Crafting Wellness
The Transformative Power of Mental Health Bullet Journals
Written by: Hannah Kochany, BSW (cand.)
Within the chaotic journey of navigating our own mental health struggles and emotions that feel like they’ve run wild, finding solace and structure can be quite challenging. Organizing our thoughts and feelings and putting names and reasons behind them can often feel overwhelming and/or impossible.
One method of organization, venting, and de-stressing can be a bullet journal with a mental health basis. They can offer you a sense of peace and quiet, and somewhere to express and validate these emotions and feelings.
Bullet journals are unique, customizable, and adaptable so that you can organize your life and thoughts in a way that resonates with you and your personal experiences. By recording your thoughts, experiences, and emotions, you start the process of becoming more self-aware. Practicing mindfulness is the highlight of mental health bullet journals.
Writing by hand not only immerses yourself in the moment, but also promotes a slower pace, where you can tune into your thoughts and embrace the benefits of mindfulness. Your chaotic mind has a place where you can go for stillness and reflection.
The structure and organization of bullet journals allows you to have a space for your personal goal setting and achievements where you can track your progress. Breaking down seemingly impossible tasks and goals into smaller tasks fosters a sense of accomplishment, boosting self-esteem and motivation.
However, the pages within a bullet journal excede just organization, they can also be a space for reflection and gratitude. Infusing positivity and appreciation through acts such as honouring your wins, expressing gratitude for the little things in each day even the bad ones, and taking pleasure in the moments of pure joy, all work together to improve your wellbeing.
Below is a list of page ideas for your own personal mental health bullet journal. Not all ideas may suit every individual, but can be altered to work for you. Start slow if you decide to begin your own journal as well, as it can be easy to become overwhelmed in staying up to date with it.
Pick a couple pages that are important to you, and add more when you feel necessary or are comfortable doing so. There is also no rule to how you complete a bullet journal, you can work through them at your own pace, on the days you feel you need them, or every day, it is entirely customizable to each individual’s preferences.
1. Mood Tracker and Notes
Visualizing mental states through a gradient or color-coded system allows you to be intentional about their emotions. Elaborating on your daily moods provides a deeper understanding of your emotional fluctuations, promoting self-care during challenging times and bringing your emotional trends to light.
2. Anxiety Log
The journal becomes a powerful tool in the fight against anxiety. Creating a tracker that documents things like the time of episodes, some triggers, and your personal coping strategies can provide a tangible means of addressing and overcoming your anxious moments.
3. Self-Care Ideas
A dedicated page for self-care ideas prompts you to reflect on what brings them joy and energy. One idea is to categorize by types of self-care (time it takes, inside or outside, etc.), this page can serve as a personalized pick-me-up guide.
4. Habit Tracker
Habit trackers are a powerful tool for creating better habits and routines, prompting you to reflect on your daily routines. It encourages self-compassion, acknowledging that life happens, and not every box needs to be ticked.
5. Rant Boxes
Everyone needs a space to unload their overwhelming emotions. Rant boxes provide a relieving way to let go of these thoughts. Writing down and acknowledging your frustrations aids in processing difficult emotions.
6. Gratitude Log
By using a gratitude log, you’re able to find at least one positive aspect in each day, focusing on its brighter side. This page pushes you towards positive thinking and resilience, as you’re able to look for the good moments no matter the size.
7. Post Therapy Notes
Post therapy notes can provide a valuable extension of your sessions. This page preserves knowledge and insights gained. You can add session summaries, key takeaways, and areas for further exploration. This page can provide essential components for continued personal growth.
8. Done List
By creating a compilation of daily achievements, the done list page serves as a confidence booster. Recognizing your accomplishments, both big and small, instills a sense of pride and motivation, pushing you to work towards your other tasks each day.
9. Sleep, Water, Medication, and Symptoms Trackers
These trackers offer a comprehensive view of physical and mental well-being. Monitoring sleep, hydration, medications, and symptoms becomes a proactive approach to self-care. They also serve as reminders for the simple things of drinking water, or taking your medications, that are easily forgotten on a busy day. Tracking your sleep and physical symptoms you may be experiencing also help reveal trends between the two, or maybe with one of your other pages like your anxiety log or mood tracker.
10.Monthly Review and Lessons Learned
Reflecting on your personal monthly trackers allows you to see any trends in your well-being, as well as your mental health improves and fluctuates. Reminding you of the little moments you had in your month. The lessons learned page becomes an archive of insights, breakthroughs, a-ha moments, allowing you to foster continuous personal development, carrying these lessons forward with you.
Beginning the journey of mental health-based bullet journaling is a powerful step towards cultivating well-being. The pages of the journal become a safe space for your own self-discovery, mindfulness, stress relief, and personal growth. As individuals navigate their own mental capabilities and awareness, the mental health bullet journal becomes an outlet for stress, something to hold themselves accountable, and providing a way to lead an intentional life. Remember, take it easy, keep it simple, and be kind to yourself – the pages of your journal are a reflection of your unique journey towards bettering your overall well-being.