How Writing Can Help Your Personal Growth

Many people don’t even know that some things we do almost every day can have a great soothing effect on our central nervous system. Thus, writing is one of the activities that positively affect our mentality. Studentsrnare those people who have to practice it at least five days per week. Of course, they are forced to compose academic assignments. Nonetheless, writing has another side, which is more pleasant.

Many psychologists use writing therapy to treat a lot of mental ailments and deviations. They claim that this kind of therapy has the same effects as music therapy. It helps people who suffer from panic attacks, different types of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The therapy successfully overcomes negative patterns.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 57.7 million people are diagnosed with some form of mental deviations annually. One of the ways to treat those deviations is to reduce patterns of negative thinking and writing therapy can help. It should be used in the form of cognitive behavioral therapy. Writing helps to change the way we think, act, and feel.

Psychologist Margarita Tartakovsky conducted several studies which also prove the effectiveness and great resourcefulness of writing therapy. It’s also called journaling. The main point is to start a diary or daily journal and write on various matters. The psychologist has offered 30 great prompts on how to conduct proper journaling. It’s necessary to cover all kinds of things that make you think positively. Among the most effective prompts are:

• The best way to enjoy your day.
• What would you say if talked to yourself?
• Enlist things that make you happier.
• The way I would like to live…
• What I want the others to know about me…
• Issues that make you upset.
• 10 words to describe yourself.
• Compose a list of 10 questions which surely need answers.

Many psychologists claim that you should use introspection. This is a special kind of writing, which is focused on self-reflection. You should put yourself questions to find the path to your inner Self.

A famous researcher and writer Gillie Bolton advise to just go on writing for six consecutive minutes to reduce negativism. The expert says that you should not give heed to the organization of your paper. If you begin to think about the correct writing, it won’t bring positive effects because your mind will be worried. You should just let it go as it goes to reach relaxation. Bolton also suggests his tips about writing your journals. He offered 10 things that help to begin the process of professional writing from scratch. These are:

• Begin from the moment you’re currently standing in your life.
• Write everything that currently occurs to your mind without any plan.
• Begin a conversation with the child inside of you.
• Write a special list of activities and things you appreciate doing.
• Initiate a journal to compose portraits of yourself.
• Start a nature diary that helps to connect with the environment.
• Keep a journal of successful things you’ve managed to achieve.
• Create a list of songs you like because music therapy is very effective too. Turn on songs you adore every time you wish to elevate your spirits.
• Discuss all the troubles you have from the third-person perspective.
• Enhance your intuitive skills and learn to listen to yourself.

You can use these two lists to organize your own journaling. However, you should not forget that such therapies are individual. Consider other ways to initiate your writing therapy to reach the desired effects. Besides, there are various forms of writing therapies that serve different purposes. We’ll describe them here below.

Different Types of Writing Therapies

Writing exists in various forms and you should know them all. Thus, you’ll be able to choose the most suitable form to reach positive outcomes for your comfort. The American Psychological Association stated that writing is an excellent tool to trigger the process of mental recovery and healing. One of the most impressive results of studies that took place at the University of Texas at Austin was a huge enhancement of the immunity.

Famous therapists claim that writing therapies can help in a variety of ways. A lot depends on the form. For example, online journaling can sufficiently maintain the mind-kinesthetic connection and improve memory capacity.

Here are the most efficacious forms of writing therapies:

• Writing to yourself. A letter to yourself helps to understand your major needs and how to reach them. This form helps to identify things that most trouble you and what you love about yourself.
• Writing to others. It helps to define things that trouble you while you interact with other people and which you haven’t yet vocalized.
• Freewriting. This form has no restrictions in writing. Write whatever occurs to the mind and you’ll reach relaxation and peace.
• Thoughts trees. This is a form of brainstorming, which is referred to as mind mapping. A person should choose a certain aim, which will be the “trunk” or the anchor of the writing. Afterward, all the concepts and associations that appear become the “branches”. It helps to define how the issues get connected.
• Journaling. You simply record all the things that happen to you every day. This method helps to describe the way you feel and perceive the world.

You can also use creative poetry, blogging, affirmations, creative lists, dialogues, etc. Choose the most suitable options.