In a world where stress, anxiety, loneliness, depression, and similar issues are on the rise, it is important to look at ways of improving your mental health. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), mental health is defined as a ‘state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community.’
In today’s world, with the increasing cost of living, you might be reluctant to spend hundreds or even thousands on therapists. This is where ‘writing’ comes in. One of the simplest, yet most effective ways of looking after your mental health is writing.
Writing can take many different forms. It can be a random stream of words on paper or a more elaborate poem. However, the most important thing to remember is to be self-aware and honest. You are writing for yourself. There is no obligation to show your writing to anyone else (unless you think it would help you).
Let’s look at practical ways of writing to achieve better mental health.
- Gratitude journaling – The easiest way to start is by using online prompts. They can range from ‘What is the best thing that happened today?’ to ‘Who are you grateful to have in your life?’. Be consistent. Write every day, every week, or every two weeks. Write as little or as much as you want but stick to the schedule.
- Diary entries – One of the oldest forms of noting down your thoughts and feelings, it is a timeless way of putting things into perspective. Writing about your daily life can allow you to take an objective stance on what happened.
- Walks – Go for a walk, whether it is in nature, or a town and write anything that comes to mind inspired by the surroundings. Use all your senses to experience everything around you. The key is to not overthink.
- Freewriting – This state of writing is almost meditative. Set a timer, play some music if needed, and write about anything, or you can choose something specific and write only about that specific subject. At the end of the session, you will feel like you have let go of everything in your mind.
- Fiction – If you need to get out of your own head, focus on writing fiction, whether it is a short story, poem, or novel. This will allow you to concentrate on something other than your life, and escape into a fictitious world.
If you love writing – like me – then, great! Go ahead. Grab a notebook or device – whatever works best for you – and start writing. If the thought of writing puts you into a state of anxiety or despair, like my friend, fear not. There are other ways to gradually get into writing, and maybe make it something you love.
She loves reading, but writing puts her off. For people like her, my advice would be to start with reading. Read a story and write what you feel about it. Do not think about grammar or whatnot. Write as if you are having a conversation with a friend about the book you have just read.
Understand why you do not like writing in the first place. Write about why you do not like writing. Write for yourself.
Another approach is to find a writing buddy and come up with fun ways to get you into writing. This could be in the form of a reward system for writing a specific number of words or it could be a writing competition with your buddy. It is all about motivation.
If you are still struggling with motivation to start writing, an unstructured approach could work better. Instead of adhering to rigid schedules, write as and when inspiration strikes. You might have just seen something happening and are excited to talk about the incident with a friend. Instead of doing this, go ahead and write what you are going to tell them. You could also try the ‘dictation’ approach where you can dictate (speak into a device) so that it writes what you speak for you.
Writing just one sentence is an approach I use when I feel demotivated. If the thought of writing overwhelms you, the best way to overcome this is to get started. Write one line. The fear of the blank page should not hold you back. Once you have got down that single sentence, tell yourself that you are going to write just one more, and keep going until you can. You would have naturally written more than you thought you could.
Recognise that it is natural to feel the way you do. Everyone has different likes and dislikes. You might be a reader; your best friend might be a writer. Do not let self-doubt get in the way. Letting go of this self-doubt is achievable. Believe that writing can help you overcome your problems. That is the best way to start writing for those of you who do not like writing.
Whatever approach you take, the important thing is to improve your mental health. Whether you write in the conventional way or go for a more obscure approach like dictation, the key to better mental health is writing. What works for you might not work for a friend. It is up to you to find the approach which suits you best and get writing. Good luck on your writing journey! Happy writing!