I read a great article on Reader’s Digest published on 19 October about how writing can improve mental health. I have found that by keeping a journal to write down mundane things I’ve done and work through problems that trouble me, I feel better after doing it. The writing process can help to get to the root cause of a problem and process the options and solutions. It makes you feel as though you are back in control after problems can be flying around your mind all night.
I also keep lists using the notes app on my iPhone so that I can quickly jot down anything and everything that I need to action. The existence of that list gives me peace of mind. Instead of endlessly churning the problems, my mind can more easily think, ’yes there are problems’ but they are all in one place, they are ordered in priority and I know when I must pick them off one by one.
Publishing Talk has set out eight psychological benefits to writing. One of those benefits is self awareness. When we are caught in the fury of self-righteousness, writing about it, not just from your own point of view but consciously taking an opposing view can allow a light but of reflection. Suddenly everything is quite as simple as I’m 100% right. It forces us to re-read what we’ve written and have to agree that maybe it is 80/20 or even 50/50. Seeing ourselves as others see us, isn’t such a bad thing.
Writing therapy has been shown to have proven benefits. Psycom has a great article on using writing to explore our deepest traumas (although any PTSD or other disorders should be under the care of a health professional). Interestingly, this is one of the rare occasions not to self-edit but rather simply to put down on paper what you feel. This can be shown to others if it makes it easier to show someone rather than talk to them about a problem.
However you are feeling, writing can help achieve a better wellbeing.
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