March 31, 2025 • 14 mins
https://lestallion.com/collections/journal-notebook-for-stress-management
Feeling overwhelmed by stress? You're not alone. In our exploration of stress management techniques, one method emerged as surprisingly powerful: journaling. But not just any journaling—thoughtful, intentional writing using tools designed for the purpose.
The physical experience of journaling matters more than you might think. We dive into why Lestallion journals, with their premium 120 GSM ivory paper, soft faux leather covers, and wide-lined pages, create an environment conducive to stress release. Each feature—from numbered pages to back pockets for keepsakes—transforms the writing experience from mundane to therapeutic. When your thoughts flow onto luxurious paper through a comfortable writing experience, something magical happens to your stress response.
Beyond the physical experience, we explore the psychological mechanisms behind journaling's effectiveness. The simple act of transferring swirling thoughts onto paper creates distance and perspective, allowing you to see patterns, identify triggers, and develop better responses. Expressive writing helps process emotions rather than just venting them, building emotional intelligence and self-awareness over time. Whether you're dealing with work pressure, relationship conflicts, financial worries, or health concerns, consistent journaling practice can transform your relationship with stress.
The science is clear: journaling reduces anxiety, improves mood, and can even help with depression and PTSD symptoms. But the key lies in making it a habit rather than an occasional practice. We share practical tips for incorporating journaling into your daily routine, using prompts when you're stuck, and tracking your progress over time. Ready to transform your relationship with stress? Grab a quality journal, set aside just 5-10 minutes daily, and discover how powerful putting pen to paper can be for your mental wellbeing.
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LeStallion offers premium PU leather journal notebooks for writing, dedicated to all those who are pursuing their dreams and goals, or nurturing their personal development and mental health.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Okay, so if there's deep dive, you guys sent us a
ton of stuff about stress andyou know obviously everybody
deals with that.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Yeah, it's kind of a universal experience, isn't it?
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (00:09):
for sure.
So we're going to specificallylook at journaling as a way to
kind of manage that stress.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
All right and specifically, we're going to be
looking at Lestallion journals.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Yeah, so the stuff you guys sent us.
We've got articles about howbad stress is for you, which I
think we all kind of know.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Right, I think we've all felt that.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Yeah, and then we've got articles about how great
journaling is for you.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Yeah, which, again, you know it's one of those
things it's like is that reallygoing to help?
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Yeah, is that really going to make a difference?
Speaker 2 (00:37):
We're going to find out about these list allian
journals and why they're so good.
Yeah, so hopefully by the endwe'll know.
You know, can journaling reallyhelp manage stress?
Speaker 1 (00:48):
yeah, and if so, is a list allian journal the way to
go?
Exactly okay, so I think weshould start by talking about.
You know why is stress such aproblem?
Speaker 2 (00:57):
like we said, everybody feels it yeah, I mean,
it impacts so many things inour lives, right?
Yeah, it affects us physically,it it affects us mentally, it
affects us emotionally.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
Yeah, you don't sleep as well.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
You don't sleep as well, you know you might get
headaches, your stomach mighthurt.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Yeah, your relationships suffer.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Yeah, absolutely, you know.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
And it's just not fun to be around.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Exactly You're just not fun to be around.
You're irritable, you know, andso stress really does have a
huge impact.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Yeah, so it's worth trying to do something about it.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Absolutely, and that's where journaling comes in
.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Yeah, that's what we're going to look at.
So how does that work?
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Right.
So I mean we've got all thesethoughts swirling around in our
heads and it can just feel likechaos sometimes.
Yeah, to stress and anxiety.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
Yeah, you just feel overwhelmed.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Exactly.
So what journaling does is itkind of gives you a way to get
all that stuff out of your head.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
So you're not carrying it around with you all
the time.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Exactly you know, you can literally see your thoughts
on paper.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Yeah, that's so interesting.
So it's like a physicalmanifestation of what's
happening up here.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Right, and that in itself can be really helpful,
because when you can seesomething, you can start to
understand it better.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
You can start to organize it.
Exactly so it's not just likerandom thoughts, it's like OK,
there's a pattern here.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Right, and you know I mean.
