Writing As a Way to Relax

When we are young, we are taught to write because writing is a useful skill to have in life.

As we grow up, we continue to write because we have to—think of school or university.

After we’re done with school, we may have to do some writing at work.

Maybe we never like writing. Maybe we associate it with school or work and find it a chore.

Or maybe we like it. Maybe it comes to us naturally, like singing or dancing or making crafts comes to other people.

Maybe we write because we like it—poetry, stories, blog posts, essays, other things.

Maybe we even write for a living.

Whether or not writing comes easily to us, we can write for a few minutes every day.

Putting down thoughts and emotions on paper now and then, simply writing, without thinking too much about what we’re writing, is good for the mind.

Every day, thoughts accumulate in our minds.

The mind is like a tangled bush that grows twigs and leaves all the time—these are our thoughts.

Writing is a way to prune our minds a bit, to pluck the excess leaves and clip the overgrown, jutting twigs.

Often, it’s a lot easier to share your thoughts with the page.

There’s no judgment, no advice, no embarrassment.

You can be open and allow yourself to be as vulnerable as you need to be to let everything out.

You don’t have to share your writing with anyone if you don’t want to.

Writing to yourself can be a simple and convenient way to relax.

Journaling for 20 minutes every day can lower blood pressure.

It’s also great for dealing with stress, whether it’s everyday stress, a chronic illness, or some ongoing problem or dilemma you are facing.

Writing at night, before going to bed, can help us reduce stress and fall asleep more easily.

But what if you don’t know what to write about?

What if you are staring at the piece of paper in front of you?

Write, simply write.

You don’t need to find words. The words will find you.

You don’t even have to be conscious of what you are writing.

You need simply to write, to unthink yourself in words.

Grab a notebook and write a bit in it every day.

It’s a simple way to relax.

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Painting: Reilee Bach – The Letter