis counselor to receive free, 24/7 crisis support via text message.

Resources for journaling

Here are some resources about journaling. Some are actual research studies as well as mental health websites that support the effects that journaling creates. I enjoy journaling, but there is actual documentation of the positivity it can create in your life! 

Journaling can serve as an outlet for you. You should start to journal if you don’t already.

• American Psychological Association (APA) has many articles that focus on the positive effects of journaling and how it can be a support for your mental state. Here is one article entitled Writing to Heal.
• The Arts in Psychotherapy Emotional expression and psychological symptoms: A comparison of writing and drawing
• University of Rochester Medical Center Journaling for Mental Health
• Click here for a video I made on easy ways to begin your journaling journey!

I would love to connect with you on Facebook. Find Your Flourish! is creating a community on there where I share thoughts everyday about creating an optimal balance between work and home life. You can excel in both areas.

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I am not a doctor of mental health, a psychologist, a psychiatrist, or a counselor. I am a wife, mother of 3 children, and an entrepreneur who has numerous life experiences that I utilize to create blog posts, as well as personal research that I perform. Thank you for reading this post and share with others you know will benefit from this information!

Be you, be focused, be well! Find Your Flourish! |Shanna|