Real-world examples of journaling techniques for managing negative thoughts

Quick examples of journaling techniques for managing negative thoughts

Let’s start with what you actually came for: real, concrete examples of journaling techniques for managing negative thoughts that people are using right now, in real life.

Picture a few different moments:

• You’re lying in bed, replaying a tense conversation from work.
• You’re scrolling social media, suddenly convinced everyone else is doing better than you.
• You’re driving home thinking, “I always mess things up.”

Here are examples of how journaling can step in:

• A “brain dump” page before bed where you write every worry in one messy, uncensored list.
• A structured thought-challenging log where you capture the negative thought, the evidence for and against it, and a more balanced version.
• A mood + trigger tracker that connects what you felt, what happened, and what you told yourself.
• A short gratitude and wins section that gently shifts your brain away from its negativity bias.

These are just a few examples of journaling techniques for managing negative thoughts. Now let’s slow down and walk through the best examples in more detail, with step-by-step guidance and real-world situations.

Thought-challenging pages: a classic example of journaling for negative thoughts

If you’ve ever done any kind of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), this will feel familiar. Therapists often use thought records to help people examine negative thinking patterns. You can adapt this as a journaling technique at home.

Here’s a real example of journaling techniques for managing negative thoughts using a simple thought-challenging page.

Take a single page and divide it into four rough columns:

• Situation
• Automatic thought
• Evidence for / evidence against
• New, balanced thought

Now imagine this scenario:

• Situation: Your manager says, “We need to talk tomorrow.”
• Automatic thought: “I’m probably in trouble. I’m terrible at my job.”
• Evidence for: I made a mistake in last week’s report.
• Evidence against: I’ve been praised in the last three check-ins; my last evaluation was positive; my team asks for my help.
• New thought: “I don’t know what tomorrow’s meeting is about. I made a mistake last week, but overall I’m doing well. I’ll prepare by reviewing my recent work.”

This is one of the best examples of journaling techniques for managing negative thoughts because it doesn’t just let you vent—it actually retrains your thinking. Over time, your brain starts doing this process more automatically.

If you want to go deeper into this style, organizations like the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) explain how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are connected in anxiety and depression: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders

“Name it to tame it”: the emotional labeling journal

Another powerful example of journaling techniques for managing negative thoughts is emotion labeling—literally putting your feelings into words.

Research over the past decade has shown that simply naming an emotion (for example, “I feel ashamed” instead of “I feel awful”) can reduce its intensity. It’s sometimes called “name it to tame it.” This idea shows up in modern psychology and mindfulness-based stress reduction programs.

Here’s how this might look in your journal:

• You start by writing: “Right now I feel…” and force yourself to pick actual emotion words: anxious, disappointed, lonely, jealous, embarrassed, restless.
• Under that, you add: “Because…” and describe the situation.

A real example:

Right now I feel jealous and insecure because my friend just got promoted and I’m still in the same role.

Then you gently explore:

• What story am I telling myself about this?
• Is there another way to see it?
• What do I need right now?

This simple structure is another example of journaling techniques for managing negative thoughts that’s especially helpful if your mind tends to swirl with vague “bad feelings.” It turns fog into sentences you can actually work with.

You can find more about how naming emotions affects the brain in work from researchers in affective neuroscience and mindfulness; for example, UCLA and other universities have published studies on “affect labeling.” A good starting point is this overview from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH): https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/mind-and-body-approaches-for-stress

The 10-minute nightly brain dump and rewrite

If your negative thoughts show up strongest at night, this technique is for you.

Here’s a real-world example of journaling techniques for managing negative thoughts before bed:

Step 1: Five-minute brain dump
Set a timer for five minutes. Write every negative thought, worry, or annoyance that pops up. Don’t organize, don’t edit.

It might look like:

I’m behind on everything. I’m failing as a parent. I ate terribly today. I’m going to mess up my presentation. I never stick with anything. My house is a disaster.

Step 2: Five-minute rewrite
Draw a line under that mess. Now, for each line, write a gentler, more realistic response—as if you were talking to a close friend.

I’m behind on some things, but I’ve handled a lot today already.
I’m not failing as a parent; I had a rough day. I still care deeply, and that matters.
I didn’t eat how I wanted today, but I can make a better choice at my next meal.
I’m nervous about my presentation, so I’ll spend 15 minutes prepping tomorrow.