Some of the articles you senttalked about this idea of
expressive writing.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
And and that's really about you know not just writing
down what happened to you today, but also how you felt about it
.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Oh, so your emotional response to things.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Exactly because that's a huge part of stress.
Right, yeah, it is so.
You know, expressive writing isall about, like identifying
those triggers.
What are the things that aresetting you off?
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Yeah, and then how do you typically respond?
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Right, because once you start to see those patterns,
you can maybe do somethingdifferent.
Exactly.
You can start to change yourbehavior, you can start to
manage your reactions betteryeah, so you're not just a slave
to your stress.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
Response exactly which I think is the goal
ultimately right absolutely.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
I mean.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
The goal is to feel like we're in control yeah not
that stress is controlling usyeah, okay, so we've talked
about how journaling can help,but now let's look at these
Lestallion journals.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Right, because I mean , you know, as you said earlier,
there's a difference betweenjust writing in any old notebook
, yeah, and using a journalthat's specifically designed for
this purpose.
Right, and Lestallion seems tohave really thought about this.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
So let's start with the basics.
Like the paper they use, it'sthis wood-free, ivory-colored
paper, right, and it's 120 GSM,which is actually pretty heavy
for a notebook.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Yeah, so what's the big deal about the paper?
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Well, I mean, it might seem like a small thing,
but it really does make adifference in the writing
experience.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
Oh, okay.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Because if the paper is too thin, the ink bleeds
through, yeah.
Or if it's too rough, it's notpleasant to write on.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Yeah, it can be scratchy.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Right, and that can not only make you more stressed.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Oh really.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Yeah, I mean you're trying to relax and de-stress
and then you're fighting withyour pen and paper.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
It's counterproductive.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Exactly so, Lestallion.
Using this high quality paper,it just makes the whole
experience more enjoyable.
You know, it's smooth, it'sluxurious, it feels good to
write on.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Yeah, that makes sense.
So it's not just about what youwrite, it's about the actual
physical act of writing, ExactlyOkay.
So what else They've got?
Speaker 2 (04:15):
numbered pages and a table of contents which seems
very organized, right well, andthat's really helpful for going
back and reviewing your entries,oh, okay.
Because you know you might bejournaling for months or even
years.
Yeah, because you know youmight be journaling for months
or even years yeah.
And it can be really hard tokeep track of everything.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Yeah, so you're not just flipping through pages
endlessly.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Exactly so.
With the numbered pages, youcan easily refer back to
specific entries.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Yeah, and with the table of contents you can
organize your thoughts by topic.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Right.
So if you're, you know, dealingwith a particular stressor,
like work, for example, yeah,you can have a whole section in
your journal dedicated to that.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Oh, I see, so you can see how you've dealt with work
stress over time.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Exactly, and that can be really insightful.
You know, you can see what'sworked, what hasn't worked.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Yeah, okay, so they also have a lot of pages.
These journals are like 211pages.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Yeah, that's a lot.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Yeah, so why is that important?
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Well, I think it gives you a sense of freedom.
Freedom, yeah, you know, youdon't have to worry about
running out of space.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Oh, okay.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
So you can really let your thoughts flow.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
You can write as much or as little as you need to
without feeling restricted.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Yeah, and it also kind of reinforces the idea that
this is a long-term commitment.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Right, it's not just a quick fix, it's a journey.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Yeah, okay.
So moving on to the physicaljournal itself, it's got a soft
faux leather cover and a sturdybinding.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Yeah, it's really well made.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Yeah, so how does that contribute to stress
management?
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Well, it's about creating a sense of comfort and
security.
Oh, you know, when you'restressed, you want to feel safe
and grounded.
Yeah, and having a journal thatfeels good in your hands, that
feels solid and substantial.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
It can be calming.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Exactly, it's like a little haven.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Yeah, okay.
And then they've got these 7.5millimeter wide line pages.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Right.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
So what's the thinking behind that?
