Self Care Tip #1: Just get it down on paper
Life is a lot, point blank.
I am going to start by taking a wild guess in saying that a majority of us tend to keep a lot to ourselves. So much happens in one day, good or bad, that we can’t help but feel overwhelmed. Some things that happen may not be all that big of a deal, but they just keep adding up and at one point, you just want to EXPLODE. And at that moment, you just need to get it out one way or another. There are many ways you could go about this, but personally one of the most beneficial things I have started doing on a regular basis is journaling. Just by getting all your thoughts down on paper you instantly feel a sense of relief. Of course, this doesn’t always solve everything that’s going on, but it gives you some piece of mind for the time being.
There are so many benefits to journaling besides decreasing stress and anxiety. Journaling helps you keep a record of your thoughts and feelings, which in turn, helps you comprehend and work through things better. It also makes you more aware. You might be feeling a certain way about something and then by writing things down it can alter how you might see and feel about the same situation.
I think I have mentioned it before, but growing up, I was never a great writer. I actually dreaded reading and writing as a child, but the other day I did a thing. I wrote a poem…not on purpose; it just happened and I’m not really sure how to explain it other than, it just flowed right out of me. I had finally sat down to write about something that recently happened in my life, something that was really taking a toll on me. I began to write how I felt in the moment and when I reread it I was like, wait…I think I just wrote a poem…and as scary as it is for me to share something so personal, I feel like it might inspire you to get your thoughts and feelings out in a creative way, so I am going to share it with you all.
God, am I exhausted.
Physically exhausted.
Mentally exhausted.
I am exhausted from feeling sad.
Betrayed.
Used.
I am exhausted from not feeling heard.
Seen.
Understood.
Just a constant cycle of being let down.
But, by you?
I would have never imagined.
I guess that is my own fault for having faith in someone so close to me, right?
Thinking that you could never hurt me more than the person before.
But, well done.
Mission accomplished.
You did it.
After I wrote this, I shared it with someone who is very important in my life and who is an amazing writer, especially of poems. At first she said, “Damn, who hurt you??” which made me laugh. Haha, when did I become so dark and sad? She then followed up with, “Poetry can be a beautiful outlet. I like to turn ugly things into something beautiful. Makes it worth the pain.” I couldn’t agree more. The hurt isn’t doing you anything good anyways, so why not turn it into something meaningful? Maybe your words are exactly what someone else needs to hear.
Even if you have no interest in writing a poem, maybe a song is what gets your thoughts and feelings out; Whatever it is, just do it. The best thing about writing on paper is that the paper can't talk back to you. It isn’t there to judge you or tell you that you’re crazy. It’s there to take some weight off your shoulders and lighten your load.
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Some journaling ideas:
Gratification journaling
Reflective journaling
Bullet journaling
Daily journaling
Art journaling
Song writing
Writing poems
Get a cute notebook, some colorful pens, and write your little heart out! You got this :)
