In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, finding a moment of calm and intentional reflection can seem nearly impossible. But here at Momentary Co we wholeheartedly believe, the simplest, yet most powerful tool we have in our hands, is a journal.
Journaling isn't just putting words on paper; it's creating a safe haven for your feelings. You are free to write exactly what you feel, think, dream of and nobody can tell you otherwise.
Let's explore why journaling is so powerful for our mental wellbeing
Journaling is like finding the time to have a heart-to-heart with yourself. Most of us are so distracted by everything we need to achieve each day, sometimes we push our own needs aside, and before you know it there are a million thoughts interrupting us. When it all gets a bit too much, it’s important we are able to encourage ourselves ( and our children) to express emotions freely on paper. And when we say emotions, we mean all of them. No matter if it's joy, frustration, sadness, or curiosity, the value in the activity is being able to identify and understand each of our emotions.
Feeling like nothing is going right? Or that you will never finish your to-do list? A little bit of gratitude each day can go a very long way! A journal is an easy, accessible and repeatable prompt for you and your children to jot down things you’re all thankful for each day. You will be able to capture the simple things which make you truly happy and fulfilled, as an added bonus your journal will become a treasured keepsake to hold on for years to come. A simple gratitude is easy to start, we even have a few simple questions to get your started here
There’s no one way to journal. This isn’t school, your writing doesn’t have to be tidy, you don’t have to spell everything correctly, and most importantly - you don’t even need to write anything down if you don’t want to! Sometimes the best family journaling begins with a simple sketch. By letting your child sketch or describe their dreams (and you write it down). The journal is a canvas where anything goes. Who knows, the next big idea might sprout from those magical scribbles!
Journaling is an intentional activity which is a simple way to achieve personal growth. While the emphasis is usually on creating new entries and filling pages with a lot of insight into what we’re currently experiencing in life. I encourage you and your child to revisit past entries. It will be a valuable connecting activity to celebrate just how far you’ve come over the years.
Remember, journaling is the perfect way to begin guiding yourself and your child through whichever emotions, challenges and growing pains you’ll have on any given day. It's a simple, easy and accessible way to boost connection, self-awareness, and a built-in time capsule for a treasure trove of memories. However messy and unconventional your journal looks, I encourage you to embrace it, one heartfelt scribble at a time.Three Expert tips to improve your journaling:
Trust us, we know that finding time for lengthy journaling sessions won’t work in most busy families which is why we encourage micro-moments! Keep it short and sweet for those snippets of family time, it could be during your morning coffee or waiting in the car for school to start. Finding the time will allow you to find the magic in every moment.
Parent tip:I usually do my best thinking just before school pickup in the afternoon. So I’ve started taking a pocket size notebook in the car. I write down something I want to share with my family while it’s fresh in my mind.
Turn journaling into a family tradition! We are biased, but we believe the best journals are the shared ones. So we encourage all families to create a shared journal where everyone contributes a line of a story or a doodle or something they saw during the day.
Parent tip: Instead of reading a story before bed, try and start a new ritual once a week, before bedtime or a weekend tradition. This way, you're fostering connection while capturing precious moments.
In a world crammed with screens everywhere you look, there’s nothing better than a well loved journal. Gift your child with a tangible, child friendly journal to keep hold of their precious thoughts and vibrant illustrations.
Parent tip: Encourage your child to escape into the pages of their journal. Let them know it can be messy, structured however they want and in no way related to school work. We want them to reach for the journal when they want to find something to do with you.
We hope these tips and guidance will help you understand the benefits of journaling and how it will bring you and your family closer while providing a solid foundation for improved mental and emotional wellbeing. In a world obsessed with perfection, we want families to lean into imperfect journaling as a way to improve your family time and enrich your connections with each other.
