Lengthy exposure to stress may lead to mental health difficulties (for example, anxiety and depression) or increased physical health problems. Research suggests that increased stress levels interfere with your ability to deal with physical illness. While no one can avoid all stress, you can work to handle it in healthy ways that increase your potential to recover.
One way we can deal with stress in our lives is to acknowledge it by listening to our bodies and pay attention to how we feel. Find out what triggers stress for you and find ways to avoid those triggers.
One way I have found useful in dealing with stress is talking to someone or Journaling about it. Journaling generally involves the practice of keeping a diary or journal that explores thoughts and feelings surrounding the events of your life. There are several different ways to do this. Journaling, as a stress management and self-exploration tool, works best when done consistentl. One of the most effective ways to reduce stress with journaling is to write in detail about feelings and thoughts related to stressful events, as one would discuss topics in therapy, and brainstorm solutions, but there are several different ways to practice journaling.
The journaling method you choose can depend on your needs at the time, and your personality; just do what feels right.
Even occasional, sporadic journaling can be stress relieving when the practice is focused on gratitude or emotional processing. I also choose to use journaling to focus on what I am grateful in moments of stress, this is to turn attention always from the negative and turn on the positive thoughts and emotions to help me relax. One thing I have learned is that no matter what is happening there is always something to be grateful for.
Journaling decreases the symptoms of asthma, arthritis, and other health conditions.
It improves cognitive functioning.
It can strengthen immune system response.
It can counteract many of the negative effects of stress
Gratitude Journaling
Some people keep a daily gratitude journal where they list three or more aspects of each day for which they are grateful. This is a highly effective strategy for relieving stress because it helps you to focus on the resources you have in your life already and create a more positive mood at the moment, both of which have been shown to build long-term resilience. A bonus benefit is that you are left with a record of the many nice things that have happened throughout your days, so if you're feeling down in the future, you can cheer yourself up with a few pages of reminders for the things you have to appreciate in life.
The basic practice is straightforward. In many of the studies, people are simply instructed to record five things they experienced in the past week for which they’re grateful.
Robert Emmons, a leading expert on the science of gratitude and an author of some of gratitude journals. Suggests the following tips when writing Gratitude Journals.
Don’t just go through the motions. Research by psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky and others suggests that journaling is more effective if you first make the conscious decision to become happier and more grateful. “Motivation to become happier plays a role in the efficacy of journaling,” says Emmons.
Go for depth over breadth. Elaborating in detail about a particular thing for which you’re grateful carries more benefits than a superficial list of many things.
Get personal. Focusing on people to whom you are grateful has more of an impact than focusing on things for which you are grateful.
Try subtraction, not just addition. One effective way of stimulating gratitude is to reflect on what your life would be like without certain blessings, rather than just tallying up all those good things.
Savor surprises. Try to record events that were unexpected or surprising, as these tend to elicit stronger levels of gratitude.
Don’t overdo it. Writing occasionally (once or twice per week) is more beneficial than daily journaling. In fact, one study by Lyubomirsky and her colleagues found that people who wrote in their gratitude journals once a week for six weeks reported boosts in happiness afterward; people who wrote three times per week didn’t. “We adapt to positive events quickly, especially if we constantly focus on them,” says Emmons. “It seems counterintuitive, but it is how the mind works