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Well, you know, wider lines give you more space to
write, which can be reallyhelpful when you're feeling
stressed, because your thoughtsmight be all over the place and
you don't want to feel cramped.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Right, you want to feel like you have room to
breathe Exactly.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
So the wider lines just make the whole writing
experience more relaxing.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
Yeah, okay, and finally they've got this back
pocket for storing stuff.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Yeah, which I love.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
So what kind of stuff should you keep in there?
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Well, you know, motivational quotes are always
good.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Yeah, little pick-me-ups.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Exactly, or mindfulness exercises, maybe a
picture of a loved one.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
Yeah, anything that brings you joy.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Right, because the whole point of this journal is
to help you manage stress.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
So you want to fill it with things that support that
goal.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Yeah, that's really smart.
Okay, so we've talked about thefeatures of the journal itself.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
But let's go back to the actual act of writing.
How does that help us mentallyand emotionally?
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Right.
So I mean, as we said earlier,it's about getting those
thoughts and feelings out ofyour head.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
But it's also about processing them.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
Processing them.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Yeah, you know, when you write things down, you have
to think about them morecarefully.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
You have to articulate them.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Exactly, and that can lead to some really important
insights.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Insights.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Yeah, you know, you might start to see patterns in
your thinking.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Oh.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Or you might realize that some of your beliefs are
actually not true.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Oh wow.
So it's like a form ofself-discovery.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Exactly, and that can be really powerful, because
when you understand yourselfbetter, you can make better
choices.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Exactly, yeah, that makes sense.
So it's not just about venting,it's about understanding.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Right.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
Okay, and you mentioned earlier this idea of
emotional intelligence.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
How does journaling promote that?
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Well, emotional intelligence is all about being
aware of your own emotions andthe emotions of others.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
And being able to manage those emotions
effectively.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Right.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
And journaling helps you do that, because it forces
you to pay attention to howyou're feeling.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Yeah, you have to name it.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Exactly.
You have to put a label on it,and when you do that, you start
to develop a betterunderstanding of your own
emotional landscape.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
Okay, so you're not just reacting, you're responding
.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Right, and that's a huge part of stress management
yeah because when you cancontrol your emotions, they can
control the situation exactly.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
You're not letting your emotions control you yeah,
okay, so all of this soundsgreat in theory, yeah, but how
do we actually make it happen inour busy lives?
Speaker 2 (08:21):
right, well, the key is to make journaling a habit.
A habit.
Yeah, you know, like brushingyour teeth or taking a shower.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
So it's not a chore, it's just part of your routine.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Exactly, and it doesn't have to take a lot of
time.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Even just five or 10 minutes a day can make a big
difference, oh okay, so youdon't have to write a novel
every day.
No, just a few sentences even.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
Yeah, okay.
And what about those days whenyou're feeling stuck?
You know you sit down with yourjournal and you're like I don't
know what to write.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Right.
Well, that's where prompts canbe really helpful.
Prompts, yeah, you know, littlequestions or statements that
get you thinking.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Oh, like what was the best part of my day.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Or what am I grateful for right now?
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Oh, that's a good one .
Yeah, and Lestallion actuallyhas a whole blog with journaling
prompts.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Oh wow, that's handy.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Yeah, so you can always find something to write
about.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Okay, and we talked about gratitude earlier.
Yeah, why is that so importantfor stress management?
Speaker 2 (09:13):
Well, gratitude is all about focusing on the
positive.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
And when you're stressed, it's easy to get
caught up in the negative.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
Yeah, you forget about all the good stuff.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Exactly so taking a few minutes each day to write
down things you're grateful for.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
It can really shift your perspective.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
It can, and it can actually lower your stress
levels Really.
Yeah, there's been research onthis, oh wow.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Okay, so it's not just woo-woo, it's science.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
It's science.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
Okay, so let's talk about some of the specific
challenges that journaling canhelp with.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
OK.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
Like anxiety, for example.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Right.
So anxiety is all about worryand fear.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
And journaling can help you manage those feelings
by giving you a safe space toexpress them.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
Oh OK.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
You know you can write down all your worst fears
without judgment.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
And sometimes just getting it out on paper can make
it feel less scary.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Yeah, I could see that.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
And there are also specific prompts that you can
use for anxiety.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
Oh, like what.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Like what's one thing I can control right now?
