Stress is a natural side effect of pressure and friction. Every person on the planet has felt some form of friction even though we each have our unique stressors. Stress can sneak up on us during the busiest times in our life and it can cripple us right when we need our strength. The best cure for stress is prevention and one proven tool we have for prevention is, you guessed it, journaling. So why does journaling help with stress? Read on to find out.
What are the Symptoms of Stress:
- Increase in pulse and blood pressure
- Muscle aches and pains, headaches
- Tension in the head, neck and shoulders
- Problems with digestion
- Insomnia
- Depression, anxiety
- Sexual dysfunction, addiction, and other mental health problems
Stress is linked to a myriad of physical and mental disorders and if left unchecked, it can inhibit our ability to lead normal lives. I can’t stress enough the need for regular check-ins with your journal so that you are never taken unawares by big changes in your experience. When you have a daily writing practice then you know exactly when and why you feel stressed. There’s no guesswork because you’ve observed the whole thing play out.
What are the Most Common Causes of Stress?
- Big life changes like birth, death, marriage, divorce, and moving
- New positions and expectations at work/school
- Health complications and disease
- World changes such as elections, policy changes, wars, and pandemics
By writing about our experience and our response to life events, we begin to process things more thoroughly. We allow ourselves the time and space to really write about how we’ve been effected, how the people in our lives have been impacted, and how the world has changed as a result. Lisa Tams, a clinical social worker with MSU, expressed the potency of journaling through the 2020 pandemic. No doubt that every person on the planet has experienced some form of stress this year and so we can each benefit from implementing a writing practice right now.
So Why Does Journaling Help With Stress?
Even the people who work well under pressure need to be aware of their limits and they need tools to promote calm responsiveness in the wake of stress. Why does journaling help with stress? Some of the notable results of journaling for stress relief can include
- Practical problem solving
- A chance to be authentic
- Provides emotional release
- Gives insight and clarity
- Creates new perspectives on your current situation.
Read below for more details about how journaling reduces anxiety in each of these areas.
Reason #1: Journaling Can Help With Practical Problem Solving
One of the best answers to the question, “Why does journaling help with stress” is: problem-solving. During a stressful situation, our mental capacity seems to diminish. Instead of seeing things for the way they are, we see the worst case scenario. We may hide out from life, or indulge in the stress, or seek to drastically change our circumstances. We want to relieve the pain but if that is the only focus, then we lose sight of the lessons and opportunities in the moment. It’s vital to focus on long-term solutions rather than the problems themselves so that we can begin to move out of the reactionary state of mind.
Solution-orientation means that even while we are uncertain about what the outcome might be, we are committed to trying something new that might bring about desired changes. It doesn’t mean that we have to have all the answers, but it means that we accept there is an answer and we don’t need to be locked into the problem. Rather, we are open to possibility and we follow through with a plan towards that possibility. Again, it might take a few different solutions before we settle on one that brings lasting resolution, but at least we can counter any perpetual feelings of helplessness and fear with an openness to empower ourselves and the other people involved.
Write about the current stressful problem
include the causes and effects as you understand them. Include the other stakeholders in this situation and without laying blame, state what led up to the stressor and how it has impacted you.
Focus on your own experience
Don’t put words or intentions in other people’s mouths. It’s not going to be beneficial to try to say you have all the answers. Instead, seek to understand how the other people are feeling and how they might be reacting to stress in their own lives.
Dive into the emotions and thoughts
What has struck you in all of this? Allow everything that is coming up to just come up. There is potency in seeing thoughts and emotions as dynamic, rather than static. As you explore your inner world, ask yourself,
- Have I always felt this way?
- Have I always reacted to things like this?
- Do I choose how to respond to stress?
- How can I learn to relax with whatever comes up for me?
Plot out possible solutions
Include a pros and cons list that incorporates your perceived outcomes. Again, you don’t have to know exactly what to do. If you knew that, then you probably wouldn’t be feeling stressed. Choose the solution that you believe has the potential to clear things up and then discuss this with the other people involved. An open dialogue enables each participant to feel equally responsible for finding (and sticking to) a solution.
Move forward with the support of others
Whatever you choose to do, remember that you don’t have to go it alone. Bring in the other personalities where you see fit because you can gain insight from the perspectives of other people and you can learn from their experience, what might solve the problem.
Reflect
Reflect on what worked and what didn’t and move on. If you tried one solution and found it lacking, go back to step 4. It’s okay to be frustrated when things don’t go as planned, but it’s not okay to get stuck in that excessive negativity that comes with failure. Remember that when your problems are more complicated than you expected, you don’t need to have black and white solutions. You need to accommodate for the needs of other stakeholders and you need to take into account the changing environment. What seemed to work once may not work the next time, so while you may feel discouraged, remind yourself that there is potency even in the discouragement.
Reason #2: Journaling Helps You Be Authentic
As you journal for stress relief and problem solving, you are opening yourself to authenticity. It is okay to ask for support, it is okay not to always know what will be best, it is okay to feel anything at all about the situation, and it is okay to take as much time as you need to move through difficult experiences.
What is fascinating about stress is that as a species, we praise people who can thrive through intense situations. We often strive to be emotionless and unaffected by life’s challenges. However, it is clear we need a new model. We need to defy this ideal superhuman who moves effortlessly through the world and instead begin to idealize those who can rest with what is going on for them. These are the teachers we can follow because their technique is repeatable and applicable to many different situations.
