Journaling For Grief and Depression
We all experience lows in life - sometimes briefly, and at times, extensively. In our lows, we may be grieving a loss, feeling down, or experiencing a complete void of hope. In seasons of depression, or in times when we are processing grief, a journal can be both a welcome companion and a helpful tool. Today, we’d love to share several creative and therapeutic ways to utilize journaling as a method of self care in these challenging phases of life!
Anger Journaling
Write fast, write sloppy, write messy, write out of the lines. Take out all of your aggressions and angers on paper, writing down thoughts as they come, in order or out of order, even if they don’t make sense. Write the things that are hurtful and infuriating - the things you wouldn’t want to speak aloud or say to someone else. Write until you are finished. When your entry is complete, tear the page out of your notebook. You may choose to crumple the paper, shred it, throw it in the trash, or burn it. Visualize all the angers and frustrations, which you have named and honored, now leaving your mind and body with your permission.
Mood Coloring
Using color and shape, create an abstract or literal sketch. Put your feelings to paper - those feelings that are difficult to explain in words. Let the lines you create and the force you use be reflective of your mood and mental state. Be free to express sharp, angular and aggressive shapes, or soft, loose, and light shapes. This can also be done to music of your choice! If you select a song whose mood matches your own, you can color or sketch the feeling of that song on blank paper as you listen.
Write a Letter
Write a letter to the person or people involved in your grief. Express all of your feelings to that person, in detail. Include your perspective, how you view past events and how you are currently affected by your circumstances. Hold nothing back! Use this space to freely “speak” every thought that weighs you down. You’ll often find that simply writing the letter (not sending it) was exactly what you needed.
Mood Tracking
Sometimes, when we are experiencing depression, it can be hard to observe in ourselves. Getting in the habit of tracking our mood daily can help us to recognize and address patterns in our mental health. Additionally, giving yourself space to name your emotions allows you to better process what you are going through. Specifying your mood allows your brain to use this data as information rather than letting it overwhelm you.
Wellness Tracking
If you know that monitoring depression or another mental health concern is an important goal of yours, you have likely also found that there is much you can do by managing vulnerability factors. Fatigue, hunger, stress and the like are fuel to the fire when it comes to mental health challenges. By planning and tracking important daily actions, such as the amount of sleep you are getting, the quality of your nutrition, regular exercise, and other helpful self-care practices, you will enable yourself to function as optimally as possible considering the challenges you face.
As you are creating your next Golden Coil planner or notebook, be sure to make space for those extra pages that will support your mental health and be there for you in times of need!