This is another example of journaling techniques for managing negative thoughts that doesn’t require any fancy template—just two passes over the same worries: one raw, one kinder.

The American Psychological Association (APA) notes that writing about stressors can help people process them and reduce their emotional impact over time. You can read more about expressive writing and stress here: https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress

Mood and trigger tracking: connecting thoughts, feelings, and patterns

Sometimes negative thoughts feel random, but they’re not. They follow patterns. A mood and trigger journal helps you see those patterns clearly.

As an example of journaling techniques for managing negative thoughts with tracking, you might create a simple daily entry with:

• Time of day
• Situation / trigger
• Mood (rate 1–10)
• Main thought
• What you did next

A day in your journal might look like this:

8:15 a.m. – Scrolled email in bed. Mood: 4/10. Thought: “I’m already behind.” Action: Skipped breakfast, rushed out the door.

2:30 p.m. – Got critical feedback from supervisor. Mood: 3/10. Thought: “I can’t do anything right.” Action: Avoided coworkers, over-caffeinated.

9:00 p.m. – Sitting on couch. Mood: 5/10. Thought: “I wasted the day.” Action: Zoned out on my phone.

After a week, you might notice:

• You feel worse on days you skip breakfast.
• Negative thoughts spike after social media scrolling.
• Certain people or tasks reliably trigger self-criticism.

This example of journaling techniques for managing negative thoughts is especially useful if you’re also working with a therapist or healthcare provider, because you can bring real data instead of “I don’t know, I just feel bad a lot.”

Organizations like Mayo Clinic discuss how tracking moods and triggers can support managing depression and anxiety: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression-and-anxiety/art-20046004

Reframing the inner critic: “If I said this to a friend…”

Most of us say things to ourselves that we would never say to someone we love. This next method is a powerful example of journaling techniques for managing negative thoughts fueled by self-criticism.

Here’s how it works:

On the left side of the page, write down your harsh inner critic word-for-word. Don’t clean it up. On the right side, rewrite each line as if you were talking to a good friend in the exact same situation.

Real example:

Left side – Inner critic

• “You’re so lazy.”
• “You always screw things up.”
• “No one really likes you.”

Right side – Friend voice

• “You’re exhausted, not lazy. You’ve had a lot on your plate. Let’s pick one small task to tackle.”
• “You made a mistake, but that doesn’t define you. You usually do well, and you’re learning.”
• “You feel lonely right now, but that doesn’t mean no one likes you. Who could you reach out to?”

This is one of the best examples of journaling techniques for managing negative thoughts because it reveals how unfair your self-talk really is. Over time, the “friend voice” starts to show up on its own.

Future-you letters: zooming out from today’s spiral

Negative thoughts often live in a very narrow time frame: today was bad, so everything is bad. A powerful example of journaling techniques for managing negative thoughts is writing from the perspective of your future self.

Here’s a simple way to try it:

• Imagine yourself six months or a year from now.
• Write a letter from that future-you to present-you.

Example:

Dear Me-in-December,

I remember how heavy everything felt back in June. You were convinced you’d never feel less anxious. But you kept showing up to therapy, kept journaling even when it felt pointless, and you started walking 15 minutes a day. It didn’t fix everything, but your life feels wider now. You laugh more. You’re not as scared of your own thoughts. I’m proud of you for not giving up when it would’ve been so easy.

This example of journaling techniques for managing negative thoughts helps you:

• See your current situation as one chapter, not the whole book.
• Practice self-compassion.
• Imagine realistic progress instead of instant perfection.

Gratitude plus “small wins” journaling (with a twist)

Gratitude journaling is everywhere, but when you’re dealing with heavy negative thoughts, “I’m grateful for my coffee” can feel a little thin. Let’s upgrade it.

Here’s an example of journaling techniques for managing negative thoughts that combines gratitude with small wins and self-respect.

Each day, write:

• Three things you’re genuinely grateful for (big or tiny).
• Three things you did that you respect yourself for.

Real example from a rough Tuesday:

Grateful for:

• The nurse who was kind even though the clinic was busy.
• The 10 quiet minutes in my car before going inside.
• The fact that I have running water and hot showers.

