Journaling Isn’t Just For Teenage Girls. And Yes, It Really Can Help You Heal.
Posted: October 13, 2020
Category:
Self-expression
DURATION:
4 MIN
SUBCATEGORIES:
Mindfulness
Self-care
Mental Health
Journaling isn’t just for teenage girls. And yes, it really can help you heal from a cancer diagnosis.
Journaling is a safe way to work through your trauma, during and after cancer treatment.
Improved mood Greater sense of well-being Better memory Less anxiety before an important event (like that check up you’ve been dreading) Better coping with depression, PTSD, and panic attacks
You don’t need a fuzzy pink notebook, complete with plastic lock and heart-shaped key to get started. (Unless you’re into that! This is a no judgement zone.)
Just “brain dumping” your thoughts about cancer can feel like setting down a heavy load. If you’d like to take a more structured approach to journaling, though, you’ve got a few options.
The Isolation Journals are a series of 100 daily journaling prompts put together by cancer thriver Suleika Jaouad to encourage a sense of community during the social isolation many people are feeling in quarantine. The prompts don’t center on the subjects of the COVID-19 pandemic or cancer recovery. Instead, they’re a collection of ideas from diverse, inspirational people. You might find that 6-year-old cancer patient Lou Sullivan’s prompt really speaks to your soul, or that the prompt from Priya Parker, author of The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters makes you feel more connected to others than ever before.