Remember that diary you kept in middle school, the one filled with dramatic declarations about your crush and detailed accounts of cafeteria injustices? Turns out, your 13-year-old self might have been onto something—just with slightly different subject matter.
Journaling isn’t just for angst-ridden teens and people who own multiple fountain pens. Research increasingly shows that putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard, we’re not purists) can provide real, measurable benefits for mental health and wellbeing. And when combined with intention-setting practices, you’ve got yourself a powerful tool for managing stress, reducing depression symptoms, and actually achieving those goals that have been languishing on your mental to-do list since 2019.
The Science of Getting Your Feelings Out
Let’s start with expressive writing—that’s the fancy term for writing about emotional or difficult experiences. Before you groan and imagine hours of navel-gazing, hear us out: the research shows it works, and you don’t need to turn it into a full-time job.
A comprehensive meta-analysis found that expressive writing produces small but significant effects on reducing depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. We’re talking an effect size of g = -0.12, which translates to “modest but meaningful” in research-speak. Not exactly miracle-cure territory, but then again, neither is flossing, and we’re still supposed to do that.
Here’s what makes expressive writing particularly interesting: the benefits often emerge after a delay and then stick around. Among people with major depressive disorder, expressive writing produced significant decreases in depression scores that persisted at 4-week follow-up. It’s like your brain needs time to process what you’ve written, like sourdough starter but for emotional wellbeing.
The sweet spot for scheduling? Write every 1-3 days. Any closer together and you might feel overwhelmed; spread them too far apart and you lose the momentum. Think of it as interval training for your feelings.
Accentuate the Positive (It Actually Helps)
If writing about trauma and difficult emotions sounds about as appealing as a root canal, you’re in luck. Positive writing interventions—like gratitude journaling, envisioning your “best possible self,” or noting “three good things”—show the most consistent benefits for wellbeing, optimism, and happiness.
One study tested a structured positive psychology diary that combined gratitude, goal-setting, and self-affirmation over four weeks. Participants showed decreased perceived stress and negative emotions, plus increased resilience and self-efficacy. (Positive affect didn’t budge significantly, which goes to show that even science-backed interventions can’t make you perky all the time. You’re allowed to have a Monday.)
For those who tend toward social anxiety or inhibition, there’s even better news: online positive emotional writing reduced depression and perceived stress reactivity at 4-week follow-up. So if you’re more comfortable typing into the void than sharing feelings face-to-face, the research has your back.
Quality Over Quantity (But Also, Engagement Matters)
Here’s the catch: journaling isn’t a magic bullet that works just by opening a notebook. The effectiveness depends significantly on writer engagement. Longer essays and deeper emotional exploration predict better outcomes.
Think of it this way: “Today was fine. I ate a sandwich” isn’t going to rewire your neural pathways. But “Today I noticed feeling anxious about the work presentation, and I realized it reminded me of being called on in class when I hadn’t done the homework” gives your brain something to work with.
You don’t need to write a novel, but you do need to engage with the process. Otherwise you’re just keeping a very boring diary that your future grandchildren will be disappointed to discover in your attic.
Implementation Intentions: The “If-Then” Superpower
Now let’s talk about intention-setting, specifically something called “implementation intentions.” Before your eyes glaze over at the jargon, stick with us—this is where things get really practical.
An implementation intention is basically an if-then plan: “If X situation happens, then I will do Y action.” Instead of vague goals like “I’ll exercise more,” you create specific plans like “If it’s Monday, Wednesday, or Friday morning, then I’ll do a 20-minute walk before breakfast.”
The research on this is frankly impressive. Among people with mental health challenges, implementation intentions show large effects on goal attainment—we’re talking an effect size of d = 0.99, which in research terms is basically shouting “THIS REALLY WORKS” from the rooftops.
Why are they so effective? Implementation intentions essentially create a mental shortcut that automates decision-making. When you specify exactly when, where, and how you’ll act on a goal, you create strong mental associations between situational cues and intended behaviors. Your brain doesn’t have to debate whether now is a good time to go for a walk—it just knows that Monday morning = walking time.
Putting It Into Practice
So how do you actually use this information? Here’s a practical approach:
Start simple: Pick one type of writing that resonates with you. Maybe it’s three good things before bed, or 10 minutes of expressive writing every few days. Don’t try to become a journaling superhero overnight.
