Talk, listen, write, reflect, learn.
These are five elements we all need to master and continually be mindful of doing, in order to bring a greater understanding and greater coping strategies in all walks of our increasingly busy lives.
Writing can be an under-used yet highly therapeutic method of expressing thoughts and feelings which may be difficult to articulate with the spoken word. Whilst talking, sharing, and listening are all essential to helping us understand, manage, and learn about the way we might be feeling, thinking, or behaving at any given time, also writing about moments that we experience, whether positive or more challenging, can help to expel as well as provide a means for reflection, and also lead to more understanding of ourselves and others. Writing down our thoughts and feelings, especially if more negative, gives us some solid accountability for them, which helps them neither to linger and ruminate unhealthily in our tiring heads, nor to drift away forgotten without reflection, as when those feelings come back again in another guise you may have learnt enough from reflecting on them to make the next time easier.
It has been shown that writing can relieve stress. Here are few articles:
Relieve stress by reading and writing
The Benefits of Journaling for Stress Management
Writing about emotions can ease stress and trauma
Write about anything! Either as it happens, after it happens, or in anticipation of it happening. And reflect on it.
Write down how you feel. This isn't always easy, but it can be a great release. Write your plans-for work, for home, for hobbies you have always wanted to try, for retirement, for the weekend, for the evening, for the day, for the holidays. Structuring as well as allowing yourself wiggle room within those plans to still have freedom to adapt to those plans altering to a greater or a lesser extent, brings a sense of pleasure and acheivement-work towards your aspirations, and don't be too rigid about them!
Write down your to-do list for the day or for the week, and make it realistic. Having a list that is too long will make it frustrating if you don't tick them all off in the time you hope to. It also risks you losing the ability to prioritise from that list, so try to put the items in order of importance, and have no more than 5 things of high importance on that list at any one time, or you won't achieve them, or you will get exhausted trying to do them all!
Write down what you have acheived. You can do this every day! Before you rest your weary head on that pillow, have a thought for at least one thing you completed, you overcame, you did for someone, you did for yourself, you are thankful for, and if you can't think of one thing for each, or you fall asleep trying, then you definitely need to pause more in your day and reflect on these things!
Writing a diary or journal might help you. It shouldn't become a bind each day, it should feel like a positive moment in your day, and the best way to regularly reflect. You could keep it by your bed, like picking up that book to read before your sleep, even if it's every few days. Or on your holiday for example. Or you can even write a blog...
There's no limit to what or when or how you write! So grab that pen and paper, or type in your notes, and see how it feels to express yourself in the written word.
These are five elements we all need to master and continually be mindful of doing, in order to bring a greater understanding and greater coping strategies in all walks of our increasingly busy lives.
Writing can be an under-used yet highly therapeutic method of expressing thoughts and feelings which may be difficult to articulate with the spoken word. Whilst talking, sharing, and listening are all essential to helping us understand, manage, and learn about the way we might be feeling, thinking, or behaving at any given time, also writing about moments that we experience, whether positive or more challenging, can help to expel as well as provide a means for reflection, and also lead to more understanding of ourselves and others. Writing down our thoughts and feelings, especially if more negative, gives us some solid accountability for them, which helps them neither to linger and ruminate unhealthily in our tiring heads, nor to drift away forgotten without reflection, as when those feelings come back again in another guise you may have learnt enough from reflecting on them to make the next time easier.
It has been shown that writing can relieve stress. Here are few articles:
Relieve stress by reading and writing
The Benefits of Journaling for Stress Management
Writing about emotions can ease stress and trauma
Write about anything! Either as it happens, after it happens, or in anticipation of it happening. And reflect on it.
Write down how you feel. This isn't always easy, but it can be a great release. Write your plans-for work, for home, for hobbies you have always wanted to try, for retirement, for the weekend, for the evening, for the day, for the holidays. Structuring as well as allowing yourself wiggle room within those plans to still have freedom to adapt to those plans altering to a greater or a lesser extent, brings a sense of pleasure and acheivement-work towards your aspirations, and don't be too rigid about them!
Write down your to-do list for the day or for the week, and make it realistic. Having a list that is too long will make it frustrating if you don't tick them all off in the time you hope to. It also risks you losing the ability to prioritise from that list, so try to put the items in order of importance, and have no more than 5 things of high importance on that list at any one time, or you won't achieve them, or you will get exhausted trying to do them all!
Write down what you have acheived. You can do this every day! Before you rest your weary head on that pillow, have a thought for at least one thing you completed, you overcame, you did for someone, you did for yourself, you are thankful for, and if you can't think of one thing for each, or you fall asleep trying, then you definitely need to pause more in your day and reflect on these things!
Writing a diary or journal might help you. It shouldn't become a bind each day, it should feel like a positive moment in your day, and the best way to regularly reflect. You could keep it by your bed, like picking up that book to read before your sleep, even if it's every few days. Or on your holiday for example. Or you can even write a blog...
There's no limit to what or when or how you write! So grab that pen and paper, or type in your notes, and see how it feels to express yourself in the written word.