14 Mar Self Care Made Easy (Part 3) by Dr Lil Jedynak
Self Care Made Easy (Part 3) by Dr Lil Jedynak
Following on from Lil’s series Part 1 and Part 2, in today’s article we learn more about the importance of writing for wellbeing.
Ever wondered how journal writing can lead to greater wellbeing, even if you’re not a writer?
Getting through a busy day can be tricky, especially if you’re juggling multiple tasks. Something unexpected happens that ruins your peace of mind, puts you on the back foot or undermines your confidence. It could be a surprising email from a colleague, an accident with someone who should have taken more care, bad news from a dear friend or relative.
Whatever shape or form it takes, such events, niggling or more impactful, can naturally make you feel out of balance, drained or even exhausted.
Of course, you can talk to someone about what’s happened but it’s not always easy to find a sympathetic listener. Sometimes, chewing someone’s ear off about something that’s gotten under your skin doesn’t alleviate the feelings. You still feel conflicted, aggrieved or unsettled and in need of resolution. Perhaps the person you’ve spoken to has offered an opinion or given advice that hasn’t sat right with you but you’re unsure as to why.
Writing down the event or situation that’s scuttled your wellbeing does a number of helpful things. First of all, it gets the experience out of your head and your heart and onto paper. This very act can be a relief unto itself, even if what you’ve written seems messy or half-baked or a rant. Hopefully, you’ve not worried about spelling or grammar because it’s for your eyes only. If you can write down as much as you can about the event, in as much detail as possible, all the better.
Secondly, reflecting on what you’ve written as if you’re a sympathetic but impartial observer can have numerous benefits. Perhaps you can look at what you’ve written as if it’s happened to someone you respect and admire and want to help. This can support you in gaining perspective. The event or experience no longer has you in its tight grip. You’re on your way to feeling freer.
Thirdly, with the breathing space you need to evaluate or assess your own experience, you now have the opportunity to ask yourself some key questions. You can quickly get to the heart of the matter that’s disturbed your wellbeing and discover a new, satisfying solution that’s the right fit for you and your life. In other words, the right enquiry into a problem or difficulty can effectively access the wisdom within you.
In the ‘Writing for Wellbeing Workshop’ held at Clarity on April 28th at 11.00 am, we’ll explore this writing process in much more depth and look at the most impactful questions you can ask yourself in order to quickly and easily regain wellbeing.
Dr Lil Jedynak
