Quite often when reading articles on healing you will encounter the suggestion to journal your thoughts. For me, that was down right scary and seemed impossible when my thoughts are all over the place. I do not journal every day. I do use writing as a way to organize my thoughts, put things into words that someone else can understand, and help me see trends that I am missing when I just think about it. Going back and reading my writing from a year or two ago gives me greater insight on my progress. I actually used my other blog We Are One (weareone-ruth.blogspot.com) Kind of an online journal that I shared with everyone.
Today in my work email Office Max shared an article on Journaling and how to get started. https://www.staplesconnect.com/articles/2020/12/20/start-journaling-today.html
One of the things I found helpful were the thinking maps. I learned about these at the high school where I work. I had to learn them so I could teach students to use them. I think my favorite is the one with the circle in the middle and I can connect from all sides about the topic. Different maps are used for different purposes. The thing I liked about it is it assisted me to find a graphical way to see my ideas. A paged and just writing lines seemed intimidating to me, thinking maps unchained me from the line by line approach. Why Thinking Maps – Thinking Maps If you are not familiar with thinking maps this is a link that tells you about it. I encourage anyone to try journaling as a way to get words out.
I do have one word of caution. If you are pouring your heart out in print and ripping on someone close to you, keep it in a secure place. One man found his wife’s journal and read about how angry she was at him and how much she admired another man….yes, it led to a divorce. People also learned that pouring their thoughts out on the internet can attract trolls or get you fired. It is possible to lock a file on a computer. Take reasonable precautions. I wrote in a way that if anyone read it, I would not regret it. What I learned about writing for me was my chaotic thoughts could be clarified and understandable.
Sometimes I use my camera/phone to create a photo journal. This was experimenting with candies and water with my grandkids.
PTSD - Accepting, Coping, Thriving 
I journal daily. But since my memory is so horrible I use it as a tool for aiding my memory. At each doctor appointment they ask how I have been and I would say fine. That’s not what they want to hear. So before my appointments I can look back at what I have wrote since my last appointment.
Every day I write a little about today.
Roadblocks/frustrations
Accomplishments
Overall mood and energy
Wins and not wins today
One thing I am proud of today
What to do different tomorrow
This works great for me and my brain Injury and allows me to see maybe something I did caused me to be frustrated, exhausted, etc.
You could have it more diet related or even alcohol to see how something is affecting you and to document it to reflect back to it.
I never found a journal that worked for me so I made my own:)
Thank you for sharing how journals help you. You are right. Journals can be used in a variety of ways.