Emotional Journaling works.
It can be hard finding positive moments when you’re busy. It can also be hard to adjust to your role in the season you are in. However, looking for the good things in life and feeling a sense of gratitude can help you feel a lot better. And know that it’s also okay to laugh, even when things around you tell you otherwise. In fact, it’s healthy for you to do so.
Laughter releases the tension you feel and makes you feel lighter on the inside from carrying all that burden. Keeping your sense of humor in trying times, is a good coping skill for any challenge you may face. Apart from looking for the positive in the negative by finding joy in laughter, another way to help you cope in these moments which is underrated, is to write down exactly what you are feeling in the moment you are feeling it.
Related: How To Self care By Journaling in Your Marriage
Why Write Down Your Feelings?
Because it can help you get to the root of your emotions.
For many, journaling, only has to do with just wanting to keep track of their day (to do list) or documenting their weight loss or gain but journaling encompasses more than just keeping tab on these things. Journaling is a good way to express your emotions as well- aka. Emotional journaling.
Emotional journaling doesn’t have to only deal with the highs or good things you experience. You could totally express yourself and let your emotions out by writing about them in your own safe space even when you are having not a so great day or when you are feeling blue. Writing about your feelings help release tension and takes away the stress that you may be feeling. The truth is, there may be times in the moment you don’t feel like talking to anyone because of what you are feeling inside. This exact time is the best time to write down your thoughts and how you feel.
Perhaps there are things you wish you could have said in a particular situation but you didn’t, whether to maintain peace or to keep your own sanity. You could let out by letting it all out- in writing. Thinking through what happened to you and knowing when exactly you started feeling what you are feeling can help you deal with it.
Research shows that writing or journaling can help relieve negative thoughts and feelings. And it may actually help improve both your psychological, mental and emotional health needs. You may choose to journal or express your deepest thoughts. You can write about things that make you feel good, such as a good day you had or a kind coworker or friend you encountered in the course of your day.
Journaling however, doesn’t have to be all about the sweet things. You could detail your negative feelings to find out why you feel the way you feel as well. You could also choose to write about your most stressful experiences- especially since life offers a mix and match of both positive and negative emotions.
Some may say isn’t that keeping records of wrong? And the answer to that question is no. Though that’s what some use their diaries for, this is not what this is all about.
Expressing your emotional thoughts, describing how and what you are feeling is for your own mental health and not about the other person or the next person nor is it necessarily about what happened in a particular situation or something that directly happened to you. It is about letting out what you feel and expressing how you feel in words by writing it down.
You could see it is an exhaust pipe or a get away “me self expression time” but only this time, in words -not the words of a therapist but yours. Journaling your feelings is not about the next person, journaling your feelings is about you.
Take away
Writing down your emotional thoughts help you on your journey to discovering why you feel the way you do. It also helps you channel the pathway to get out of those emotions depending on whether or not they are emotions you would like to continue to feel or the ones you want to let go. Journaling is not a time to hold anything back, it is a time of self expression about what and how you are feeling.
Are you ready to let it flow? Write in a Journal -today!
