Understanding Mood Shifts through Journaling
As human beings we are meant to experience a wide range of emotions, depending on our circumstances, mood shifts can feel abrupt or unexplainable. Tracking our moods through journalling allows us to identify triggers, notice patterns and manage our emotional reactions. Writing down our internal dialogue and emotions also enables us to create distance from them, view our experiences objectively, and work towards a pragmatic resolution. You can keep a journal in a notebook, scrapbook, a running Word document, or notes in your phone. Find a time for reflection towards the end of your day to sift through your thoughts and feelings.
Try following the prompts below to identify and regulate your emotional responses.
It is helpful to consider how much control you have over some prompting events:
For things you can change: take productive action, make a plan or have a conversation about your needs with people involved.
For things you cannot change: practise discomfort tolerance – which can include using relaxation techniques, mindfulness, or finding fulfilment in other spaces in life.
Mood journaling is not solely focused on writing about negative emotions or experiences, it is also helpful to note down positive emotions and enjoyable experiences. Being able to recognize that we experience both positive and negative interactions and events throughout the day reinforces the normality of experiencing a range of emotions. Noting down positive mood processes can also help us regularly implement activities that invite happiness, joy, and excitement and improve our mood.
Practicing self-care and working towards general well-being increases our ability to regulate emotions, regular sleep, exercise, healthy eating, and interpersonal connections all contribute to our ability to tolerate stress, discomfort, and big feelings. Journaling can help with the process of ongoing self-reflection and personal growth.