“Without writing, the literate mind would not and could not think as it does… more than any other single invention, writing has transformed human consciousness.” (Walter Ong, Orality and Literacy)
Diaries and journals are often seen as a childish activity – something people “grow out of” as they age. But the reality is that journaling is a powerful technology for developing consciousness. It allows people to put their thoughts on paper, reflect on the things going on in their head, and escape the “stream of consciousness” that keeps them trapped in old patterns.
When people think about journaling, they’re usually thinking about unstructured journaling or diaries. In this format, people write freely and then reflect on those thoughts. There is a lot of value in this approach, but there’s more powerful methods available.
Guided journaling offers something different. Through carefully designed questions and frameworks, guided journals direct attention to specific parts of the mind, and can therefore encourage much deeper reflection. In this way, journaling becomes more than self-expression – it becomes a deliberate practice for cultivating clarity and expanding your awareness.
Journaling is Thinking On Paper
The essence of journaling is writing down your thoughts. Many people might think this is a trivial thing, but it’s actually a very powerful way to think. Without journaling, you exist within a “stream of consciousness”, where one thought leads to another thought, which leads to another thought, and so on.
In this mode of thinking, it’s easy to get lost in your own thoughts. It’s also difficult to think outside of your current perspective, or to hold multiple thoughts in your head at the same time.
Journaling changes all of that. By capturing your thoughts on paper, you give yourself not just a sense of permanency and groundedness, but the ability to revisit those thoughts and think critically about them. By writing down your thoughts, you are able to slow down, reflect more deeply, and take new kinds of perspectives.
Research on the Benefits of Journaling
Over the last couple of decades, researchers have examined the effects of journaling in a number of different settings. In general, they have found that a well-designed journaling program can have tremendous benefits, particularly in academic and therapeutic settings:
“Positive Affect Journaling was associated with decreased mental distress and increased well-being relative to baseline. Journaling was also associated with less depressive symptoms and anxiety after one month and greater resilience after the first and second month…” (Journal of Medical Internet Research)
“The intervention boosted academic achievement and increased retention rates, particularly for ethnic minority and male students (who had underperformed in previous years). The gap in performance between men and women, and for ethnic minorities versus nationals, became considerably smaller within the intervention cohort. After Year 1, the gender gap closed by 98%, and the ethnicity gap by 38%…” (Humanities & Social Sciences Communications, Nature)
“88% of respondents found the journal useful in assisting them to learn from their experiences, and to develop reflective thinking and practice. 54% indicated they would continue to use the journals. Analysis of the reflective journals indicated that students demonstrated improvements in the three stages of reflective practice: awareness of thoughts and feelings, critical analysis of situation, and development of new perspectives.” (Journal of Physiotherapy)
The Unique Benefits of Guided Journaling
From the research that’s already been done, we know that journaling can have positive effects on mental health and personal achievement. But guided journals can have even more impact, because they offer not just a space to reflect, but a curated journey through your mind.
Having a set of structured prompts to respond to is like having access to a mentor or a teacher. Instead of just filling up an empty page with your unstructured thoughts, the presence of an external influence focuses your mind on things you might not have considered. In this way, guided journals can build new mental skills and new perspectives.
To use a metaphor, unstructured journaling or diary-keeping is like wandering through a forest… while guided journaling is like following a trail through that forest. There is a direction; a journey; a goal. Completing a guided journal is like going on a trip somewhere, and creates space for genuine transformation – not just reflection.
Why I Make Guided Journals
The reason that I’ve developed a series of guided journals is because I wanted to give people the experience of working with an executive coach and a therapist at the fraction of a price. After working in the executive coaching industry and seeing the price tag associated with professional coaching, I wanted to make that experience accessible to people of all income levels.
Each of my guided journals is oriented around a specific topic or learning outcome, and is designed according to the best research I can find on that topic.
| Thinking With Integrity | Critical Thinking, Virtue, Empathy, Emotional Awareness, Growth Mindset |
| Wise Mind | Understanding Wisdom, Methods of Acquiring Wisdom, Virtue, Paradoxes, Folk Wisdom |
| Active Intellect | Growth Mindset, Reflective Practice, Action Inquiry |
| Go To Yourself | Self-Discovery, Purpose, Goal-Setting |
| Peacemaker | Conflict Resolution Skills, Empathy |
| All The Feels | Emotional Awareness, Emotional Regulation |
In my opinion, journals and guided journals represent one of the biggest opportunities to catalyze personal growth in society. While therapy and coaching are valuable, guided journals are affordable, accessible, and scalable in ways that one-on-one sessions aren’t.
At the time of this post, I’m currently using my series of guided journals as part of a small-scale study, where I am measuring the impact of those journals using assessments. It is my hope that I will be able to demonstrate that guided journaling technologies can have transformative impact at the fraction of the cost of traditional coaching and therapy.
For more information on this study, please email me – zachary (at) zacharystrong (dot) net.