Journaling has been considered a powerful and helpful self-reflection tool for—well, forever. There are many ways to journal. For individuals who have already developed a journaling habit, spontaneous, free-form writing—prompted by nothing more than a blank page—may be all you need to get going! If that does not sound like you, explore the Coral Valley Journaling Series for guided exercises and prompts that will add structure, direction, and depth to your time of reflection.

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Of note: Research suggests that handwritten journaling may have a more transformative effect than typed journaling. The physical act of handwriting stimulates increased neuronal activity in the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, and reticular activating system (RAS), as compared to the more mechanical motion of typing, which engages less of the brain. As a result of this, handwriting provides enhanced cognitive engagement, improved focus and mindfulness, better memory retention, and greater learning (Ose Askvik, van der Weel, & van der Meer, 2020). As such, we encourage you to download and print out the exercises in this series, or to simply write your responses in a separate journal of your choosing. Of course, if you are more likely to actually journal at a computer than on a printout or in a notebook, it is better to get your ideas and feelings flowing, regardless of your preferred medium. So, ready your notebook and pen— or laptop and trusty fingers—and dive in!