Journaling through divorce can be difficult for so many reasons. Maybe you were a shop/agri person in high school and just hate the idea of writing anything. Maybe the emotions of your divorce are too hard to confront in such a direct manner. No matter which walk of life you’re from, however, you can benefit greatly from journaling through your divorce. Here are the reasons this technique is so helpful.
1. It allows you to say things that are too hard to say aloud.
As difficult as writing out your thoughts can be — and it’s common for this to be difficult because you’re confronting things you don’t want to confront — it is ultimately helpful to your overall recovery. That’s because no one ever has to read it but you. (And you don’t necessarily HAVE to read it.) Also, you can destroy your journal as soon as you’re done with it. It’s really just an exercise to get negativity out of your system so it doesn’t continue to poison you.
2. It shows you where you’re going as a person.
Journaling your divorce will probably be very painful at first, but the longer you stick with it, the more a roadmap will start to emerge of your future self, and that can be exciting. On the flip side of that, if you’re heading down a dark path, it can be a wakeup call to seek help immediately. Either way, it shows you the possible future and allows you to have some say in how it takes shape.
3. It gives you the chance to celebrate growth.
When you do make improvements, you’ll notice it through your journaling activities, and that gives you a reason to celebrate! This usually comes with time, especially if you’re the person in the relationship who’s doing most of the hurting. But by writing out all of your thoughts and activities, you’ll start to realize the improvements you’ve made from your old self.
4. Finally, journaling is useful because it gives you the chance to catch a glimpse of how the future might be.
This was touched on in item two, but it’s worth coming back to because, more often than not, journaling your divorce will allow you to make loads of positive changes to your life. Unfortunately, many who choose not to journal fail to see the same realizations and distinctions of those who do, and so the potential they have as people — even in the face of such tragedies as the end of a marriage — stays hidden.
If you want your life after divorce to go more smoothly, then make sure you find a positive means for self-expression and healing. Good luck to you!