How Journaling Can Help You Improve Your Mental Health
Yesterday, I actually journaled. And it also made me feel a lot better.
Okay, here's the thing: I have long heard about the restorative, life-changing, and even earth-shattering powers of journaling. But I was sceptical. I honestly thought it was a waste of time. Which is ironic given how much I enjoy writing. I know. It makes no sense. But sometimes we do things that don’t make any sense, right?
Anyway, I resisted (oh, yeah, that is the right word!) journaling. And I think I know why. Because it was so widely discussed, and as a friend once pointed out, I tend to avoid things that are so in the spotlight that everyone and their grandmother is talking about or doing. I guess I’m just a rebel that way. Things that are overrated repel. So journaling ended up doing the same thing. It repelled me, and for the longest time too.
Until today….
I don’t know why or how it happened. Maybe the stars and the moon aligned, and I just had to finish it. Maybe it was my time to shine and give it a try. But for whatever reason, I did it today, and ho boy, did it make me feel so …empty?
I don’t know if that’s the right word. But we’re going to go with it for now. Let me tell you how it happened. This morning I woke up earlier than my usual time, and it took me a good hour and a half to actually wake up and be productive. By the time I was done with my chores and happy with myself. I've got some really bad news that I won’t bother sharing here.
Evidently, it was so bad that I was so pissed off. And when I’m pissed off, I usually stew in that emotion for the rest of the day. Which is not ideal for me since I don’t like stewing or being pissed off. It’s not a good look for me, and it just turns me into this mean bear.
Okay, fine, I’ll share a bit. You see, I once made the decision to pursue a master’s degree eight years ago so I could find better work in this sector. I worked pretty darn hard those two years while living in Oslo. I barely got to enjoy sightseeing in Europe since the programme was pretty intensive. But after all that hard work and being robbed of an A in my final oral exam, I returned home, thinking I could finally reap the fruits of that labour. It never happened, though.
When I had exhausted all of my efforts with my first degree too. That was why I thought to pursue a second one. Since job progression is a natural human desire. Especially if one is ambitious. But it’s not really an option where I live, unfortunately. Since the infrastructure of this country is ridiculously infantile due to bad governance.
And, as a result of corruption, the wrong people are always given the wrong jobs. Leading to incompetence in all the sectors, but I digress. Undeveloped world problems and all that. Anyway, I felt like I wasn’t thriving in this profession anymore. It no longer felt right.
So naturally, I decided to take a break from medicine this year, and I’m glad I did. I was simply sick of living an unfulfilled existence. Even though my ambition had always been to become the first female Minister of Health here. And I will one day when the time is right. For now, though, I’m done with medicine.
Since it really wasn’t speaking to my soul anymore. And it didn’t feel like my life’s purpose. In fact, I felt like my soul was dying a very slow and annoying death because my potential was being wasted at every job I took on. But let’s get back to why I was pissed off.
Despite the fact that I was very good at what I did. Not to brag, but when it came to work ethic and getting things done, I was unrivalled. At the end of the day, however, it simply became a burden rather than a passion.
If you can’t do what you love, it’s best to leave it behind.
Which is exactly what I did this year. I decided to take writing seriously.
Okay, maybe, I overshared right there. Ah well.
I blame the journaling.
Anyway, I was told that I should take a 3-month course to get into another field of medicine that I had always ignored and never wanted to do. Because maybe I would find better opportunities there. As soon as I heard those words, it felt like I was being pulled back into something I had already broken free from. And that’s why I was so pissed off. Also why it was really bad news to me.
So I journaled.
I sat down and wrote in my Notion journal (because I had recently set up my Notion and it is amazeballs) and poured my feelings out.
There was a lot of cursing and caps lock sentences. At the end of it all, though, I felt empty. This brings me to the title of this article and makes me realise how journaling can really help improve your mental health.
Who knew that keeping things inside was so bad for your mental health?! Just kidding. But journaling came in handy. And, for all its overratedness, it is something you should think about, especially if you are experiencing a specific emotion that you would like to get rid of.
It helps you get all that ick out of your system. Which is why it is so good for your mental health. This is also why it is so therapeutic.
So, if you only remember one thing from this long story, I hope it is that journaling is good for you and that you should do it. Especially if you are feeling overwhelmed and in need of a friend. That is how it was for me, a good friend who helped me out.
Happy journaling, friends. Do it for the good of your mental health!
Did you enjoy what you read? If you did, kindly leave some feedback and share your thoughts with me. It’ll make my day!
Also, if you struggle with writing or are newly returning to it, consider joining my tribe and getting my weekly newsletter, Straight to the POINT in your inbox. Peace and blessings! ✨
