5 Alternatives to Journaling for People Who Simply Don’t Wanna

No matter how you approach video or voice notes, the goal is to have a free-flowing dialogue with yourself to make sense of your observations, emotions, and perceptions. Some people find it helpful to watch or listen back to their recordings. If you go that route, Dr. Peifer recommends asking yourself, What do you notice when you watch or hear yourself? You might just see yourself in a new light, she says. You could learn that you were being too hard on yourself for canceling plans, or that feeling stuck at work is a sign that you’re ready to make a career change. 

Make a mind map.

Think of this kind of like a vision board. Mind maps—which are visual diagrams of words, images, and concepts—can help you become aware of different issues in your life and “get out whatever’s on your mind,” says Dr. Bilder. 

To make a mind map, you create a template—either digitally, on an app like Mindly or Concepts, or on a physical board where you can write and doodle about various ideas. You can create a central theme—your job, say—and branch out to sub-topics (projects, work trips, or colleagues) before branching out even further and diving into different emotions or issues you’re having. Think of it like a crime scene map, but for everything going on in your life. (Here’s a tutorial from the father of mind mapping, Tony Buzan).  

Mind maps activate both the visual and logical areas of the brain, which can help you organize your thoughts. The combination of words and symbols can also activate your imagination, thereby boosting creativity. Mind maps have been shown to encourage problem-solving and help people better retain information, too. “It helps you group things together and connect them in ways you might not have appreciated before,” Dr. Bilder says. If your mind map is all about your job, you might see that specific people or projects at work are stressing you out, or finally identify why you’re struggling with a particular assignment. 

Explore movement-based therapy.

Dr. Peifer journals from time to time, but she says dancing does far more for her well-being. With journaling, she says, “I don’t get the same outcome as I do with dancing through whatever I’m feeling.” Like Dr. Peifer, some people process their thoughts and emotions best when they’re moving. (If you’ve ever come back from a run or walk with a genius work idea or a newfound sense of clarity about a certain relationship issue you’re struggling with, you get it.)

Movement, in general, has been shown to improve overall physical and mental health. Research suggests that specific movement-based therapies—where a teacher or therapist guides practitioners through their movement of choice, like dance or yoga—can help people work through issues nonverbally. Movement may be especially beneficial in helping people process feelings that are too difficult or frightening to talk or write about, like anger or regret. 

Movement-based practices give people a low-risk, safe space to express all kinds of emotions, says Dr. Peifer. Some people may prefer to intentionally reflect on specific issues in their life—like complicated relationships, unfulfilling jobs, ongoing grief, or trauma—as they’re moving, whereas others may process things subconsciously, in the background, she explains. And there’s no one right way to move through feelings, either. Go on a hike, practice yoga, dance your heart out—as long as you feel emotionally better when you’re done, you’re doing it right.

Make art. 

Art can give people a canvas to learn about themselves and explore their emotions without constraints. As Dr. Bilder says: “It gives you a free form of expression that may reveal things you wouldn’t have thought of.” If you aren’t vibing with the other methods on this list, try creating something with your hands—paint, doodle, make graphic art, do clay work, draw in a coloring book, or play with sand. You don’t need an MFA to experiment with art; just enjoy whatever you’re doing.