Writing is a healthy way to relieve stress, and there are two ways to use it: recreational writing, which lets you escape into a world of your own, and journaling, which helps you sort out your feelings and see your problems in a new light.
Stress is everywhere. Whether you are a farmer worried about harsh weather or a financial analyst at a large company, you just can't escape it.
People cope with stress in different ways. Some turn to alcohol, which only makes matters worse. Others choose what looks like a lesser evil, such as eating lots of junk food. On second thought, weight gain and heart problems don't seem like a lesser evil at all.
Is there a healthier way to relieve stress? Of course there is, and writing is one of them.
"Wait. Writing?"
Yes, writing. Writing as a stress reliever is nothing new. There are two ways to use writing to relieve stress: one is simply recreational writing, and the other is journaling.
Recreational writing as a stress relief
Sometimes, at the end of a tough day, you just need to escape from reality. Alcohol can help you with that, but the cost to your physical and mental health is too high.
Recreational writing gives you another way to escape reality: you create an imaginary world of your own. What you write does not even need to make sense. Just write whatever you want, and that's that.
For instance, say you saw a child playing with a kitten on your way home. Write about it, and feel free to add whatever your imagination suggests. Can't write a whole paragraph? Then write just one sentence. No one is going to judge you.
Want to take it a step further?
Write fan fiction about your favorite story and work in all the things that stressed you out during your day. It could be about Harry Potter stuck in London's rush-hour traffic, or Mario and Luigi fighting the leaking faucet in your home. Really, you can write about just about anything.
When you feel comfortable, share your writing with others. You may have a knack for fan fiction. Before you share it, though, check it for spelling and grammar mistakes with the Spell Checker. Your readers will thank you.
Journaling as a stress relief
Journaling is all about writing down your emotions, and it is a good way to ease stress. Many therapists recommend it as a way to cope with stress, and it can help with anxiety too.
"How does journaling help to relieve stress?"
When you express your feelings in a journal, you sort out your feelings, emotions, and thoughts. You can also look back at the things that stressed you out and see them in a different light. You begin to understand how and why you reacted the way you did.
Reading through your journal, you may think, "Hmm, if I had done this instead of that, perhaps things would have turned out differently." It is easier to sort out your thoughts when they are laid out in front of your eyes.
Whenever your mind is full of negative thoughts, writing them down can help you let go of them and move on. It has much the same effect as talking about your problems.
Not everyone has a trusted friend in whom they can confide all their worries. If that sounds like you, start a journal: write your problems out, and you will find that it helps. If you want a method to follow, Stoic journaling is one place to start, and there are more ways writing is good for your health.