Blogging As Therapy
July 31, 2012 § 2 Comments
I’ve thought about something for a while. Sometimes, writing this blog has provided just as much (and sometimes more!) of a therapeutic quality to my life than my weekly psychotherapy sessions. There are several reasons, and I’ve been thinking about it so frequently that I thought it might prove useful to someone (even myself!) that I list them. By all means, if you have any suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comment section below!
Support. Sharing a post on Facebook and Twitter means that people can instantly read and comment on the things I’ve written. The people who are faithful commenters and advice-givers will be forever appreciated. I can’t express the ways that support from somewhat neutral parties has helped me to navigate through tough decisions and predicaments since I’ve been in college and away from home. Equally, knowing that there are individuals who have similar struggles to mine through blogs and other social media outlets causes me to appreciate the camaraderie even more. Support means the world.
Agility. Blogging and social media help me to exercise my brain in ways that I’m not typically required to use it, such as the fact that on Twitter, you must state your comment in 140 characters or less. While the length of the blog post is unlimited, there’s an issue of wanting to be able to sum up your points about which you desire to write in as few words as possible to simply provide a quick read for people as they scan through their Google Reader or as they land on your page through a link from another site. Often, the agility helps me to focus my energy on the mechanics of my writing rather than the content, if the emotion associated with the content is particularly negative. It helps train my brain that I need to be distracted from negative thoughts and focused on the positive elements of every situation.
Passion. Blogging and social media involvement require a great deal of passion for your subject matter because of the time and dedication that is required if you wish for your blog and your Twitter account to be well-known and well-respected. Passion, in a positive light, allows for the negative emotion to once again be quelled by the intensity with which you should (and will!) write about something that is your passion. In the same way, blogging has taught me that a passionate heart will produce content independently. Though there are many companies and individuals out there who believe in teaching you the art of writing a blog post, in my opinion, there is no better way to do it (and no, there is never any right or wrong method) than to let it come from the heart. Too often, we get caught up in “regular blogging schedules,” but in my opinion, passion overrides any developed schedule or routine.
How has blogging helped you to exercise your mind and body? Share in the comments below! And, if you’re interested in the ways that I use Twitter, you may follow me there @erinrbreedlove!
I couldn’t agree more – blogging is also good because I’m much better at expressing myself in written language.
Glad you’re finding it helpful too.
Erin
I agree completely that passion must be present for blog posts to continue on a regular basis. I also agree that writing and other forms of expression are good ways to deal with the motion, allowing your brain to work in different ways from usual study routine, etc., and also just give you a fun outlet to express yourself to others in the world.
I’m glad this has been a good vehicle for you as you’ve faced the challenges of college.
Greg