7 Benefits Journaling Can Help To Combat Stress
Stress affects almost everyone at some time in their lives. For some people it’s more of a problem with their genetics, and for others it’s due to their situation.
Whatever reason you maybe stressed about, congratulations for recognizing it and wanting to do something about it.
Writing a journal has been proven to bring about positive outcomes when people are suffering from stress, so it might be a good idea to invest in one and give it a try.
The rest of this article will look at 7 benefits journaling can help to combat stress and the techniques you can implement once you begin…
1. Write Daily for 5 to 15 Minutes
The thing about journaling that is important is you need to do it daily long term for it to really work. It takes a lot of writing and insight to figure out why you’re suffering with stress and how to overcome it.
2. Write about Your Worries
Address the problem straight away and write about your worries. Describe them from every single angle you can come up with. The more descriptive, the better. Go back to the first time you felt this feeling regarding the issue so that you can get to the bottom of it.
3. Describe What’s Happening Now
Put out of your mind what you did, what someone else did, or what can be done. Write about precisely what is happening at this present time and where you stand with the issue causing your stress. If it’s generalized stress, physical or mental health issues, try to make a list of things that might be contributing to it.
4. Document the Worst That Can Happen
As you look at the situation, one thing that often causes stress is the unknown, or the “worst thing” that you think can happen.
Describe this worst thing but make it realistic. For example, don’t make up something like an aeroplane falling on your wedding party. That isn’t realistic. However, bad weather, rude in-laws, and other issues may be.
5. Document the Best That Can Happen
Let’s get serious by thinking and writing about the very best (realistic) outcome of the situation you’re stressing about. Include potential steps and tactics to achieve this best-case scenario so that you can see it to fruition if you so choose.
6. Document What Is Really Happening
As you are writing, be very careful to be realistic and honest above all else. Other than when you imagine the best and worst case scenarios, ensure that you are also documenting the reality of what is happening to you right now. That way, you can narrow down identifying the stress-inducing situation.
7. Write a Counter-Argument to Yourself
A really good way to overcome some stress about a situation is to argue with yourself. First, tell your story as a letter to yourself about what is happening. Then write a letter back to yourself in answer, arguing all the negativity and turning it into positivity. If your best friend wrote that, what would you say back?
It’s surprising that writing can accomplish so much, and if you go into journaling to help with stress bringing the right attitude and with a goal in mind, you can achieve a lot.
The important thing is that you need to be honest with yourself so that you can find out the true causes of your stress. In this way, the actions you take to overcome it really can be effective.
7 Benefits Journaling Can Help To Combat Stress – Back To Top!
Check out the final PART 10 article of our journaling series below…