Engage deeply: When you write, actually engage with your thoughts and feelings. Surface-level observations won’t cut it. Get curious, explore, connect dots.
Pair with implementation intentions: Use your journaling practice to identify goals, then create specific if-then plans. “If I start feeling overwhelmed at work, then I will take three deep breaths and write down one thing I can control.”
Give it time: Remember that expressive writing benefits often emerge after a delay. Don’t expect instant transformation. This is a practice, not a pill.
Be realistic: Most studies assessing these interventions are rated as poor to fair quality. These practices provide modest but meaningful benefits—they’re one tool in your mental health toolbox, not the entire hardware store.
Want to Practice Intention-Setting in Community?
Speaking of putting this into practice, we’re hosting “Unlock a Fresh Start: Tea Tasting & Intention Setting Ceremony” for anyone ready to harness the power of intentions in a supportive, guided setting. Think of it as a reset button for your goals—except instead of staring at a blank journal page at home, you’ll be surrounded by like-minded people, sipping thoughtfully curated teas, and engaging in a structured intention-setting process designed to help those intentions actually stick. Learn more and register here – space is limited to 15 participants, so your first implementation intention might be: “If I’m interested in intention-setting, then I will register before spots fill up.”
The Bottom Line
Journaling and intention-setting won’t cure all that ails you, fix your relationships, or finally get you to Marie Kondo your closet (though that last one might be a good implementation intention to work on). What they can do is provide accessible, low-cost support for managing stress, processing emotions, and actually following through on goals.
At the very least, you’ll have a more interesting record of your life than “ate sandwich, was fine.” And at best? You might just find that the simple act of writing things down helps you feel a little more grounded, a little more hopeful, and a little more in control of where you’re headed.
Interested in learning more about evidence-based approaches to mental wellness? Schedule a consultation with our team to discuss how integrative medicine can support your health journey.
References
- The Delayed, Durable Effect of Expressive Writing on Depression, Anxiety and Stress: A Meta-Analytic Review of Studies With Long-Term Follow-Ups. Guo L. The British Journal of Clinical Psychology. 2023;62(1):272-297. doi:10.1111/bjc.12408.
- An Everyday Activity as a Treatment for Depression: The Benefits of Expressive Writing for People Diagnosed With Major Depressive Disorder. Krpan KM, Kross E, Berman MG, et al. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2013;150(3):1148-51. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2013.05.065.
- Positive Expressive Writing Interventions, Subjective Health and Wellbeing in Non-Clinical Populations: A Systematic Review. Hoult LM, Wetherell MA, Edginton T, Smith MA. PloS One. 2025;20(5):e0308928. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0308928.
- A Positive Psychology Resource for Students? Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the 6 Minutes Diary in a Randomized Control Trial. Lorenz T, Algner M, Binder B. Frontiers in Psychology. 2022;13:896741. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.896741.
- Chasing Elusive Expressive Writing Effects: Emotion-Acceptance Instructions and Writer Engagement Improve Outcomes. Rude SS, Lantrip C, Aguirre VA, Schraegle WA. Frontiers in Psychology. 2023;14:1192595. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1192595.
- Online Writing About Positive Life Experiences Reduces Depression and Perceived Stress Reactivity in Socially Inhibited Individuals. Allen SF, Wetherell MA, Smith MA. Psychiatry Research. 2020;284:112697. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2019.112697.
- Does Forming Implementation Intentions Help People With Mental Health Problems to Achieve Goals? A Meta-Analysis of Experimental Studies With Clinical and Analogue Samples. Toli A, Webb TL, Hardy GE. The British Journal of Clinical Psychology. 2016;55(1):69-90. doi:10.1111/bjc.12086.
- Promoting the Translation of Intentions Into Action by Implementation Intentions: Behavioral Effects and Physiological Correlates. Wieber F, Thürmer JL, Gollwitzer PM. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 2015;9:395. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2015.00395.
- Assessing and Promoting the Use of Implementation Intentions in Clinical Practice. Gonzalez Salas Duhne P, Horan AJ, Ross C, Webb TL, Hardy GE. Social Science & Medicine (1982). 2020;265:113490. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113490.
This blog post was written by Tom Everts, PA-C, a medical provider at Integrative Family Medicine of Asheville. You can read more about Tom in his bio.