Writing for mental health is empowering the self and igniting a part of yourself you almost forgot. But the first thing you need to do is to believe that you matter. Even if no one has ever told you about it, even if you don’t believe a word I say, you’re here, right now, and you exist.
Most people don’t realize that acknowledging their emotions are as important as their thoughts. Our society has built an invisible system in which we are taught to follow the rules and order.
More often than not, we discourage listening to how we respond to certain things and see them as a nuisance instead of guidance. Certainly, freedom to express our true selves isn’t part of it.
This is why I’m glad that you found me, and hopefully, you are open to listening to my advice. So, lend me your ears and bear with me towards the end.
Table of Contents
Benefits of Writing for Mental Health
As children, you learned how to build strong fortresses to defend yourself from enemies. You spent your childhood following those who have lived longer than you, believing they know better.
They told you to hide what is unpleasant and unacceptable and show what is otherwise without having to feel the need to explain it to you. In their eyes, you’re just a kid and you don’t know much about life. Well, that’s what they want you to believe.
Yet, day by day, you have successfully dug your grave without the slightest clue of knowing it.
1. Writing for Mental Health Prevents the Tendency to Devalue Creativity.
You strongly believe that happiness can only be achieved through hard work. If it’s something we love and do effortlessly, you think it’s not worth something to pursue and earn an income. You are unaware that your caregivers have done a great job of destroying your creative software; making you believe that searching for a job is the only option a responsible adult can do for survival.
You tend to rationalize it only to find yourself unable to find the right reasons to celebrate it in the same way as you do when you receive a job promotion because it’s way too easy. Earning more from doing anything that’s so simple couldn’t be possible, though it’s not uncommon to see other creative people doing the same nowadays.
Consequently, it’s easier for you to devalue your genius simply because you can’t find the right reasons, and achieving a successful life and freedom requires a big sacrifice. Well, that’s what our modern society wants us to do and believe; and we foolishly and blindly follow them, thinking it’s the best way and the only way to survive.
However, you realize that no matter how much you try to go against the waves, you will always fail and are bound to fail if you don’t listen to yourself. The cycle goes on and on until your body gives up, and you wonder why.
So, how about you start doing that right now? Do you think you can do it? Let me know in the comment section below. 🙂
2. It Ends Blame Game.
It’s easy to point your fingers at those responsible for your misery right now. However, you are not a child anymore.
You don’t need a legal guardian to supervise your life and make decisions on your behalf, including the law. You’re already at the right age to get yourself up. So, quit the blame game and start taking responsibility. Be brave to gain control of your life. Not tomorrow, but now.
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The funny thing is, you still continue doing the same things that destroyed you, instead of spending time figuring out how and where to escape and be free.
Rather than finding ways to save yourself from that misery, you’re the one destroying yourself instead as you grow older. Rather than fighting for justice against those who have hurt you in the past, you rather want to do the punishment yourself. Does it make sense to you?
When desperation finally arrives, it’s foolish to wonder why you find yourself falling into the inescapable abyss and walking a bumpy road in the darkest hours. Can’t you be responsible for leading your life from this moment on?
As an adult, you’re getting exhausted and weary. You’re breathless. You want to relive and remember those times when it was easy for you to smile and laugh about anything. You want to find that person you once were and experience the good old memories once again because you miss them so much.
3. It Helps You Realize & Value Your Feelings.
Believe me or not, your feelings matter. They might be pleasant, overpowering, strong, obnoxious, irrational, naive, or crazy. Good or bad, they are both valid and deserve acceptance from both sides. You have to be more than willing to accept the two sides of your personality and know that these complete you.
Regardless of how our society perceives and responds to them, you have the power to recognize and acknowledge them and assert your needs and wants even if it would have to pay for the price. It may require a bit more effort than spending your time following the system. You may deny the negative traits as facets that comprise your unique identity because of embarrassment and fear of judgment. Honestly, who cares? It’s none of their business in the first place.
Your feelings will always be part of you and will continue to make an impact on how you approach life and lead your life. Hopefully, by listening to my advice, you’ll prioritize those that will bring you good outcomes and fill the hunger within.
4. Writing for Mental Health Ignites Repressed Values.
Today, more than ever, it’s time to wake up and believe that you matter. Even if nobody has ever told you that, you have no choice but to willingly accept the nature of your existence and follow your calling to write. Your life is precious. Your feelings matter, and you’re meant to exist. You’re born as a human being and not as a reptile or a pig.
You possess the gifts of consciousness and creativity that no other organisms could. Therefore, you are important and a member of society, though old-fashioned and ruled by a selected group of narrow-minded people.
Your dreams, as crazy as they are, aren’t in your heads just because. You’re not a computer nor an AI in which your brain needs a high-powered chip or algorithms to achieve optimal results of your hard work.
Everything that makes you happy and sad, laugh and cry, is innate. The way you approach daily life, including the life-changing decisions and the risks you take, come from the same source. Just give yourself the time to listen to what your gut says.
Your caregivers may only see a cute alien-looking creature when you were born. But they don’t realize that you’re human, too, not an object to control according to their own will.
As a human being, you don’t need anyone’s approval to validate your existence and explain why you deserve anything good. It’s nature, so why don’t you do, too?
Final Thoughts
Please, do what you want without seeking validation. Be fearless.
Dance, sing, swing, and play to your heart’s content! Learn how to gather your inner power and courage to take one step forward, when others around you step backward because of fear. For God’s sake, give yourself permission to be happy.
Through writing, you let go of that pain, fear, or whatever stops you from doing what is right and what feels good for you. Let the waters of nature bewilder you, as you wash those tears away. Be like a child, and be amused by little things that adults would never value (unless they’re dying).
Do not resist your calling and oppose what’s natural within you. If possible, write them down in a notebook or a piece of paper. Let them go from your mind and lessen the weight of your burdens.
It’s never too late to learn how to observe the flow of energy inside you and appreciate every little moment, good or bad. Figure out how to stay mindful and be present. Have a journal with you and let go of those thoughts by writing them down.
In other words, find ways to embrace the power of silence and writing amidst the discomfort you feel while your mind relives the bad memories of the past. Learn to relax while listening to the raindrops falling on the roof, the taps of a snare, and the rattles of a hi-hat.
At this point, your moment has come, so rejoice because it’s yours and you deserve it. But this time, never allow someone or something to stop you from doing it. You’ve carried the heavy loads way too young for the sake of others, and you’ve had enough.
Now, it’s time for you to take responsible measures, such as writing for mental health, to empower and ignite the lost self. For once and for all, unlock the chains on your limbs and free the child within you once again. Above all, you must believe that you deserve to live.
Photo by Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash
About the Author
An advocate for writing and mental health, Juhi Singh writes pieces of content in different writing tones and storytelling techniques. Professionally, she is well-versed in eCommerce, content, and digital strategy, as well as content optimization and SEO. She currently lives in Uttar Pradesh, India. Follow her latest updates on LinkedIn and be inspired!
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