Photo by Gift Habeshaw on Unsplash
There was a recent interesting episode of a podcast on iHeartRadio called Life Kit. It discussed one of the best ways we can deal with ongoing stress today. That method is called journaling. Many people have turned to writing in their journals, notebooks, or diaries as a means of fully expressing themselves and their thoughts. Many have regarded it as being effective in lifting the amount of stress off of their shoulders. But how do you get started in journaling? Do you have to do it every day? What do you do if you’re not much of a writer? Let’s examine these questions and more in this blog post.
Journaling is a Stress Reliever
If you have something that has been bothering you, why not write about it within your journal? Sharing your deepest thoughts on a piece of paper will help you feel better and relieve the burden of stress that you’re going through. If you have something weighing heavily on your mind and you don’t feel comfortable sharing it with others, turn to that journal or diary of yours to fully express yourself. Keep a lock on it so that others won’t be able to get into it.
If you’re dealing with other mental health issues such as depression or anxiety, expressing your feelings in writing is beneficial for these conditions, too. It will help you identify what’s causing these depression symptoms. Once you identify them, it will be easy for you to work on a plan to alleviate these problems.
Write to Free Your Mind
We all have a lot of things going on in our minds. This pandemic has especially bombarded us with endless stress and worry. However, writing has become a great habit amongst many in helping them deal with this. So when you’re writing, don’t be afraid to fully express your opinions about issues. If you’re angry or sad about something related to COVID-19, write it down in your journal. You will be freeing your mind of anything you desire to get off your chest.
Decide on a Journaling Schedule
Make journaling a consistent habit for you by creating your schedule. Whether you want to do it every day or once a month, keep a schedule of writing and try to stick with it. Keeping a consistent schedule is important for staying motivated. So pick a day or two and write as much as you can on those days. You could share your thoughts in a journal, on your computer, or even on a tape recorder.
Good Examples of Journal Topics
There are numerous things you can write about depending on how you’re feeling on any given day. For example, if you’re in an angry mood, you can write about intense issues that are troubling you. It could be something in the news, an incident that happened at your place of work or school, or something that happened to a family member. A few good examples include:
- Why I am angry about this issue in the news today
- Why I oppose this political law that’s been passed
- I am deeply angry about this incident that happened to my sister
Those are just good starting points in kickstarting your writing journey. No matter what mood you are in, journaling will help you gain control of your emotions and improve your mental health.
Whether you’re writing in a notebook, typing on a document software, or recording your deepest thoughts, putting your thoughts in writing is a great way to alleviate stress. Journaling helps give your life the complete order that it needs. By sticking to a schedule and writing to free your mind, you will be making journaling your stress reliever.