Speaker 1 (10:10):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Or describe a moment when you felt truly at peace.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Oh, that's nice.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Yeah, because those prompts help you to shift your
focus away from the things youcan't control and onto the
things you can.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Yeah, okay.
So what about chronic stress?
You know that kind of low-levelstress that just never seems to
go away Right.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Well, journaling can help with that too, because it
can help you to identify thesources of that stress.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
You know, maybe it's your job or your relationships,
or just the way you're thinkingabout things.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
And once you know what's causing the stress, you
can start to make changes.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
Yeah, you can develop coping mechanisms.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Exactly, and journaling can help you to track
those coping mechanisms.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
You can see what's working and what's not.
Yeah, Okay.
So let's talk about thelong-term benefits of journaling
for stress management.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
Right.
So I mean, we've talked about alot of benefits already, but
one of the biggest long-termbenefits is that it helps you to
develop self-awareness.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
Self-awareness.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
Yeah, you know, the ability to understand your own
thoughts, feelings and behaviors.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Right.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
And that's so important for managing stress,
because it allows you to seeyour patterns.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
Your patterns.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Yeah, you know like how you typically react to
certain situations.
Oh, and once you see thosepatterns you can start to change
them.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
Yeah, so you're not just on autopilot.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
And what about the impact of journaling on our
overall mental health, right?
Well, I mean, there's a ton ofresearch showing that journaling
can improve mood, reduceanxiety and even help with
symptoms of depression and PTSD.
Wow, yeah, it's really powerfulstuff.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Okay.
So it's not just about feelingless stressed, it's about
feeling better overall.
Exactly Okay.
So let's wrap things up bytalking about some common stress
triggers and how journaling canhelp.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
So work pressure is a big one for a lot of people.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
Yeah, and journaling can help with that by giving you
a space to process yourthoughts and feelings about work
.
You know, maybe you're feelingoverwhelmed by a project or
you're having a conflict with acoworker.
Yeah, writing about it can helpyou to get some perspective,
yeah, maybe come up with somesolutions, exactly, and it can
also help you to set boundaries.
Boundaries, yeah, you know,between work and your personal
(12:14):
life.
Right, because it's easy to letwork bleed into everything yeah
, okay, what about relationshipconflicts?
those can be really stressfulyeah, absolutely, and journaling
can help you to understand yourown role in the conflict.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Oh OK.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
You know, maybe you're contributing to the
problem in some way.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
And it can also help you to communicate your needs
more effectively.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Oh, that's good.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Yeah, because sometimes it's hard to
articulate what you're feelingin the heat of the moment.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
Yeah, but when you write it down, it's like you can
really think it through ExactlyOK.
What about financial concerns?
When you write it down, it'slike you can really think it
through Exactly Okay.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
What about financial concerns?
Speaker 1 (12:47):
Money is a huge stressor for a lot of people.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
Yeah, and journaling can be really helpful for
managing financial stressbecause it can help you to track
your spending and to create abudget.
Yeah, and it can also help youto set financial goals.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Goals.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
Yeah, you know like saving for a down payment on a
house or paying off debt.
Yeah, you know like saving fora down payment on a house or
paying off debt.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
And when you have those goals written down, it can
make them feel more real andachievable.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
Okay, so it's not just about worrying about money,
it's about taking control.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Okay, and then there's health issues.
Those can obviously be verystressful.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Yeah, and journaling can help you to cope with the
emotional and mental challengesof dealing with a health issue.
Oh, OK.
You know you can write aboutyour fears, your frustrations,
your hopes, yeah, and it can bereally cathartic to just get it
all out.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Yeah, and it can also help you to track your symptoms
.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
Right and to communicate more effectively
with your health care providers.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
OK.
So it's not just for youremotional well-being, it can
actually improve your physicalhealth as well.
Well-being, it can actuallyimprove your physical health as
well.
Exactly, okay.
And finally, let's talk aboutuncertainty about the future.
That's something that everyoneexperiences to some degree.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
Yeah, and it can be really unsettling.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
And journaling can help you to manage that
uncertainty by focusing on thethings you can control.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Oh, you know, maybe you can't control what's going
to happen in the world, but youcan control how you respond to
it.
