How to Start Journaling for Mental Health: Beginner's Guide
Journaling has a robust evidence base for improving mental health — including reductions in anxiety, depression, PTSD symptoms and even physical health markers. Yet many people start and abandon the habit within days. The steps below are designed to make journaling simple, sustainable and genuinely useful rather than another obligation.
Journaling and the Mentis App
The Mentis journaling feature removes the biggest obstacle to journaling: not knowing what to write. Each day, the app provides a guided prompt based on your current mental health goals and mood data. Your entries are private, encrypted and connected to your mood tracking — creating a rich picture of your emotional life over time.
- Choose your format — Paper journal, notes app, or Mentis app (which provides guided prompts). Digital is more convenient; paper feels more permanent and private. Start with whatever has less friction.
- Start with just 3 sentences — Lower the bar completely. Today's mood in one sentence. One thing that happened. One thing you are grateful for. Consistency beats length every time.
- Set a consistent time — Morning journaling sets intentions and processes overnight thoughts. Evening journaling processes the day's experiences. Pair it with an existing habit (coffee, brushing teeth) to make it automatic.
- Use prompts when stuck — Try: 'What am I feeling right now and what might have caused it?' or 'What is weighing on my mind today?' or 'What went well today and why?' The Mentis app provides daily guided prompts tailored to your goals.
- Write without editing — Journaling is not for an audience. Write exactly what you think and feel without filtering. The therapeutic value comes from the unguarded expression of internal experience.
- Try the thought record format — Situation → Automatic thought → Emotion (0–100%) → Evidence for → Evidence against → Balanced alternative thought. This is the core CBT journaling technique.
- Review your entries weekly — Look back at the week's entries to spot patterns in your mood, thoughts and triggers. This reflective review is where much of the insight happens.