Get up, eat, school, eat, work, eat, shower, sleep. That is what most of my days consist of. It sounds boring, but each day brings a little something special, even if it is always some variation of the same schedule.
However, there are some days where following that routine makes me feel, for lack of a better word, a little crazy. Sometimes, I become overwhelmed with the routine and suddenly feel as if I am drowning in the amount of school work and daily chores I need to get done.
I find myself randomly squeezing in time to do homework, or I come home to a messy bedroom with things thrown all over the place. This mental and physical messiness only makes me feel more stressed and overwhelmed. All of a sudden, I am trapped in this awful cycle of stress and anxiety.
So what do I do to rid myself of these troubling thoughts and feelings? It is quite simple: I pick up a journal and a pen. I don’t give myself any prompts or questions to answer, I just let myself write whatever comes to mind.
In tiring times, I usually vent my frustrations away, listing every single thing that’s bothering me. Other times, when I feel the need to just write something, I might start plotting out a fictional story.
Writing in my personal journal helps me cope with whatever I’m going through. I even like to think of my journal as a grown-up diary, a place where I can go on and on about my thoughts without feeling like someone is going to hear me and judge me.
One of my favorite things to do while journaling is listen to music. I will put on whatever songs speak to what I’m feeling at the moment and let myself pour all of my emotions onto the paper. It sounds very,very cheesy, but it is quite therapeutic.
Another great aspect of journaling is that you can use it as a peaceful punching bag. We’ve all had moments where we just want to hit something, but why do that when you can just talk it out with yourself in writing? It is much more healing and beneficial than violence.
Of course, journaling isn’t for everyone, and it can only help so much. But whenever I finish writing in my journal, it feels like I’ve physically released all of my worries. They’re no longer in my brain, consuming all my other thoughts. They’re on paper now, and it makes me feel like I can let them go.
Journaling can seem pretty intimidating at first. I wanted to journal for a very long time before I actually started, but so many people made it seem as if journaling had to become yet another part of my routine. That is not always the case.
Journaling doesn’t have rules. You don’t have to write every single day or follow a certain format. You just have to pick up your journal whenever you feel like you need it. Try it for yourself, and see if it helps your mental health. It may make a big difference in your life!
About Post Author
