When people think of self-care, they sometimes think of relaxation or surface-level activities to improve their mood temporarily. Though these things are important and needed, there are deeper levels to self-care. These levels can have a lasting impact on your overall health and the ways you take care of yourself. Emotional self-care is the second part of our four part series on the different components of self-care. Read the first part here.
Emotional Self-Care
When we consider emotional self-care we think about mental health and all the different components that encompass caring for our mind. An important way to self-care emotionally is through therapy. Therapy is not just for crises! It is something that can be incorporated into your regular well-being maintenance.
At times, the emotional tools we use to navigate one season will not be the tools we need for the next. Part of emotionally self-caring is learning to adjust and release survival skills from one season to the next. Therapy can be a big help but there is another tool you can add to your toolbox, journaling.
Journaling as a Emotional Self-Care Practice
Journaling is a tool that can be used to release emotions and feelings. This can be helpful if you’re not ready for the vulnerability that exists in the therapy space. It can help you to get used to identifying your emotions, getting them out of your mind, and putting them somewhere. It may not help you figure everything out, but it can help you take a step in the right direction. If you have been attending therapy and are looking for an additional tool to help you emotionally self-care, journaling is great for you too!
If you’re new to journaling, start with your life story. What are some memories that played a part in who you are today? What are some moments in your life that have impacted you the most? Start to journal different things and work through the emotions you feel as you do. This can be a centering and grounding activity as you begin to go through your journaling practice.
Another benefit of journaling is identifying emotions. Having a daily practice of identifying emotions can help you stay connected to how you are feeling at any given moment. It can also help you communicate these emotions to others if you feel comfortable doing so. As you go through this process, consider using “I feel” statements. These statements are an effective way to communicate your feelings and the source of those feelings.
Journaling Best Practices
There is no right or wrong way to journal. You can approach it differently depending on how you are feeling and what you have the bandwidth for. As you decide what journaling method works best for you, remember that journaling is not just for negative emotions or situations. You can journal about happy moments too. Below are a few approaches to journaling:
- Using a guided journal
- Picking a set duration of time
- Reflecting on a life event
- Recapping your day and how you felt
- Identifying an emotion or writing out feelings
- Journaling with friends
- Finding journaling prompts that resonate with the season of life you’re in
Journaling is the First Step
As you are journaling, remember to give yourself grace when processing heavy topics. Processing feelings and emotions can be difficult and exhausting at times. It is okay to take a step back and regroup. If you are not in therapy, journaling is a great tool but should not be the only thing you do. When you begin to get more comfortable releasing your emotions and feelings through journaling, consider looking for a therapist. Getting into therapy can help you continue the work you’ve already started as you continue on your mental health journey.
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