Coping with the stress and anxiety of a cancer diagnosis is one of the most difficult processes we endure on top of treatment. Having an outlet is a must, which is one reason we’re big fans of journaling.

Journal writing is a proven tool for managing emotions, especially when it comes to balancing positive and negative feelings. And you can really feel the difference.

According to a recent study out of the University of California Davis, people who kept gratitude journals exercised more regularly, were more optimistic, felt better about themselves, were less troubled by physical symptoms, and had more energy than those who wrote about neutral or negative events.

Here is a guide to starting a journaling practice during your cancer journey.

Benefits Of Journaling For Cancer Patients

“As you work through the initial shock of your diagnosis and the uncomfortable feelings that treatment can provoke, writing can aid you to get in touch with your basic values, to rediscover the positive qualities and strengths you had forgotten, as well as to uncover new ones. Journal writing enables you to put illness in perspective. By writing, you will realize that your illness is only a part of you, not the whole person.” — Penn Medicine.

Cancer is a difficult journey, and it can be hard to find time to process everything we're feeling. That's where journaling can help. Journaling allows us to process our thoughts and feelings in a safe and confidential space.

It’s why we designed the You Can Do Cancer Journal, which you can find in our Cancer Healing Kits. It helped us track our progress, both physically and emotionally. We used it to document our journey and help us make sense of everything we were going through.

Most importantly, journaling reconnects you with yourself and helps you remember this illness is only a part of you, not the whole person.

Benefits Of Journaling For Cancer Care Givers

Caring for a loved one with cancer can be an emotionally challenging experience. Journaling can help caregivers explore their thoughts and feelings about the experience and offer encouragement to the person with cancer.

Some caregivers share their journals with their loved ones as a way to connect and support each other during treatment, while others use them as a means of reflecting on their journey and creating stronger bonds during the healing process.

Either way, the outlet is therapeutic.

How To Start A Journaling Practice

Your journal reflects who you are and how you see the world. There is no right way to keep a journal, but research has shown that writing about what happens to you and how you feel about it can provide emotional and health benefits that keep us resilient.

You may not have the energy to write in your journal every day during some phases of your treatment or depending on your caregiving responsibilities for the day. That's fine. Even a few words can help you record your thoughts and feelings.

Types Of Journaling For Your Cancer Journey

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1. ‍Lists: Lists have a larger impact than just being a tool to keep track of tasks; they can also be used to encourage a positive mindset. We love these suggestions from Penn Medicine:

• Write down ten ways your life has changed since your diagnosis.
• Ten strengths you possess.
• Ten qualities within yourself you wish you could change.
• Ten ways you can nurture yourself.

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2. Gratitude: People who wrote in a gratitude journal weekly for ten weeks or daily for two weeks experienced more gratitude, positive moods, and optimism about the future, as well as better sleep, compared to those who journaled about hassles or their daily life.

           Here are some tips to start a gratitude journal:

• Be as specific as possible about what you are grateful for. A detailed reason you are grateful for one thing is more beneficial than a mile-long, bullet-pointed list featuring many things.
• Try subtraction, not just addition. One effective way of stimulating gratitude is to reflect on what your life would be like without certain blessings rather than just tallying up all those good things.
• Savor surprises. Record unexpected or surprising events as they tend to elicit stronger levels of gratitude.

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3. Two-Sentences: Writing down one or two sentences about what went well today can help you keep a sense of perspective when you're feeling down. It can be easy to forget how much progress you have made when you have a bad day, but with a journal, it's easier to remember your achievements.

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4. Unsent Letters: During major life transitions, we often feel a need to resolve old conflicts or to tell people from the past the things we wish we'd said to them long ago. Often these people are unavailable to you.  We may need to express ourselves to the people currently important to us but hold ourselves back. Writing unsent letters to these people in your journal is a powerful way to finish old business, let go of old resentments and move forward.

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Journaling can be your best friend and tool in recovering from cancer, helping you cope with stress and maintain a positive outlook on your health and treatment. You got this!

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