After trialling audio journaling with Journify during one of the toughest weeks of this year for me- a funeral of a lost loved one during a local lockdown- I realised just how beneficial it could be for processing grief. 

Journaling has remained a consistent part of my weekly routines since my hormones started wreaking havoc as I entered my teenage years. At 21 years of age, journaling is still my main outlet for emotions, thoughts, ideas and more. There are certainly benefits to journaling in general, but journaling via digital audio is growing as we learn to adapt to a digital lifestyle thanks to the 2020 health emergency. 

Grief is one of the most difficult of emotions to process, there’s rarely a direct outlet for anger or sadness other than the loss of your loved one. It can be even harder to process these thoughts and feelings, especially when it comes to opening up to those around you. But bottling up these emotions only proves detrimental to us in the long run, thankfully audio journaling is a tool that allows you to voice what is on your mind when you are struggling to open up to those around you. 

1. Voice Thoughts Without Judgement 

I chose the week of my grandmother’s funeral, who passed suddenly, to try audio journaling with Journify for the first time as I knew it was the week I’d need the outlet the most. Throughout the week, the Journify app provided me with a space to voice what was on my mind and how I was feeling without the fear of judgement that can sometimes arise when discussing difficult thoughts with trusted individuals. I felt reassured that what I was speaking to the app was encrypted and stored securely.

Grief is a complicated emotion that sometimes has us laughing and reminiscing, whilst other times the loss hits us out of nowhere. It can be hard to process the thoughts and feelings you are experiencing but voicing them aloud to the Journify app can help with that process.

2. Help Relieve Mental Tension When Physically Drained

When we go through challenging times, both our mental and physical health slightly deteriorate as tensions, fatigue and more increase. When experiencing grief in particular there are other elements that come into play, we are processing the shock and sadness of a lost one, but we are also adapting to a world without them in it. 

Our mental wellbeing is unsurprisingly put through a lot to help us process and grieve, but this can impact our physical wellbeing as it takes on the physical symptoms that stems from stress and anxiety, leaving us more fatigued than what we would normally feel. The ability to open an app, press a button and start venting what’s clogging up our minds provides access to relieve mental tension without the need to physically write in a notepad or digital device. 

3. Space to reminisce 

After losing a loved one you might find yourself thinking back and treasuring every second you spent with them when they were alive. For me, I collect sentimental items and pictures of happy times together and as a family we laugh and joke about the happy times we shared with our grandmother and this is what keeps her memory alive. Memories are all we have when we lose somebody and audio journaling provides a safe space to reminisce about happy times and the things they taught you throughout your time with them and a place to return to when you need reminding of those times. 

Grief is a pain none of us want to go through but is an inevitable part of life however using tools such as audio journaling, we can develop healthy coping mechanisms and habits. 

About the Author:

Gwen Jones is a Wellbeing blogger currently studying Journalism and Publishing at university, she also works part-time at a Bath Mind Wellbeing House. Mental wellbeing is of high importance to Gwen and helping others is her biggest motivation.

My blog is - www.bloggingwithgwen.com

Twitter - @gwenjones26

Instagram/ Facebook - @bloggingwithgwen

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