When you want to improve your mental health you may not feel like you know which way to turn. That’s perfectly natural, and certainly, nothing to be ashamed of, but it doesn’t mean you have to accept feeling the way you do. With more and more people speaking up about their mental health, it’s never been more important to stand with them and address your own issues. Creative writing is an approach you may not have considered before, but it can transform your life from the moment you pick up your pen.
Buy a journal that you’re proud to hold in your hand
If you’re forever searching around for a tatty jotter or a piece of scrap paper, you’re never going to feel like a writer. The key here is to make yourself proud of what you’re doing, so go out and treat yourself to a journal you can’t help but fall in love with. Premium binding, a hardback cover, and soft paper are all essentials here.
Write on paper, not on your phone
You might think you can get the same sense of release by tapping away on your phone in your notes app, but you really can’t. Creative writing is an art form where you want to let yourself immerse yourself in a world that only exists in your imagination. If you’re just staring at your screen, then that’s never going to happen.
Treat yourself to a special pen that’s just for writing
Just as with the journal itself, you also want a pen you can’t resist picking up. Find something elegant and light that sits in your hand like you’ve been using it for a lifetime. It will make it that little bit more likely you pick it up on days when you’re feeling low, and that’s how you create the habit that will last a lifetime.
“I always used to write with those cheap biros, but one day I treated myself to a $200 fountain pen. Now I never go anywhere without it, and it’s a great source of inspiration when I want to get creative,” says Marie Fincher, a freelance writer for TrustMyPaper and GrabMyEssay.
Write at the same time each day to get into a rhythm
Many people take up journalling for mental health as it allows them to relax, so why not take inspiration from their rhythmic approach? By writing at the same time each day you can quickly and easily build a habit that you won’t even have to think about before too long.
Find a space that allows you to block everything else out
Turn off the TV, close the door to the backyard, and disconnect from the online world. The more secluded your chosen writing spot the better. It’s all about immersing yourself in your own thoughts so you can start to rebuild your mental health. It may seem a little alien at first, but stick with it and you’ll notice changes within yourself before you know it.
Leave the distractions in a different room
So many of us won’t go anywhere without our phones, but how often do you really need them there? If you get a message that buzzes at you midway through a writing session it will reduce your concentration levels for the next 30 minutes.
“I always put my phone in a different room when I’m working. It’s just such an easy way to remove the biggest concentration killer out there,” says Melanie Sovann, a head of content creation at Studicus.
Allow yourself to be free on the paper
When you want to embrace the world of creative writing you never want to constrain yourself to write on a particular topic. Write about anything your heart desires and it will take you to an interesting new place. You could even start to turn your creative writing skills towards writing content for a new venture if you want to take your career in an exciting new direction.
Resist the urge to focus on the negatives
If you’re always lamenting something or cursing something in your work, you’re not going to be able to move forward. Avoid incessant negatives and you’ll soon find you become more optimistic, positive, and happy. After all, that’s what this whole exercise is about.
“If I’m not feeling great I deliberately force myself to write something uplifting and motivational, even if I don’t really buy into it at the time. It’s a great trick when you want to start feeling better.” says Kristin Savage, a content curator for PickTheWriter and content contributor at IsAccurate.
Take the time to reread what you wrote when the mood takes you
Reflection is the name of the game if you really want to get on top of your mental health. Remember, you’re not trying to put together an anthology of short stories here, so it really doesn’t matter about the overarching themes of what you produce. Just take the time to reflect on what it means, how you’ve changed since you wrote it, and where you want to take your writing next.
Final Thoughts
Now that you’ve heard all about the benefits of creative writing, and how to turn it into the habit that lasts a lifetime, it’s over to you to make it happen. It may feel strange at first, perhaps even a little daunting, but from the moment you pick up your pen and paper, you’ll be doing something amazing. You’re building a solid foundation for your mental health, wellbeing, and future happiness. It’s a step you should be proud to take, and one which you’ll look back on with pride in the years ahead.