Right, and you can't controlwhat's going?
To happen in the world, but youcan control how you respond to
it Right and you can alsocontrol your own actions.
Yeah, so journaling can helpyou to identify those areas of
control.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
Okay, so it's about empowering yourself.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
Okay, so that was a lot of information.
It was, but hopefully it'sclear that journaling can be a
really powerful tool formanaging stress.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
I think so.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
And that a listallion journal with all of its
thoughtful features.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
Could be a great way to start.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Yeah.
So if you're feelingoverwhelmed by stress, give
journaling a try.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
You might be surprised by how much it helps.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
Yeah, you might just find that it changes your life.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
So until next time, happy journaling.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
And stay stress-free.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Or at least less stressed.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
Yeah, it's a.
Okay, so if there's deep dive, you guys sent us a
ton of stuff about stress andyou know obviously everybody
deals with that.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Yeah, it's kind of a universal experience, isn't it?
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (00:09):
for sure.
So we're going to specificallylook at journaling as a way to
kind of manage that stress.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
All right and specifically, we're going to be
looking at Lestallion journals.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Yeah, so the stuff you guys sent us.
We've got articles about howbad stress is for you, which I
think we all kind of know.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Right, I think we've all felt that.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Yeah, and then we've got articles about how great
journaling is for you.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Yeah, which, again, you know it's one of those
things it's like is that reallygoing to help?
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Yeah, is that really going to make a difference?
Speaker 2 (00:37):
We're going to find out about these list allian
journals and why they're so good.
Yeah, so hopefully by the endwe'll know.
You know, can journaling reallyhelp manage stress?
Speaker 1 (00:48):
yeah, and if so, is a list allian journal the way to
go?
Exactly okay, so I think weshould start by talking about.
You know why is stress such aproblem?
Speaker 2 (00:57):
like we said, everybody feels it yeah, I mean,
it impacts so many things inour lives, right?
Yeah, it affects us physically,it it affects us mentally, it
affects us emotionally.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
Yeah, you don't sleep as well.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
You don't sleep as well, you know you might get
headaches, your stomach mighthurt.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Yeah, your relationships suffer.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Yeah, absolutely, you know.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
And it's just not fun to be around.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Exactly You're just not fun to be around.
You're irritable, you know, andso stress really does have a
huge impact.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Yeah, so it's worth trying to do something about it.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Absolutely, and that's where journaling comes in
.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Yeah, that's what we're going to look at.
So how does that work?
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Right.
So I mean we've got all thesethoughts swirling around in our
heads and it can just feel likechaos sometimes.
Yeah, to stress and anxiety.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
Yeah, you just feel overwhelmed.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Exactly.
So what journaling does is itkind of gives you a way to get
all that stuff out of your head.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
So you're not carrying it around with you all
the time.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Exactly you know, you can literally see your thoughts
on paper.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Yeah, that's so interesting.
So it's like a physicalmanifestation of what's
happening up here.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Right, and that in itself can be really helpful,
because when you can seesomething, you can start to
understand it better.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
You can start to organize it.
Exactly so it's not just likerandom thoughts, it's like OK,
there's a pattern here.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Right, and you know I mean.
Some of the articles you senttalked about this idea of
expressive writing.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
And and that's really about you know not just writing
down what happened to you today, but also how you felt about it
.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Oh, so your emotional response to things.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Exactly because that's a huge part of stress.
Right, yeah, it is so.
You know, expressive writing isall about, like identifying
those triggers.
What are the things that aresetting you off?
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Yeah, and then how do you typically respond?
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Right, because once you start to see those patterns,
you can maybe do somethingdifferent.
Exactly.
You can start to change yourbehavior, you can start to
manage your reactions betteryeah, so you're not just a slave
to your stress.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
Response exactly which I think is the goal
ultimately right absolutely.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
I mean.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
The goal is to feel like we're in control yeah not
that stress is controlling usyeah, okay, so we've talked
about how journaling can help,but now let's look at these
Lestallion journals.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Right, because I mean , you know, as you said earlier,
there's a difference betweenjust writing in any old notebook
, yeah, and using a journalthat's specifically designed for
this purpose.
