Need stress relief? Need somewhere to vent? If you need a new productive hobby that is going to evoke creativity, then journalism is for you. It’s often viewed as an uninteresting or boring thing to write, but have you ever taken a closer look into the benefits? Pen and paper may seem outdated or old, but it works. Writing gives you a free space to express whatever you want, as well as gives you the ability to set your own narratives. Writing can also have the power to set realizations, and even change public opinion. Words hold strong meaning and are a way of voicing opinions without needing to actually speak them aloud. Find out a couple of reasons why you should write more by looking at some of the benefits.
Complete freedom with your words is what you get with pen and paper. You may not see its value, but it’s a rare thing to have in the digital age. Social media and apps that are being used every day, don’t allow you to completely voice your thoughts without judgment or backlash. The internet is constantly limiting our freedom of speech, whether it’s the social media app itself or comments from other people, we don’t have the flexibility to form our own opinions anymore. We need space and a way to properly create our own views on things. Journalism is all about voicing your ideas and having control over your perspective. You are able to write a paragraph, a page, or even an article that is completely from your own take.
Writing can be therapeutic for the mind. Not everyone has the ability to talk about their issues with friends or family. Keeping a notebook or writing on a computer can help to release the inner stress that you may have. You can clear your mind and have the space to let everything out. Mental health is something that many experience, and writing about certain things can help put the mind at ease. You can write about things you may not want to talk about, personal or private things can be kept that way and still be coped with. A good coping mechanism can often be found in journaling. Whether it’s what you’re having for breakfast that day or a personal reflection you’ve made about yourself, your thoughts can be kept completely to yourself with no judgment or pressure.
An author’s words can relate to and make others feel valid in their experiences or feelings towards something. Many well-known books and online articles are famous because of the number of people who are brought together by them. Words can connect with people on different levels. A piece of writing can embody an experience so well that people can understand that exact sequence of events, just by reading it. The reason movies are so huge is that we as people are visual, and seeing something helps us to understand a message or theme that’s being put on for us. Writing is another medium that allows us to do a similar thing, the main difference is that instead of watching, we’re reading and internally processing the message. All of the storylines or themes that are brought about in writing are things that can bring together communities of people who relate or agree with that piece of writing. It’s a great comfort to know that someone else reading your work might be able to relate to the same things as you and that you’re not alone.
We have all heard of unjust laws being brought down with inside articles and reporters, but how are these journalists able to accomplish such large changes? Not all journalists are in The New York Times or Forbes, but all pieces of writing have the power to raise awareness towards a cause. If you have strong feelings towards something, you are able to share them by writing them. Articles are a great way of sharing information and spreading messages. By creating a written explanation you can let it be known why something needs changing and how to do so. There are multiple groups that can be reached through writing. All you have to do is get your points down and express your message, and anyone has the potential of bringing about change.
Academic writing in schools is generally a very difficult thing for many students. This is a common reason why students doubt the creative side of writing. The reason for this is because in these academic writing classes, theirs no independence to allow each student to connect with their work. The main objective a student finds themself in is the grade and focusing on how the teacher is critiquing them. In this situation, a student is allowing the worry about structure and grammar to overtake any other motivation for their writing. But, when writing for oneself, you are able to see the other aspects of journalism that are very beneficial. Eventually, a student will make that connection between personal writing and apply it to the structure that schools teach. When combined, this is a valuable technique to have and helps a student produce powerful pieces of work. This is even a way to better enjoy classes that would have seemed very difficult or dreadful otherwise. Finding a way of enjoying and learning at the same time can be of great value for all the students currently in this situation.
Clarity is often connected to perspective and clear-headedness. Finding clarity is brought about through all kinds of experiences and/or activities. Finding a way to display your thoughts and openly reflect on your thinking can be hard work. A different way to articulate can always be through writing. Many of the world’s biggest people and leaders often use written speeches to correctly find the placement of what they’re trying to say. Sometimes it’s easier to get down the way your feel with pen and paper than to directly say it at the moment. Clarifying your thinking can become a process, even when you know what you mean to say. When going through a difficult time, you can find yourself at a loss for words. You may feel like your brain and body know something but can’t find the words that clearly explain it. And so, when you are not able to say something through words, writing can act as your best tool.
Writing engages different parts of the brain, memory, and motor skills. These are all very necessary for maintaining a sharp mind. Your health is something that is affected by the state of your mind. Mental health issues are often targeted for certain mindfulness techniques, but mindfulness exercises can be beneficial for anyone. You can increase your memory, use more brain power, better your composition, increase your creativity, and more. Writing allows for a blank canvas for your mind to let out whatever you feel comfortable with. You’ll even be surprised at some of the reflections and realizations that you may come to when it comes to the more unexpressed emotions and perspectives. Writing is expressed using your thought process. Right before you are able to fully comprehend your emotions and put them into words, those feelings go through a thought process in which our brains experience things at a certain pace. Our brains need to process what we feel first before we can do anything else. When it comes to writing, we go on a path where we are able to get out what we feel before we’re even able to say or understand it. This is why many people will go to pen and paper in order to clarify their own thoughts. Your mental health benefits from this experience because writing out your feelings can release a lot of pent-up frustration that gets caused by those unexpressed emotions and thoughts.
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