Another day, another dose of pandemic resilience suggestions! As I write this, the United States is entrenched in the 'surge' of COVID-19 cases we had hoped to avoid by shutting much of the country down in earlier months. Turns out, we didn't shut down enough, according to scientists, and we are facing more time in isolation. Other parts of the world are faring much better, and are coming out of isolation to reconnect and re-engage with work and family and life. Additionally, civil unrest continues across the world, and from my American perspective, it seems like the civil unrest regarding police brutality and Black Lives Matter are most intense here in the US. So, regardless (not irregardless, as Webster's dictionary would suggest, but that is another topic...)... regardless of your perspective on the virus or civil unrest, it is safe to say that most human beings are experiencing some serious and intense emotions in response to the first 7 months of 2020. I have shared some scientifically supported strategies with you in each day's blog, and today is no different. I hope that, if you have been reading my blog the past couple of weeks, that you have tried some of the suggestions I have provided and have found some stress relief and maybe even emotional strength in their practice.
Today's tip is about journaling, or expressive writing. Don't roll your eyes at me! It is scientifically supported to be an effective way to vent emotions, regulate them, and even find solutions to some of your problems. Now, you may not find a solution to COVID-19, or to civil unrest by journaling, but you might very likely find solutions to your emotional experiences that result from those two very big world issues. So, stay with me.
Don't close this tab and say "I'm just not a writing type of person, or journaling is not my thing." A lot of 'things' are not your 'thing', until they are. So, give it a try!
Here are some tips for journaling that have been shown in the research to contribute to your well-being.
Set aside 15-30 minutes per day to journal. Start with just a few minutes if it is new or uncomfortable. Or, if you are a very busy person, even 5-10 minutes is better than 0 minutes!
Get a fancy sparkly journal and a glitter gel pen, those work best. NO, JUST KIDDING. The back of a used envelope will work. Any piece of paper, and any writing instrument will do the trick: pen, pencil, marker, crayon. Whatever you have at home.
You may be tempted to keep a digital journal, on your computer or phone. While those are better than not journaling at all, research suggests writing by hand has a unique quality that is a better choice for this particular practice. Writing by hand forces your brain to connect with the words more deeply, allowing for greater understanding. It also seems to give your brain a bit of a workout, over time improving memory and creativity, which can help us find solutions to some of the problems we are writing about. Also, writing by hand has a rhythmic quality to it that is therapeutic and calming.
Practice using words that reflect causality (e.g., because of, as a result of, the reason), and insight (e.g., I understand, I realize). This helps us connect our emotions or thoughts to their source. Understanding where our emotions or thoughts come from can help us manage or avoid those circumstances, if they are stressing us.
Don't judge what your write or experience. Just let the words flow onto the paper.
Don't judge yourself if you miss a day or two. Some expressive writing is better than no expressive writing.
If you can, find something to write about that is a source of gratitude for you, even if it is small. Like, "I am grateful that I have family with me in isolation (although, they may drive your crazy sometimes...),", or "Someone waved to me today, it was nice to connect with someone, even on such a small level." I recognize that for many people, life is very tough right now and you might not recognize that you have anything to be grateful for, and I understand that. I have had times in my life where I thought the shit show couldn't get much worse, and I was very angry or feeling hopeless. Even in those moments, try to find something, like help from a stranger.
That is it for today! Find time to journal today. See if you find, after a few days of practice, that it helps you in some way. That is the goal... making your life a little bit better.
One side note that I think is very important. I have focused on psychological research to provide tips for you each day. As is the case in psychological research, much of the research is done with a participant pool that is largely white, middle class, and typically college students or college educated individuals. While that certainly is NOT the case for all research (some of the research I have shared in daily posts stretches beyond that very limited pool), it is important to note that for some people, these strategies may not work. It may be due to a difference in culture or the context in which you were raised. For instance, little research on these well-being interventions has focused on outcomes from people from minority groups. So, if you find that some of the tips I have shared don't seem to work for you, don't take it as some personal flaw! It is likely that for other very real and very important reasons, that particular strategy just isn't for you!
Take care. Be safe and be well.
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