Right, and Lestallion seems tohave really thought about this.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
So let's start with the basics.
Like the paper they use, it'sthis wood-free, ivory-colored
paper, right, and it's 120 GSM,which is actually pretty heavy
for a notebook.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Yeah, so what's the big deal about the paper?
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Well, I mean, it might seem like a small thing,
but it really does make adifference in the writing
experience.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
Oh, okay.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Because if the paper is too thin, the ink bleeds
through, yeah.
Or if it's too rough, it's notpleasant to write on.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Yeah, it can be scratchy.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Right, and that can not only make you more stressed.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Oh really.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Yeah, I mean you're trying to relax and de-stress
and then you're fighting withyour pen and paper.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
It's counterproductive.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Exactly so, Lestallion.
Using this high quality paper,it just makes the whole
experience more enjoyable.
You know, it's smooth, it'sluxurious, it feels good to
write on.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Yeah, that makes sense.
So it's not just about what youwrite, it's about the actual
physical act of writing, ExactlyOkay.
So what else They've got?
Speaker 2 (04:15):
numbered pages and a table of contents which seems
very organized, right well, andthat's really helpful for going
back and reviewing your entries,oh, okay.
Because you know you might bejournaling for months or even
years.
Yeah, because you know youmight be journaling for months
or even years yeah.
And it can be really hard tokeep track of everything.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Yeah, so you're not just flipping through pages
endlessly.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Exactly so.
With the numbered pages, youcan easily refer back to
specific entries.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Yeah, and with the table of contents you can
organize your thoughts by topic.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Right.
So if you're, you know, dealingwith a particular stressor,
like work, for example, yeah,you can have a whole section in
your journal dedicated to that.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Oh, I see, so you can see how you've dealt with work
stress over time.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Exactly, and that can be really insightful.
You know, you can see what'sworked, what hasn't worked.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Yeah, okay, so they also have a lot of pages.
These journals are like 211pages.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Yeah, that's a lot.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Yeah, so why is that important?
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Well, I think it gives you a sense of freedom.
Freedom, yeah, you know, youdon't have to worry about
running out of space.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Oh, okay.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
So you can really let your thoughts flow.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
You can write as much or as little as you need to
without feeling restricted.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Yeah, and it also kind of reinforces the idea that
this is a long-term commitment.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Right, it's not just a quick fix, it's a journey.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Yeah, okay.
So moving on to the physicaljournal itself, it's got a soft
faux leather cover and a sturdybinding.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Yeah, it's really well made.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Yeah, so how does that contribute to stress
management?
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Well, it's about creating a sense of comfort and
security.
Oh, you know, when you'restressed, you want to feel safe
and grounded.
Yeah, and having a journal thatfeels good in your hands, that
feels solid and substantial.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
It can be calming.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Exactly, it's like a little haven.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Yeah, okay.
And then they've got these 7.5millimeter wide line pages.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Right.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
So what's the thinking behind that?
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Well, you know, wider lines give you more space to
write, which can be reallyhelpful when you're feeling
stressed, because your thoughtsmight be all over the place and
you don't want to feel cramped.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Right, you want to feel like you have room to
breathe Exactly.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
So the wider lines just make the whole writing
experience more relaxing.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
Yeah, okay, and finally they've got this back
pocket for storing stuff.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Yeah, which I love.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
So what kind of stuff should you keep in there?
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Well, you know, motivational quotes are always
good.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Yeah, little pick-me-ups.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Exactly, or mindfulness exercises, maybe a
picture of a loved one.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
Yeah, anything that brings you joy.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Right, because the whole point of this journal is
to help you manage stress.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
So you want to fill it with things that support that
goal.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Yeah, that's really smart.
Okay, so we've talked about thefeatures of the journal itself.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
But let's go back to the actual act of writing.
How does that help us mentallyand emotionally?
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Right.
