Yes, I know you’re busy. It feels like there is always something to do, right? Like responsibilities. I know… I have them too. Classes, work, activities. And as the seasons change, it feels like my responsibilities change with them.
So here’s what I think. Why not add one more habit?
For me, taking time for something I am passionate about is necessary to sustain my mental health. Writing every day is like exercising. You have to start somewhere, and then you only get better. Then one day, you are in good shape and write a whole, completed piece of work. A script, a poem, maybe even a book. It just takes time, which can be as little as 20 minutes a day.
I spend quite a bit of time on social media when I’m bored. Noticing this, I decided to use that time more productively. I switched from minutes on an app to minutes with my pencil and paper. When I found myself mindlessly scrolling, I became aware of that feeling and took that time to write instead.
Writing is therapeutic. It’s similar to meditation. It helps me process my feelings about, well, anything that needs to be processed.
There are so many things that pop up in my head throughout the day. Why do I keep thinking about that? Why did I dream about that? What was the meaning? I (at least try to) answer my own questions in my writing. Sometimes I write about a person in my life or sometimes I reflect on a certain time in my life. I use writing to reflect so I can look at my past self objectively and grow from it. These are the types of writings in my journal.
But you can start anywhere. You can write from a prompt, write your feelings down, write about something you hate or love. You can write whatever you want!
Just do it once a day. Get in the habit—it can even be when you wake up or before you go to sleep.
Once you know your voice, you begin to really know yourself.