Respect myself for:

• Making that doctor’s appointment even though I was nervous.
• Answering one difficult email instead of avoiding it.
• Putting my phone down at 11 p.m. instead of doomscrolling.

This example of journaling techniques for managing negative thoughts gently teaches your brain to notice what’s not terrible about you and your life, even on hard days.

Micro-journaling on your phone: for people who “hate journaling”

Not everyone wants a pretty notebook and a special pen. If that’s you, you can still use examples of journaling techniques for managing negative thoughts in a stripped-down, digital way.

Micro-journaling looks like this:

• Open a notes app on your phone.
• Create a running note titled “Today’s Thoughts.”
• When a sharp negative thought hits, type it in and add one line underneath: “Another way to see it is…”

Real example:

Thought: “I sounded so stupid in that meeting.”
Another way to see it is: “I stumbled on my words once. Everyone does that. Most people probably forgot already.”

Or:

Thought: “I’m never going to get in shape.”
Another way to see it is: “Progress has been slow, but I walked twice this week. That’s more than zero.”

This is a modern, 2024-friendly example of journaling techniques for managing negative thoughts that fits into busy, phone-heavy lives. You don’t need 30 minutes and a quiet room—you just need 30 seconds and a willingness to catch the thought in writing.

Many mental health apps now include some form of this, often inspired by CBT and mindfulness tools. While apps aren’t a replacement for professional care, they can be a handy companion.

Putting it all together: choosing the technique that fits you

By now, you’ve seen several real examples of journaling techniques for managing negative thoughts:

• Thought-challenging pages (inspired by CBT)
• Emotion labeling (“name it to tame it”)
• Nightly brain dump and rewrite
• Mood and trigger tracking
• Inner critic vs. friend voice
• Future-you letters
• Gratitude plus small wins
• Micro-journaling on your phone

You do not need to use all of them. In fact, trying to do everything at once often backfires.

Instead, try this:

• Pick one example of journaling techniques for managing negative thoughts that felt doable.
• Commit to testing it for one week, not forever.
• Keep entries short and imperfect.

If your mental health symptoms are intense—thoughts of self-harm, persistent hopelessness, panic attacks—journaling is a support tool, not a standalone solution. In those cases, pairing these techniques with professional help is important. You can explore resources and treatment options through the National Institute of Mental Health: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help

You’re not trying to become a perfect journaler. You’re just learning to have a different kind of conversation with your own mind—on paper, one sentence at a time.

FAQ: examples of journaling techniques for managing negative thoughts

Q: What is a simple example of journaling techniques for managing negative thoughts I can start tonight?
A: One of the simplest examples is the five-minute brain dump and rewrite. Spend five minutes writing every negative thought that pops up. Then spend another five minutes responding to each one with a kinder, more realistic reply, as if you were talking to a friend. It’s fast, private, and doesn’t require any special format.

Q: How often should I use these examples of journaling techniques for managing negative thoughts?
A: Consistency matters more than intensity. Many people find that 5–10 minutes a day, or a few times a week, is enough to notice patterns and feel some relief. You can also use micro-journaling during stressful moments instead of waiting for a “perfect” time.

Q: Are these examples of journaling techniques a substitute for therapy or medication?
A: No. Journaling can support your mental health, but it doesn’t replace professional care, especially for conditions like major depression, anxiety disorders, or PTSD. Think of these techniques as one tool in a larger toolbox. If your symptoms are interfering with daily life, reach out to a healthcare provider. The NIMH has guidance on when to seek help: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help

Q: I’ve tried journaling before and just ended up ruminating. Which example of journaling is best if I overthink?
A: Structured formats help prevent rumination. Thought-challenging logs, mood and trigger tracking, or the “inner critic vs. friend voice” layout give your brain a clear task so you’re not just circling the same worries. If you catch yourself repeating the same sentence, gently move to the “response” or “friend voice” section.

Q: Can I mix different examples of journaling techniques for managing negative thoughts?
A: Absolutely. Many people use a blend—maybe mood tracking during the week, then a longer future-you letter once a month. The “right” example of journaling is the one you’ll actually use and that helps you feel even a little more grounded after you close the notebook.