The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.
Chinese proverb
A Complicated World
You would think in the twenty-first century people's lives wouldn't be so complicated and difficult, but unfortunately life isn't like that. We all carry some kind of a burden around with us everyday. And that's why we all deal with life differently and often end up with poor mental health.
Defining Mental Health
Mental health is a positive concept related to the social and emotional wellbeing of individuals and communities.
Having good mental health, or being mentally healthy, is more than just the absence of illness, rather it’s a state of overall wellbeing.
Excerpt taken from Everymind.org.au.
The idea of mental health relates to:
- Your ability to build and sustain personal relationships
- Your ability to set personal goals and achievements in life
- Your ability to recover from stress and sadness in life
- How much you enjoy life
With creativity comes turmoil because people always aim higher and try to be the best at what they do. Some of the best works of literature were produced by tortured souls such as:
- Ernest Hemingway
- Virginia Woolf
- Edgar Allen Poe
- Sylvia Plath
- Leo Tolstoy
- F. Scott Fitzgerald
To name a few...
The Tortured Writer
When we look at the great writers of literature, we think of them locked away from the world, constantly striving for the perfect manuscript. When your mind is in a state of depression, and you have anxiety, it's harder to look at the positive side of your situation. Especially if you've got numerous projects on the go, and have deadlines to keep.
Healthy Mind and Body Equals Happy Writer
If you start neglecting yourself, and slip into a routine of nothing but writing, leaving all of the other important parts of life out, like family and friends, you will struggle. I've had dark periods in my own life, and know what it feels like to be consumed by depression, and the feeling of hopelessness.
But all is not lost.
There are things you can do to look after yourself better, and write at the same time.
What It Means to be Happy
Everybody is different, so what makes one person happy won't necessarily make everybody happy.
Scientists and psychologists will use the term 'subjective-well-being' when they talk about someone's feelings. And this relates to a person's overall feelings about their life in the here and now.
Indications of Happiness in a Person
- Sharing their own joy and happiness with others
- Feeling of living a life with sense and purpose
- Experiencing gratitude
- Exercising self-care and treating yourself with respect and kindness
- Open to fresh ideas and experiences
- Being positive more than negative
- Being content with life
- Accomplishing your goals in life
- Experiencing healthy relationships with friends and family
- Feeling the circumstances of your life are good
- Taking life as it comes
- Living the life you want to live
A person that is happier with their lot in life can handle things with a sense of optimism. Feeling things will get better, given enough time.
How Writing Therapy Can Help
Writing therapy is one of the most accessible forms of therapy, requiring only a pen and paper. Using creative expression, it can give a person a sense of empowerment and greater control over their own life.
The Value of Writing Therapy
The benefits of writing therapy for people who've suffered trauma, or loss can have a considerable healing effect.
Journaling is a common form of writing therapy, and can be used in the following way:
Writing in a Journal
- Use a format you're most comfortable with, such as a notebook, journal or a blog.
- Personalise your journal, notebook or blog
- Write for an allotted time, and make that your daily goal
- Understand what makes you want to write in the first place
- Don't focus on perfection, just write
- It can be short or long, length doesn't matter
- Write about whatever topic or feeling takes you
- Nobody else needs to read it but you
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