With everything that’s been going on lately surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak, it feels as though we haven’t been given enough time to prepare or process the drastic changes that have been happening in our lives. Given these negative events happening around us, our bodies might be responding to them in three possible ways: suppress feelings associated with the event, don’t actively process the emotions of the situation; or allow the experience to be the sole focus of our life.
“When you’re falling into any of these common responses, and it hard to freely express your emotions with someone else, then a method that might probably work for you is journal therapy,” advises Darlyn Ty-Nilo, founder and president of Viviamo Inc.–the custom publishing company behind Belle de Jour Power Planner.
With journal therapy, the left part of the brain becomes active, allowing you to be more creative in expressing your ideas. The more you pick up the habit of writing, the more you feel freer from the emotions you have bottling up. Doing so might even give you clarity and understanding of the negative events you have experienced.
It reduces stress. Journaling is an effective stress-management tool because it helps you prioritize your problems, fears and concerns. It can also track your day-to-day emotions, and recognize your negative triggers and learn how to better control them.
Journaling can help your brain stay in tip-top shape. It helps improve your cognitive functions by boosting comprehension and increasing one’s memory capacity. As you reconnect with yourself, you are also keeping your brain engaged at all times.
Studies show that writing for therapy has positive effects for people with asthma, liver disease, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic pelvic pain, and even cancer. It also improves the immune system and speed up wound healing.
Journaling is a very enriching habit anyone can pick up. But to make it even more fun, insightful and meaningful for you, let Viviamo! Inc. guide you through the whole process as it holds its first-ever planning and journaling summit in the Philippines, for free, entitled #YouGotThis.
“This online summit idea came into existence when our community members shared a common sentiment on being unsure about using their planner or journal when everything is so uncertain,” adds Dar Ty-Nilo. “Our goal is to help our community members journey out of this pandemic stronger and better; and see the value of journaling in managing emotions and navigating through their days, and help them power through during these uncertain times.”
