Writing for rehabilitation

Introduction

It might be a bit controversial to compare meditation and writing, but I dare to do so. For me, writing turned out to be a kind of meditation. When I start writing, I can feel the calm descend upon me, I go to another time and space, I am kind of outside my body, I empty my head, my soul, into a space where no one can hear or argue with me, it's just me and my writing in harmony.

Looking back, I can clearly see that writing has played and continues to play a huge role in my mental health. My journal is the place where I can say everything without fear of being misunderstood, without anyone arguing against me, or challenging every word I say. I don't have to be careful with my words, or be afraid that what I write will hurt anyone... just myself, and I can erase what I don't want to remain forever. Only I will ever read it. And last but not least, I buy myself time to really think things through before I choose to say it out loud or to delete and forget completely without saying it.

Why writing works

The learning curve is almost flat. The premise is simple: sit down and write. Whatever you’re struggling with. Whatever doubts you may have. Things that are happening, doubts and worries about upcoming plans. Things you don't understand or can't find the answer to. Conflicting feelings about things and/or people. Think – and write what you’re thinking. Focus on your inner perspective. Try to figure out what you want and why something is bothering you. Tasks and to-dos belong to a different protocol. Write what you need to say, as no one will ever read it. Sometimes it’s even healthier to just write for yourself and promise yourself that it will be deleted later, so you feel 100% sure that no one will ever read it. Privacy is crucial. When I write for myself, I write quickly and sloppily, often intentionally illegible.

Make it comfortable

Okay, how do you get started? A simple trick that helps with any new habit: add comfort. Find a good chair or somewhere you can sit and relax, either with your PC or a good notebook and a nice pen. It's not about what or where you write, it's about finding what makes you comfortable and relaxing. For me, that's my Mac or iPad, and a place where I'm alone. It's just my preference, but making a new habit feel good is a golden rule.

Set your rules

Are there any rules, wrong or right way? This is my way, and the process is highly customizable. My rule: journaling is a self-reflection session. For me, it’s about dealing with what’s inside me. I don’t “talk” about shopping lists, buying a new bike, starting dance classes, or cleaning the house. For the things outside of me, I use a different method. For me, journaling isn’t meant to be in any kind of structure, it’s just a safe place to clear my cluttered head to make room for the structured things I need to do. So there are no “rules, no right or wrong” way, there is only your way. My only recommendation is to try to make it a habit.

Digital or Analog? (a light framework)

The big and sensitive question is whether to write a diary analogically or digitally. I don't think there is an answer to that question. Personally, I try analogically, but it wasn't comfortable for me. I don't get the flow when I write on a sheet of paper with a pen, but digitally it gets flow. So you have to try to find the version that suits you, and it can be a combination. For me, I use different methods, all digital, for my personal diary writing it is an unstructured document, for things "outside me" I use more digital structured methods.

However, I would recommend a lightweight framework. For me, it’s about creating “sessions” that I can refer back to if I want. It could be dates, situations, events, or sometimes I even mark sessions as “delete later.” Again, it’s all up to what you feel comfortable with.

What a session looks like

How I start a session: Usually there is something that has happened during the day that makes me open my Mac to find my “document.” I either start a previous session to continue following up on something I wrote about, or I start a new session, or starting a new session, sometimes is just brife note about the day, sometimes is the need to empty my head for things that bother me, its can be both good and bad things. I write as if no one — including me — will ever read it. 

How many "sessions" do I use? I try to keep it simple.

• Neuroplasticity: rebuilding my self awareness, reflections and conclusions I want to be a part of it.
• Questions/doubts: things I would like to address later in future sessions.
• Life awareness: the positive rules I want to live by.
• Bad things; events, thoughts that affect me in a bad way (my forget and delete sessions)
• Good and positive things: things that have made me feel alive, gratitudes, feedback I have received or given

Focus on positives

Try to stay focused on positive logic—what you want to become—rather than listing what you should avoid. It’s healthier and more effective to develop positive behaviors than to stifle negative thinking. When I cut back on sugar, I ate more fruit to reduce carb cravings. I would rather start a healthy habit today than try to break an unhealthy one.

when and time

When and how long? It really depends on your own needs. I often start thinking when I'm out walking or cycling. And when I'm home, I start writing down what's in my head, sometimes it's 15 to 20 minutes, sometimes it's longer, it depends... you have to find what's right for you.

Why I writing a diary

Why am I doing this? I started to get clarity on what I was feeling and what I needed, what I wanted, to clear my head. I think often in life we ​​focus on serving others – bosses, family, friends – and we tend to forget about our own needs, rarely sitting down to think constructively about how we are feeling, what we want, and whether it is healthy for us, so journaling turns out to be my strategy for figuring myself out, to keep my mind healthy.

I write a lot, sorting some things into dedicated pages, sometimes to follow up on a previous thought, things I'm trying to figure out, themes in my mind, sometimes it's just to clear out irritations that are bothering me, things that have hurt me. And from time to time I'll bring up a topic I feel is appropriate on one of my blogs, either a lifestyle, diet or a topic related to my self-healing/rehabilitation journey.

I have only one rule..., there are no rule, write whatever is in my thoughts, regardless of everything, as no one, as in no one ever gonna read it...

It's a habit

From the time I started journaling until today, my writing has changed. When I started, it was mostly out of frustration, a kind of despair at not knowing how to tell anyone what was going on in my head when I didn't understand it myself. To this day, it has proven to be a habit that helps me keep my mind clear and mostly positive, so I write more or less in my journal every day, a kind of end to the day, which stops my thoughts from spinning any more about that day..., or at least tries to stop them😁.

And I actually discovered that I had been journaling for a long time. Years back in time, I started taking notes about my process of turning my life around to build a healthier lifestyle. At the time, it was mostly about diet and lifestyle changes, exercise habits, and my daily task of keeping my stress levels under control. And statistics around all of that, this habit has been by my side ever since, so in a way after what happened to me back in 2021, it just took my journaling habit to the next level.

It's funny how things you start doing that feel good to you suddenly become habits, I've always said. Habits, especially good habits, are a fundamental building block in building good health and a healthy lifestyle. I strongly believe that habits are our friend in any rehabilitation process.

Closing thoughts

For me, it has proven to be fundamental in keeping my mental health in order through a tough period in my life. I think today was the most important part of the whole process. My journal turned out to be a place where I could empty everything in my head, discuss it with myself, evaluate and conclude what to do with things, without pressure, when I have time, when it suits me..., and even take things back and delete them when my evaluation process concluded that what I had thought was wrong or misunderstood. Without hurting anyone but myself.

That’s kind of what I learned in Sunnaas’ Stop, Think process. I stop, put it away, and say I’ll come back when I’ve had time to think it through carefully. That way, I buy myself time so I’m prepared to talk about a topic when I’ve had the opportunity to properly evaluate it.That's a really good thing when your brain is suddenly is downshifted due to a injury and works in slow motion😁