Stress and Journaling

Stress is problematic because it is ambiguous. Stress definitions and stressors vary, affecting people’s minds and bodies differently. There isn’t a single unifying definition in the literature so let’s blend the eastern philosophy and western culture definitions and say that stress is feeling out of control instead of inner peace. In the stress community, we talk a lot about stress being a relationship between a person’s perceptions, needs, and abilities and the conditions of the environment. How you perceive control over your environment causes stress. Therefore, we feel stress when we are in the past or future or experiencing a challenge we don’t have the resources to resolve.

Although there is no way to avoid the omnipresence of stress, stress is an unavoidable part of life, and how we manage it matters. People think denying stress is better than acknowledging it but ignoring it does not diminish the physical, psychological, and behavioral effects. In addition to admitting that stress can be a harmful problem, it can also be beneficial. Stress can be good or bad depending on how much and its perception.

What we think about stress, how we cope, and respond determines how it affects us. We know when we feel stressed, but without stress management education, we do not know if our actions offset or induce long-term consequences. Mindset can predetermine our interpretations and responses to events, circumstances, and situations since it is a collection of thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs that affect what we feel, say, and do. Journaling can reform your thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs positively.

Journaling is a great way to work through issues, analyze progression, grow and develop, and improve performance. It is the easiest and cheapest form of therapy. With the help of a journal, you can find a confidant and a safe space to express challenges and anxieties without judgment or punishment. It feels therapeutic to put all those ideas and feelings on paper so they can release from your mind. The world appears clearer be understanding thoughts and feelings brings clarity through writing.

Additionally, keeping a journal can aid in gaining control over your emotions and enhancing your mental health if you experience stress, despair, or worry. Writing is a route to healing — emotionally, physically, and psychologically- stress often comes from emotional blockages and overthinking hypotheticals. When we translate an experience into language, we make the experience graspable, and in return, we free ourselves from mental traumas.

Journaling about a positive experience allows your brain to relive it and reaffirms your abilities when self-doubt reappears. There’s a strong connection between happiness and mindfulness. Journaling brings you into that state of mindfulness; past frustrations and future anxieties lose their edge in the present moment. It calls a wandering mind to attention, from passivity to actively engaging with your thoughts, helping you to prioritize problems, fears, and concerns.

The capacity to understand and control both your own and other people’s emotions is known as emotional intelligence. Writing in a journal allows one to process their feelings and makes one more self-aware. Because of this internal familiarity, you will be better able to infer and comprehend what others are going through, which acts as a bridge of empathy.

Journaling Practice

Setting aside time to write, whether in the morning or the evening, is a very effective form of self-discipline. Discipline begets discipline. Like a muscle, it gets stronger the more you use it. Tracking any symptoms day-to-day is a great way to recognize your triggers and learn better ways to manage them. Journaling daily provides an opportunity for positive self-talk and identifying negative thoughts and behaviors. Once you know what your negative thoughts and behaviors are, you can change them.

Takeaway

Journaling is a great way to keep a record of making sure you progress personally and professionally. Look back at where you were several years ago and see if your beliefs, attitudes, and habits have changed. Most importantly, see if your emotions have changed on a topic because of journaling.