Ways to Get the Benefits of Writing

As we enter the new semester and are faced with a host of new experiences and challenges, writing can become a key strategy to help cope with stress. Getting your thoughts onto the page can be hugely beneficial in a number of ways, and help support your mental health as you adjust to new situations. For one, writing something down gives space to clear your mind, getting out the million (trillion?) things it feels like you need to remember so that you don’t have to carry it all with you. For more personal feelings—those complex emotions that can be hard to share with others—you get a space to delve into them; those feelings are valid and worth exploring!  Allowing them to be concrete and in ink gives much-deserved validation for the complexities of our lives, even the things we wouldn’t prefer to share. It is also important to reflect on our opinions and beliefs so we can grow, and as we enter a new space physically, socially, or culturally, writing can be a safe space to do this. It can also serve as a wonderful distraction when we need to step out of our minds for a time or channel nervous energy. Sometimes, we just need something fun!

Believe it or not, though, you don’t need to journal for this. Writing in and of itself can be stressful sometimes, but there are so many different ways to compile our thoughts and feelings! I went on a mission to collect different methods of getting thoughts down so that those who find “writing” stressful or journaling unhelpful can access ways to ground and destress. Here are a few of my favorites:

Letter Writing

When was the last time you sent someone some snail mail? If you’re far away from family or friends—or, honestly, even if you’re not—you might want to consider sending some letters. You can make them as simple or as fancy as you’d like in terms of stationery and decoration (have you ever tried a wax seal?) depending on your preferences, but sending a letter can have some wonderful benefits either way. In a world of fast connections, writing letters allows you to slow down, put pen to paper, and be very conscious of what you would like to share; there is a lot of intention in writing something that someone else will read, and this is no exception. On top of that, the act of physically writing is very sensory driven–the smooth glide of pen over paper, the textures of it all–and can be very relaxing when you are overwhelmed. As you write, you might find yourself telling your pen pal about things that get left out of conversation or text. These little details of your life are important, and sharing them with someone else can help you feel less isolated and more strongly connected to those you love. And letter writing has another little benefit: you might get a letter back!

Personal Essay

Have you ever read a memoir or a creative-nonfiction essay? Have you ever wanted to try it yourself? Writing a personal essay offers many of the self-reflective qualities that you might find in journaling, except with a bit of a twist. Rather than writing stream of consciousness, a personal essay allows you to take your ideas and experiences and think about them more critically and creatively; what images and experiences fit well together? What atmosphere is your writing creating? What is the inner knot of ideas your writing is trying to unravel? Admittedly, this exercise is more for a person who does enjoy writing, but it can have benefits for anyone. There is a wonderful validation to getting personal feelings typed up on the page, and the more critical eye helps the writer to really understand themselves better by the end of the process. Reading other creative nonfiction essays can help jump-start your writing, so consider starting there!

Bullet Journal

As we go into the beginning of the semester, it can, unfortunately, be easy to feel out of control and overwhelmed. There’s an appointment here, a class there, an assignment due sometime, a meeting with friends, a work shift—it can feel utterly endless. If you struggle with this, then a bullet journal might be something to look into. Bullet journals allow you to create a notebook of all your most important things, however that looks to you. A weekly or monthly schedule, a book or dream log, doodling space, a million types of trackers—a bullet journal is entirely customizable to your needs and priorities and can help your life feel less cluttered. It also helps you to feel a little more in control of your life; the myriad of tasks can be compiled into one effective space, and being able to organize it however you choose allows you to prioritize more effectively. This method perhaps has more of an emphasis on artistic or creative expression (if you look up bullet journals, you’ll see countless examples of beautifully decorated pages and lovely penmanship), but don’t let this intimidate you. A bullet journal is made to suit your needs and can be as minimalistic or as complex as you prefer. Check here for some more ideas from the original bullet journal system.

Solo Writing Games

Listen—writing doesn’t always have to be functional. Actually, it’s better to have some outlets that are just fun and creative! Solo writing games are a great way to do entertaining creative writing with a little structure and support. Solo writing games are like roleplaying someone else’s journal, complete with dice rolls and card decks to give related writing prompts. One that I have returned to time and time again is One Day at a Thyme, an adorable, whimsical game that never fails to help me relax and get the creative juices flowing. This is something you can put down and pick up at any time, making it a perfect relaxing hobby during a busy semester. There are tons of these games available online, and once you get the basic structure, you can even make your own! You can turn these games into whatever you like, making them perfect for de-stressing and idea generating. 

The Acknowledgment Book

This one is perfect for those of us who, really, would rather not write at all, since at most you will be writing a few lines a day. It can even be typed into a note on your phone if you prefer. The Acknowledgement Book is something I devised a few years ago when I was going through a rough time and needed a little—you guessed it—acknowledgment. I found a tiny notebook, and in it, I would write just a line or two of the things that I found difficult or overwhelming that day but overcame. This book was about the little things—the trials and tribulations of daily life that often go overlooked and unacknowledged. As someone who doesn’t like driving, one of the earliest notes in my book is I very successfully navigated traffic. Other things might include making healthy choices, navigating a social interaction, washing the dishes (or any other less pleasant chore), doing stressful paperwork, or taking time for yourself out of a busy schedule. This notebook is a chance to pat yourself on the back and take a moment to be proud of yourself for successes that society might overlook. With the new semester starting, there will be a million small moments where you have to challenge yourself—in class, at work, socially, emotionally—and this way you won’t lose track of how well you are actually doing.

Writing and journaling might not be for everyone but getting some of those great benefits of lowering stress and anxiety is important! Hopefully these ideas sparked some interest in ways to put writing to work for you in a way that you will enjoy. Change and adapt them as you need, or take them as the starting point for something totally different. Remember, these projects are for you, not an audience, so there really are no rules! Happy writing! 

About the Author

Jessica Corrado was born and raised in the Hudson Valley, NY, and is newly exploring Richmond. She is an MA in English student at VCU and spends her free time (unsurprisingly) reading and writing, playing video games, or babysitting her many plants.

Photo from Debby Hudson on Unsplash.