Reason #3 Journaling Creates an Emotional Release
I mentioned the importance of journaling about your emotions and some days that is all you really need your journal for. Sometimes the solution has been found, but you may still harbor guilt, shame, uncertainty, anger, and anxiety about it. Use your journal like a mirror. Look how the image in a mirror changes as you do, changes with your movements and with the passing light. Write about how you’re feeling moment to moment, but remember the dynamic nature of emotion. Don’t take the way you are feeling now to be the way you’ve always felt.
This is crucial because in the thick of emotion, everything we write gets coated in that emotion. The words we choose, the things we describe, the memories we cling to, they all become sticky with the hatred, happiness, melancholy and madness that we’re feeling. A natural paint-thinner that you can apply daily is rest.
Rest your heart-rate. Rest your mind. Roll out your shoulders and your neck. That tension you’re feeling is important to notice, but it’s not important to hold onto. In fact, part of the reason you’ll want to write about your emotional state is so that you can observe how capable you are of making good decisions even when you are feeling such intensity. The flow of emotions is the fuel for informed decisions. We see how a certain stressor is effecting us and we learn to respond wisely.
Tips for journaling about emotional states:
- Look for patterns of emotions and how they are influenced by your experience AND how they influence your reaction to the world.
- Notice how emotions ebb and flow, is it meaningful to try to cling to one emotion over another? Or is it healthier to let the emotions come and go as they no doubt will?
- Respect your feelings and never try to shame yourself out of one state and into another. Remember that regardless of your emotions, you are worthy. You are extraordinary.
- By allowing your emotions to be as they are, you free up mental space to find solutions or to ask for support when you need it.
The beauty of being human is that fundamentally, we are intelligent, creative and beneficial. No matter what is going on for you, you’ll be surprised by your ability to cut through it all and still do what is best
Reason #4 Journaling Provides Insight and Clarity
Have you ever wondered why does journaling help with stress? It’s fascinating to observe how individuals utilize their own intelligence and intuition to alleviate stress. Every person has the potential to manage stress and discover solutions in their unique way and at their own pace. Journaling allows you to capture and reflect on your insights, which can offer an internal and limitless clarity. This form of wisdom is not something you can find in a book or have someone else provide for you. Your mind is the most powerful source of insight, and journaling allows you to access it repeatedly, making it an invaluable tool for achieving epiphanies.
In order to bring awareness to your personal source of wisdom, you need to get comfortable with writing your insights down. Grow accustomed to the sound of your own voice. Don’t shy away from what you have to say. You have to start somewhere. Wherever you begin marks the first step towards further and further insight. When your intention is to prevent stress from overwhelming you, and to respond beneficially even under stress, then immediately your journal will be filled with advice straight from your heart.
Reason #5 Journaling Opens Up New Perspectives
The clarity that you bring to your journaling practice opens your eyes to new ways of doing things, new ways of relating to people and new ways of coping with stress. It can happen gradually over the years, or it can show up in an instant. You recognize that something wasn’t working for you and instead of being a victim to the situation you allow yourself to step into the discomfort with new vigor.
You can start to think out of the box by brainstorming on the page. Tie together your problems, solutions, emotions, and insights and write about any overarching themes or lessons you perceive. This reflection will empower you in whatever you are experiencing. No longer do you need to look outside your experience for stress-relief. Instead, you stay present and learn about the potential for growth that you have right here, right now.
New perspectives create empowered thinking
When you journal under the influence of empowered thinking, you greatly increase your chances of overcoming the trials of the day. Whenever these issues come up again, you can turn to your diary and remember what advice you gave yourself last time something like this came up.
There are so many opportunities for stress, but there are just as many opportunities to step back and engage with the stressor in a healthy, thorough, empowering way. Write it out and focus on your intention in all of this. Are you just trying to get through the problem as quickly as possible and move on with your life? Are you looking to contemplate and grow from the experience?
Set an intention that serves your values and your conscience. Write about what you would like to see shine through all of this and you’ll find that it does. It’s only when we wander blindly through stress that we are burdened by it. So again. why does journaling help with stress relief? When we see stress for what it is, then we can respond to it with a clear mind and a steady hand.
5 Journal Prompts for Stress Relief
- What activities make me feel relaxed and at ease? Write down a list of activities that help you unwind and destress, such as taking a walk, listening to music, or reading a book.
- What are the sources of stress in my life right now? Identify the things that are causing you stress and write them down. This can help you see them more clearly and come up with strategies for dealing with them.
- What can I do to let go of worries and anxiety? Write down techniques that have worked for you in the past, such as deep breathing exercises, meditation, or mindfulness.
- What are some positive things that have happened to me recently? Reflect on recent positive experiences and write them down. Focusing on positive events can help shift your mindset away from stress and anxiety.
- What are some goals I can set for myself to reduce stress? Write down some actionable goals that you can work towards, such as carving out time for self-care activities or practicing stress-management techniques.
Final Thoughts: Why Does Journaling Help With Stress?
In conclusion, journaling can be an incredibly effective tool for reducing stress and improving overall mental health. By writing down our thoughts and emotions, we can gain clarity and insight into our own experiences and better understand the sources of our stress. Furthermore, journaling provides a safe and private space to express our emotions without fear of judgment or reprisal. Regular journaling can help us to identify patterns and triggers in our lives, enabling us to make positive changes and cultivate greater resilience in the face of stress. Whether you’re a seasoned journaler or just starting out, incorporating this simple practice into your daily routine can be a powerful step towards greater emotional well-being.
