Have you ever been in a situation where you feel like you just can’t talk to absolutely anyone? Not even that one person that always cheers you up can make your problems go away. No matter the circumstances, such as if you’re too embarrassed to explain or you can’t make sense of what your feeling, we all go through rough patches like these. On days where I feel like that is when I write. I write when I feel so much anger and hate towards the world for the smallest things and I write when I am filled with the utmost love and joy. I write when I could cry myself to sleep or when bad memories come back to flood my thoughts.

To me, writing out my thoughts and feelings is and should not be a chore. Documenting the moments that shape your personality help strengthen you and allow those bottled-up emotions to be set free. One of the main reasons so many people struggle through depression is because they let their emotions rip and tear at them until they are talked about and let go of. I’m not saying that we have to all talk to our friends and family about our ever-changing emotions but in place of that we can choose to write down those feelings. Even if you jot down just a couple of the pesky things that are bothering you, it allows them to be put into the open for evaluation and consideration.

When I write, I write for myself first. I want the things that I am saying to not only help others around me but myself as well. When I journal about the day and my reflection on how it went, I want to be able to use that information to help others as well as myself. I know I’m not the only one who had bad days and when crappy things happen to me, I like to document how it made me feel and how I dealt with it so when I meet others who are dealing with the same thing, I can guide them through their struggles in a way that I know worked for me and that can help them.

Additionally, not only do I write for my present self but I write for my future self. I know that I most likely will cross paths with a certain dilemma again so when I capture my emotions I like to make sure I am specific and I try to make it relatable for later in life. I’m always planning ahead but when I’m taking time for myself, I like to keep it current and connect with my present self and know that I can always come back to my journaling.

I strongly encourage everyone to write daily. You don’t have to spend hours upon hours creating a novel or be an A+ student in Language Arts, just write to your personal capacity and preference. Speak true words and it doesn’t have to be positive, your thoughts should focus on the present moment and how you are feeling currently. Best of luck and remember the good you are doing for yourself.