Overcoming Brain Fog with Interstitial Journaling: A Personal Experience
Capture the Moments That Matter and Stay Grounded in the Present
Today, I'd like to introduce you to a fast, yet mindful and contemplative journaling technique I've been using for about a year. This technique has been incredibly helpful in keeping me focused on the present and getting unstuck when I feel depressed. It's allowed me to reconnect with the things that bring me joy and stay on track with my daily goals. In this article, I'll be exploring the practice of interstitial journaling and how it can be used as a tool for managing symptoms of anxiety and depression, promoting emotional well-being, and cultivating mindfulness and self-awareness.
What is Interstitial Journaling?
Interstitial journaling is a technique in which you take small breaks throughout your day to reflect and write about your experiences. Rather than setting aside a specific time for journaling each day, you take advantage of the gaps in your schedule to engage in this practice.
The idea behind interstitial journaling is that by taking just a few minutes to reflect on your thoughts and feelings, you can gain greater awareness and clarity about your experiences. This technique can be particularly useful for people who are busy or have hectic schedules, as it allows them to incorporate journaling into their daily routine without requiring a significant time commitment.
To practice interstitial journaling, you might keep a small notebook or journal with you throughout the day and take breaks to jot down your thoughts whenever you have a few spare moments. This could be during your morning commute while waiting for a meeting to start, or during a lunch break.
The key is to be consistent with your interstitial journaling practice, even if you only have a few minutes to write each day. Over time, this can help you develop a deeper understanding of yourself and your experiences and can lead to greater self-awareness and personal growth.
Can Interstitial Journaling Help With Anxiety or Depression?
Interstitial journaling can be a useful tool for managing symptoms of anxiety and depression. Research has shown that journaling can be a powerful tool for promoting emotional well-being and reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, however, not everyone has the time for a longer reflection period at the beginning or end of each day.
By taking time to reflect on your thoughts and emotions throughout the day instead, you can develop greater self-awareness and identify patterns and triggers that may be contributing to your symptoms. Writing about your experiences can also help you process and make sense of your emotions, which can be especially helpful when dealing with feelings of anxiety or depression.
In addition to its emotional benefits, interstitial journaling can promote mindfulness and reduce stress levels. By taking small breaks throughout the day to focus on your thoughts and feelings, you can develop a greater sense of presence and awareness at the moment, which can help you feel more calm and centered.
Overall, while interstitial journaling may not be a cure for anxiety or depression, it can be a helpful tool for managing symptoms and promoting emotional well-being
Interstitial Journaling as a Behavioral Activation Tool
Interstitial journaling can be a useful tool in conjunction with the behavioral activation technique that is a part of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for depression.
Behavioral activation is a key component of CBT for depression and involves engaging in activities that are pleasurable or rewarding, even when you don't feel like it. The goal is to break the cycle of inactivity and avoidance that can contribute to feelings of depression and helplessness.
Interstitial journaling can be a useful tool in supporting behavioral activation by helping you identify activities that are meaningful and rewarding for you. By taking time to reflect on your thoughts and emotions throughout the day, you can gain greater insight into what activities bring you joy and a sense of accomplishment.
In addition, interstitial journaling can help you track your progress and identify patterns in your behavior over time. By keeping a record of the activities you engage in and the feelings and thoughts associated with them, you can identify which activities are most effective in improving your mood and use this information to guide your behavioral activation plan.
Interstitial Journaling As A Mindfulness and Contemplation Tool
Mindfulness involves bringing your attention to the present moment and observing your thoughts and feelings without judgment. By taking small breaks throughout the day to reflect on your thoughts and emotions, interstitial journaling can help you develop greater mindfulness and awareness of your internal experiences.
Interstitial journaling can also be used to support contemplative practices such as meditation or self-reflection, as well as a focus tool to connect you with a specific text, quote, or statement that you are currently working on in your contemplative practice.
Other Uses for Interstitial Journaling:
Personally, I also use this type of journaling quite often for memory and gratitude journaling. I find that creating a long list of things I'm grateful for at the end of the day can be a disconnected experience. Instead, I use interstitial journaling to capture my moments of gratitude as they occur. To me, gratitude is less a reflective type of practice and more of an immersive, emotional, and devotional practice.
As someone with PTSD, I often experience brain fog and may forget important things. Interstitial journaling as a memory journal has been an awesome way for me to overcome this and keep a record of important moments in my life that I want to cherish in the future. It can be as simple as writing down how much I enjoyed a particular brand of tea I tried for the first time or snippets of an engaging conversation with a friend or neighbor.
I hope this post gave you a good starting point for you to try out interstitial journaling for yourself. Remember, that this type of journaling is not a productivity or planning tool, but rather a potentially reflective and powerful self-awareness tool, that is easy to use, and access.
This week’s Journal Prompts
Here are some journaling prompts that can give you some ideas on what to write in your interstitial journal:
What are some things that are causing me stress right now? Write down any sources of stress or anxiety you're currently experiencing and explore how they're impacting you.
What are some self-care activities I can do today? Write down a list of things you can do today to take care of yourself, whether it's taking a walk, reading a book, or practicing meditation.
What are some positive affirmations I can use to boost my mood? Write down a list of affirmations that resonate with you and can help you feel more confident and self-assured.
How am I feeling right now? Take a moment to tune in to your emotions and write about how you're feeling in the present moment.
This Week’s Haiku:
Moments captured fast
Pen and paper, presentness
Mindful interstice
Wishing you all a blessed weekend