You may already have heard about the benefits of journaling as there is much evidence-based research that shows this can help to reduce anxiety.
- ‘No matter your age, journaling is a powerful evidence-based strategy that you may find helpful for managing mental health conditions and stress. Journaling is an example of an expressive coping method, which is a technique that helps a person process negative thoughts, feelings or experiences by releasing them’. (psychocentral.com).
With the specifically designed Driving Anxiety Coach – Driving Journal you can set realistic goals and targets, no matter how small. We are 42 percent more likely to achieve our goals just by writing them down according to Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at Dominican University. Start small and work up. Make them achievable, not overwhelming. Go slowly, but never backwards. You can upgrade them whenever you’re ready.
Recording and journaling a drive that was challenging can help you reflect on how it went. Looking back at these records later can help you realise how far you’ve come with your progress even if you don’t feel you have.
Scoring (out of 10) how you feel about having to do the journey, and then again having executed it can also help you realise the anticipation is often worse than the execution. Reflecting upon this a few weeks later you can also see tangible evidence that the fear levels and symptoms of anxiety are reducing.