Make writing a habit
“Writing therapy is a form of expressive therapy that uses the act of writing and processing the written word as therapy. Writing therapy posits that writing one's feelings gradually eases feelings of emotional trauma.”
Writing simply as note-taking
There's a wall of notes on the window of my old bedroom. If you ask me why, it's because I needed to cover the window so that I wouldn't be able to see the neighbors' houses xD I know it's childish, but it's the beginning of my note-taking habit. I note everything I see. A new word to look up, a place I randomly see on the Internet, a book that someone recommends. On the days preparing for my exams, they'd turn into formulas, sample writings and quotes to encourage myself.
Recalling is fun for me. I kinda have a better iconic memory compared to other types. I may not be able to remember what I wrote, but I will remember where I wrote and how it technically looked. And that's how I find my notes and recall what I try to.
Writing as planning
I can't plan without a pen. It's a fact. I write essay's outline, to-do lists, new year's resolutions with a pen, on paper. It gives me the freedom to brainstorm, rework on ideas and to make corrections right away.
Writing as a therapy
I don't write novels, or fantastic things. So writing may not improve my creative thinking. I write to capture my life and to note down my new findings. So it's more beneficial for my critical thinking, I think.
Writing really helps me to share my thoughts, even with the future self, my sister or anyone who happens to read. For me, it's like an exercise for my lazy brain. Even science has shown that writing is good for health, though the opinions may vary.
Writing may facilitate cognitive processing of traumatic memories, resulting in more adaptive, integrated representations about the writer themselves, their world, and others. It is also possible that development of a coherent narrative over time results in ongoing processing and finding meaning in the traumatic experience.
-Phuong 🐯