Journaling Through Anxiety: What to Write When You Don’t Know What to Say

Anxiety has a way of silencing our clarity and amplifying our fears. And yet, journaling can be the most grounding thing — even when your mind feels like static.

Here’s how to start, even when you feel overwhelmed:

• Begin with what you feel physically.
  “My chest feels tight.” “My jaw is tense.” Let your body narrate when your mind can’t.

• Use grounding prompts.
  Try these:

  • What am I afraid might happen right now?

  • What do I need to hear today?

  • What evidence do I have that supports me feeling safe?

• End with an affirmation.
  Close your entry with something calm but true: “I don’t have to have all the answers. I just have to breathe.”

Research published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine has shown that expressive writing, especially when focused on thoughts and feelings, can reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms by helping individuals process and organize emotional experiences (Smyth et al., 1999).

Furthermore, studies by Pennebaker and colleagues (1997) have consistently demonstrated that journaling about emotions helps lower stress-related physical symptoms and strengthens immune function over time.

Your journal doesn’t need your perfection. It just needs your honesty.