Have you ever thought that you would never forget a special moment? Or wished you could relive a life-changing event? Everyone probably remembers a time they hope they’ll never forget, a defining moment of their lives. Only to have time erode the intensity and potency of the recollection and the feelings associated with the event.
What would happen if you took just a few minutes a day to pause and reflect, remember, and put pen to paper?
Does your life feel as though it’s at a standstill? With Coronavirus keeping you from getting out and experiencing life as you did before? What if you seize this moment to pause and reflect? What if you keep a journal, a written record of your days… your thoughts, emotions, hopes and dreams?
Journaling has been around for centuries.
And has proven beneficial to the mind and body. A 2005 study in New Zealand found that expressive writing can actually help our bodies heal faster. For most people, the act of writing about distressing events relieves them of anxiety. And it also keeps them from releasing stress hormones such as cortisol, which impedes the immune system’s function. Further research shows that journaling can strengthen T-lymphocytes, which are a crucial part of our immune system.
It seems, in fact, that this time of chaos and uncertainty may just be the perfect time to start keeping a journal! I take time to buy beautiful journals. Then I make a daily entry into a Gratitude Journal. I usually start with a prompt, such as: “I am so grateful for ____ because _____.” Some days, I only write the word, “Woohoo!” several times, with lots of exclamation points! Some days I shout, “Woohoo!” as I write it. Even that one word, Woohoo, perks me up and reminds me of the great things about my life!
Did I mention that age is not a factor?
Studies show that children learn to read more quickly when they first learn to write by hand. They also retain information better and can generate more ideas to problem solve.
Psychologist Stanislas Dehaene of the Collège de France in Paris says, “When we write, a unique neural circuit is automatically activated. There is a core recognition of the gesture in the written word, a sort of recognition by mental simulation in your brain. And it seems that this circuit is contributing in unique ways we didn’t realize. Learning is made easier.”
Science teaches us that the act of writing accesses the left brain.
The analytical and rational part, which frees up your right brain to create and get in touch with your thoughts and emotions. While we typically problem solve using our left brain, sometimes we need the creativity and intuition that only the right brain can offer. The right brain can imagine solutions and think outside the box for seemingly insurmountable problem solving.
Writing by hand allows us time to process and reflect. It can give us clarity about situations and people, increase our mindfulness and help us manage stress by releasing intense and painful emotions onto the page. Try putting pen to paper today and see what materializes… it might surprise you!
