May 2017 is Mental Health Awareness Month

Greetings to all Blog Readers & Followers who are following along as we discuss Mental Health this month.  We've briefly discussed some of the myths & facts surrounding Mental Health in our last Blog Session.

When we were last here, we also talked about the importance of having a Journal and writing in it daily.  The Journal Therapy exercise that was suggested involved answering a few questions and writing the answers in your Journal.  The purpose of doing the Journal exercise was to get you started on your writing and to invite you to recognize the benefits of thinking as you are living.  Your thoughts play an important role when it comes to your mental health.

Many people already use Journals or Diaries on a daily basis.  For those of you who do not use a Journal or a Diary, take the time to purchase one or both, and begin to use your Journal/Diary as a tool for self awareness.

Decorated Journal

One area to focus on during your personal Journal sessions is your mental health.  When you were a teenager, you might have kept a diary hidden beneath your mattress. It became your confidant and a place to confess your struggles and fears without judgment or punishment. It probably felt good to get all of those thoughts and emotions out of your head and down on paper. The world seemed clearer.

Although you may have ditched the diary once you reached adulthood, the concept and its benefits still apply. Now it’s called journaling.  It's simply writing down your thoughts and feelings to understand them more clearly. And if you struggle with stress, depression, or anxiety, keeping a journal can help you gain control of your emotions and improve your mental health.

But keep in mind, Diaries are still used by adults as well as young adults.  The Diary has not vanished off the face of the earth.  In fact, people create beautiful personal Diaries that invite usage...

Personalized Diary with tabs

Let's take the above Personalized Diary as an example of what you can do with a little creativity.  If you opt for tabs in your Diary, you can label them with any topics that you like.  For instance, if you are using a particular Diary to focus strictly on Mental Health, you may want to have tabs that help you to identify your problems, fears, and concerns.  You may also opt to have tabs that allow for you to document within your Diary your stress triggers, anxiety triggers, or mood swings.

If your emotions vary from day to day, and you would like to get a handle on why this happens, keeping a Diary is one way to find out.  Writing down what you do each day, and being clear about the emotions you are feeling when you are encountering certain situations during your day, will help you to understand your mood changes.

One of the ways to deal with any overwhelming emotion is to find a healthy outlet in which to express yourself, which makes a Diary or a Journal a helpful tool in managing your mental health.

Written Self~Expression has many mental & emotional health benefits!

Journaling and/or keeping a Diary can help:

• Manage anxiety
• Reduce stress
• Cope with depression

Journaling and/or keeping a Diary helps control your symptoms and improve your mood by:

• Helping you prioritize problems, fears, and concerns
• Tracking any symptoms day-to-day so that you can recognize triggers and learn ways to better control them

Both Journaling and keeping a Diary provides an opportunity for you to experience positive self-talk and also helps you to identify negative thoughts and behaviors.

When you have a problem and you're stressed, keeping a Journal or writing in your Diary can help you identify what’s causing that stress or anxiety. Then, once you’ve identified your stressors, you can work on a plan to resolve the problems and, in turn, reduce stress.

Keep in mind that keeping a Diary, or journaling is just one aspect of a healthy lifestyle for better managing stress, anxiety, and mental health conditions. To get the most benefits, be sure you also:

• Relax and meditate each day.
• Eat a nutritious, balanced diet.
• Exercise regularly—get in some activity every day.
• Treat yourself to plenty of sleep each night.
• Avoid alcohol and drugs.

You may use your Diary or Journal to make sure you follow the above guidelines daily.

Next Session we'll discuss:  How to use a Journal

~ See you back here with your Journals ~

Peace, Love & Light,

 René

©Copyright - René Allen - MAY 2017 - All Rights Reserved