So I mean, as we said earlier,it's about getting those
thoughts and feelings out ofyour head.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
But it's also about processing them.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
Processing them.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Yeah, you know, when you write things down, you have
to think about them morecarefully.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
You have to articulate them.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Exactly, and that can lead to some really important
insights.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Insights.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Yeah, you know, you might start to see patterns in
your thinking.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Oh.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Or you might realize that some of your beliefs are
actually not true.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Oh wow.
So it's like a form ofself-discovery.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Exactly, and that can be really powerful, because
when you understand yourselfbetter, you can make better
choices.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Exactly, yeah, that makes sense.
So it's not just about venting,it's about understanding.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Right.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
Okay, and you mentioned earlier this idea of
emotional intelligence.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
How does journaling promote that?
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Well, emotional intelligence is all about being
aware of your own emotions andthe emotions of others.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
And being able to manage those emotions
effectively.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Right.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
And journaling helps you do that, because it forces
you to pay attention to howyou're feeling.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Yeah, you have to name it.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Exactly.
You have to put a label on it,and when you do that, you start
to develop a betterunderstanding of your own
emotional landscape.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
Okay, so you're not just reacting, you're responding
.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Right, and that's a huge part of stress management
yeah because when you cancontrol your emotions, they can
control the situation exactly.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
You're not letting your emotions control you yeah,
okay, so all of this soundsgreat in theory, yeah, but how
do we actually make it happen inour busy lives?
Speaker 2 (08:21):
right, well, the key is to make journaling a habit.
A habit.
Yeah, you know, like brushingyour teeth or taking a shower.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
So it's not a chore, it's just part of your routine.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Exactly, and it doesn't have to take a lot of
time.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Even just five or 10 minutes a day can make a big
difference, oh okay, so youdon't have to write a novel
every day.
No, just a few sentences even.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
Yeah, okay.
And what about those days whenyou're feeling stuck?
You know you sit down with yourjournal and you're like I don't
know what to write.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Right.
Well, that's where prompts canbe really helpful.
Prompts, yeah, you know, littlequestions or statements that
get you thinking.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Oh, like what was the best part of my day.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Or what am I grateful for right now?
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Oh, that's a good one .
Yeah, and Lestallion actuallyhas a whole blog with journaling
prompts.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Oh wow, that's handy.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Yeah, so you can always find something to write
about.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Okay, and we talked about gratitude earlier.
Yeah, why is that so importantfor stress management?
Speaker 2 (09:13):
Well, gratitude is all about focusing on the
positive.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
And when you're stressed, it's easy to get
caught up in the negative.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
Yeah, you forget about all the good stuff.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Exactly so taking a few minutes each day to write
down things you're grateful for.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
It can really shift your perspective.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
It can, and it can actually lower your stress
levels Really.
Yeah, there's been research onthis, oh wow.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Okay, so it's not just woo-woo, it's science.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
It's science.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
Okay, so let's talk about some of the specific
challenges that journaling canhelp with.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
OK.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
Like anxiety, for example.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Right.
So anxiety is all about worryand fear.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
And journaling can help you manage those feelings
by giving you a safe space toexpress them.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
Oh OK.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
You know you can write down all your worst fears
without judgment.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
And sometimes just getting it out on paper can make
it feel less scary.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Yeah, I could see that.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
And there are also specific prompts that you can
use for anxiety.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
Oh, like what.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Like what's one thing I can control right now?
Speaker 1 (10:10):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Or describe a moment when you felt truly at peace.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Oh, that's nice.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Yeah, because those prompts help you to shift your
focus away from the things youcan't control and onto the
things you can.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Yeah, okay.
So what about chronic stress?
You know that kind of low-levelstress that just never seems to
go away Right.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Well, journaling can help with that too, because it
can help you to identify thesources of that stress.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
You know, maybe it's your job or your relationships,
or just the way you're thinkingabout things.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
And once you know what's causing the stress, you
can start to make changes.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
Yeah, you can develop coping mechanisms.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Exactly, and journaling can help you to track
those coping mechanisms.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
You can see what's working and what's not.
Yeah, Okay.
So let's talk about thelong-term benefits of journaling
for stress management.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
Right.
