Putting Pen To Paper Can Be Therapeutic When You’re Troubled

Putting pen to paper can be verytherapeutic when you’re troubled—sitting at a keyboard doesn’t have the sameeffect as sitting in a quiet spot and getting your thoughts down on paper. Youdon’t necessarily have to share those thoughts with anyone, although you coulddecide to show your insightful writing to a counselor or a therapist to helpyou make sense of what you have discovered about yourself. Here are some lifeproblems that you can make sense of through the power of words:

1. You’re Angry

Pick up a pen and write down exactly whyyou are angry. Now make a decision to let it go. Holding onto the anger doesn’taffect the other person, the company, or the situation one bit: only you candecide when you’ve had enough.

2. You’re Stressed

Start by writing down the words, “I’mfeeling stressed” and then go on to describe what that feels like. Your brainneeds to get off the cycle of spinning around in circles so you can startfocusing on solutions.

3. You’re Depressed

Journaling can help you document yourrecovery as you recover from depression. You can look back over time and seethat you are making progress, even if you don’t notice that you are feelingbetter day to day.

4. You’re Anxious

Write down the issue that you are concernedabout and its consequences; it can help you put things into perspective, andsave the response for when you really need it.

5. You’re Confused

We all get stuck sometimes and have no ideawhat to do next. Start with what you know and build out from there. You mayfind that you have more answers (and options) than you originally thought.

6. You’re Afraid

Write down exactly what you are afraid of.Let your words shine a light on it and stare it down. Is it something you cancontrol or do something about? Then take action. If not, you may need to decideto let it go, either on your own or with professional help.

7. You’re Grieving

If you have experienced a loss, your griefmay come in waves. Write down memories of your loved one, what it feels like tobe without him or her, your anger, sadness, or whatever you are feeling on aparticular day. The paper is a safe place for you to unload all of thosefeelings.

8. You Feel “Blue”

On days when you feel out of sorts andcan’t seem to get out of a funk, pull out a pad of paper and start writingabout it. Some people find it helpful to remind themselves that even the worstday will pass and that things will get better. Another approach is to giveyourself a limited time (15-20 minutes) to feel icky and write about it. Thenget on with your day in a more positive frame of mind.

9. You’re in Physical Pain

People who live with chronic pain have alot on their plate, even at the best of times. Writing about how you feel aboutthe pain can be a good coping strategy, especially if you share what you havewritten with your health care team. Your doctor wants to know if you arefeeling angry, depressed, frustrated, hopeless, etc. Putting pen to paper canalso be a distraction from the physical sensations when you are having achallenging time.

10. You’re Struggling with Low Self-esteem

If your self-esteem has taken a beating andyou’re feeling less than great about yourself, it’s time to do some work tobuild yourself back up. What would you say to a good friend in your shoes?Think of something positive about yourself and write it down. Then addsomething else. It doesn’t matter what these statements are; no one is going tosee them. They can be sweet or silly. The important thing is that they meansomething to you. Save that piece of paper and refer to it whenever you need aboost.

Writing can be a wonderful way to relievestress, help you see things clearly, and give yourself a much-needed boost whenyou need it. Why don’t you make a point of spending some quality time with apen and some paper today?