Are you a writer or someone who enjoys expressing themselves through the written word? Do you journal, or make lists, or use words to describe your day on social media, use written language to make a decision or process your day or your situation or feelings? Then you probably know that writing and language can help lead you toward finding relaxation and calm, to having a voice and feeling heard, to gaining more insight into your thoughts and situation, and releasing some of the stress, worry, or emotion you might be feeling. Writing is good for our mental health on so many levels, and I’m not talking about writing a book or getting published or writing a blog — I’m just talking about experiencing ourselves in this world and then putting words on paper, one at a time.
Some of us naturally love creative writing — writing poems, stories, first person essays, blog stories, and more. Others of us enjoy the writing for journalling, processing our thoughts and feelings, and for the love of being more deeply in touch with ourselves. We might find solace and introspection in the words, or a release of energy. There are so many benefits, and for entire lifetimes, writing has been a tool for healing.
7 Ways That Writing Can Help Our Mental Wellness
- Story: Writing gives us a chance to tell our story. Each one of us has a really beautiful and sacred story--sometimes we don't want to believe it, but it's true. Our life story, has so many individual stories and moments that make up that larger story. They might be moments of pain, trauma, joy, resilience, and healing. And our larger story connects us to an even larger family and community story.
- Giving us a voice: When we write, we have a chance to find a tone, mood, and voice in which to tell our story. Words are symbols, and while our language is limited, they help us give voice to our inner moments. Even if we don't share what we have written with anyone else (I always say choose your audience carefully), we get a chance to have a voice even with ourselves, but taking what is in our head and putting it on paper.
- Finding Language: Finding actual words for what we have felt and experience allows us to process and communicate how we feel. Once we find language for our experience, whether situational or longer-term, it helps us ascertain what we need and express that to others.For example, if we experience shock during a difficult moment, we might not have words until later.
- Mindfulness: Mindfulness includes being in the present moment, and it offers immediacy when we might be struggling to stay present. Being able to write words in a journal as we reflect on our thoughts and feelings brings is into the present moment. When we are writing, we are so focused and concentrated on the moment of the flow of the words, that we naturally come into mindfulness.
- Reflection: Writing gives the opportunity for reflecting and asking questions of ourselves and our situations and lives. Questions like what happened, how well am I coping, what do I need, what is my next step, how am I doing? Writing can give us a safe space, where we can ask questions and pose answers that might be too scary to do out loud or with others--it lets us consider reality.
- Clearing space: Mindful clutter can often be the opposite of mindfulness, causing a loss of clarity. When our mind is overfull and complicated, it can lead to stress, anxiety, and a hard time focusing. Writing can help to pour some of the 'overfull' out, leaving more space to sort things out. Even if it's just for a moment, it gives us a breather, a moment of pause.
- Increasing empathy: When we write about our feelings and our perceptions of situations, we can sometimes be more truthful with ourselves. As we acknowledge the struggles, pain and growth we are going through, we might gain more empathy for ourselves--we might feel more open to loving ourselves. Kristin Neff writes and speaks about self-compassion, and highlights writing practices in her books that help us grow in self-compassion. As we gain insight through our writing, we might gain more empathy for the world as well.
Courses, Facebook Group, or Get In Touch
If you are interested in exploring how writing is connected to mental wellness, or you simply want to write for the love of writing, here is a page of my courses.
Also, we have a Writing Facebook Group and we’d love to have you over there as well.
I’d love to hear your thoughts below in the Comments section, or feel free to write me through my Contact Page.