So I mean, we've talked about alot of benefits already, but
one of the biggest long-termbenefits is that it helps you to
develop self-awareness.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
Self-awareness.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
Yeah, you know, the ability to understand your own
thoughts, feelings and behaviors.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Right.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
And that's so important for managing stress,
because it allows you to seeyour patterns.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
Your patterns.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Yeah, you know like how you typically react to
certain situations.
Oh, and once you see thosepatterns you can start to change
them.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
Yeah, so you're not just on autopilot.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
And what about the impact of journaling on our
overall mental health, right?
Well, I mean, there's a ton ofresearch showing that journaling
can improve mood, reduceanxiety and even help with
symptoms of depression and PTSD.
Wow, yeah, it's really powerfulstuff.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Okay.
So it's not just about feelingless stressed, it's about
feeling better overall.
Exactly Okay.
So let's wrap things up bytalking about some common stress
triggers and how journaling canhelp.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
So work pressure is a big one for a lot of people.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
Yeah, and journaling can help with that by giving you
a space to process yourthoughts and feelings about work
.
You know, maybe you're feelingoverwhelmed by a project or
you're having a conflict with acoworker.
Yeah, writing about it can helpyou to get some perspective,
yeah, maybe come up with somesolutions, exactly, and it can
also help you to set boundaries.
Boundaries, yeah, you know,between work and your personal
(12:14):
life.
Right, because it's easy to letwork bleed into everything yeah
, okay, what about relationshipconflicts?
those can be really stressfulyeah, absolutely, and journaling
can help you to understand yourown role in the conflict.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Oh OK.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
You know, maybe you're contributing to the
problem in some way.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
And it can also help you to communicate your needs
more effectively.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Oh, that's good.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Yeah, because sometimes it's hard to
articulate what you're feelingin the heat of the moment.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
Yeah, but when you write it down, it's like you can
really think it through ExactlyOK.
What about financial concerns?
When you write it down, it'slike you can really think it
through Exactly Okay.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
What about financial concerns?
Speaker 1 (12:47):
Money is a huge stressor for a lot of people.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
Yeah, and journaling can be really helpful for
managing financial stressbecause it can help you to track
your spending and to create abudget.
Yeah, and it can also help youto set financial goals.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Goals.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
Yeah, you know like saving for a down payment on a
house or paying off debt.
Yeah, you know like saving fora down payment on a house or
paying off debt.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
And when you have those goals written down, it can
make them feel more real andachievable.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
Okay, so it's not just about worrying about money,
it's about taking control.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Okay, and then there's health issues.
Those can obviously be verystressful.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Yeah, and journaling can help you to cope with the
emotional and mental challengesof dealing with a health issue.
Oh, OK.
You know you can write aboutyour fears, your frustrations,
your hopes, yeah, and it can bereally cathartic to just get it
all out.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Yeah, and it can also help you to track your symptoms
.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
Right and to communicate more effectively
with your health care providers.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
OK.
So it's not just for youremotional well-being, it can
actually improve your physicalhealth as well.
Well-being, it can actuallyimprove your physical health as
well.
Exactly, okay.
And finally, let's talk aboutuncertainty about the future.
That's something that everyoneexperiences to some degree.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
Yeah, and it can be really unsettling.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
And journaling can help you to manage that
uncertainty by focusing on thethings you can control.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Oh, you know, maybe you can't control what's going
to happen in the world, but youcan control how you respond to
it.
Right, and you can't controlwhat's going?
To happen in the world, but youcan control how you respond to
it Right and you can alsocontrol your own actions.
Yeah, so journaling can helpyou to identify those areas of
control.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
Okay, so it's about empowering yourself.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
Okay, so that was a lot of information.
It was, but hopefully it'sclear that journaling can be a
really powerful tool formanaging stress.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
I think so.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
And that a listallion journal with all of its
thoughtful features.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
Could be a great way to start.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Yeah.
So if you're feelingoverwhelmed by stress, give
journaling a try.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
You might be surprised by how much it helps.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
Yeah, you might just find that it changes your life.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
So until next time, happy journaling.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
And stay stress-free.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Or at least less stressed.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
Yeah, it's a.
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