The Mental Health Resources We Gain Through Writing

“Writing just isn’t my thing.” And I agree that not everyone has to feel like they’re good at it. We all have our weaker qualities whether that’s math or science or english. Regardless, we’ve all had those assignments and essays where we felt like we didn’t really hit the mark. Or our paper wasn’t as strong as the teacher deemed it necessary. None of that equates to how good of a writer you are. There isn’t a certain quality of writing you have to consistently hit, to call yourself a writer. Everyone has something powerful to say and if that doesn’t come through in writing for you, it might for someone else. The amazing thing about it all is that you don’t have to be good at writing to use it to improve your mental health. 

I feel like we don’t talk about writing for mental health enough as we should. Journaling can come in so many different forms and it doesn’t always have to look like a physical page of writing or an essay. It can be big messy words covering pages, points you want to make to yourself, single sentences to help you evaluate your thoughts. The great thing about it all is that nobody has to see it but you. This form of writing can be extremely very personal to someone, since it can help to combat mental health issues or insecurities. It helps someone to learn more about themselves, and to think about why they are feeling the way they do. 

For some people it is a form of therapy, and for some it is just getting their thoughts down on paper. Any form of this is completely valid, and there isn’t a wrong way to journal. We have this misconception that journaling is only for certain people or that there is a correct way to do it. And I am here to tell you that there is not. Since this is something so open ended, many just don’t know where to start. 

Recently, I have been working on finding prompts to help others start their journaling experiences. A few prompts that might give you a slight kick start would be:

• How would you spend your perfect day off?
• Talk about something that inspires you
• List 10 things you want to remember in difficult times
• What is something or someone that bothers you? Why?
• Brainstorm some things that you can do for yourself when you are having a hard day
• Write a love letter to yourself

This is your time to reflect on how you are feeling and the days you are having. It is more than okay if you feel like you are having more bad days than good right now. Growth isn’t always linear but we can use this as a resource for when our minds feel jumbled. Many people feel comfort in taking time for themselves in a way that feels productive. Starting this positive hobby, may be something you never knew you needed.