Writing for Wellbeing with Katie

This week is Mental Health Awareness week, so our Vanquis Mental Health First Aiders are sharing their stories and top tips around mental wellbeing.

Here, Katie (HR Regulation & Compliance Coordinator) from our Chatham office shares her story about writing for wellbeing...

From a young age, I have been obsessed with writing. When I was in primary school, once a week my teacher would give us one-hour to craft a story – I loved the opportunity to create an escape from reality. I have carried my love for writing into adulthood and have found it a lifeline when managing with my mental health.

The benefit of using writing as a tool for dealing with your mental health is that it enables your mind to focus. It provides clarity and encourages your creativity. The great thing about writing is that it can take place anywhere and at any time! Here are some ideas that might inspire you – what is "write" for you?

1. Gratitude or Positivity Diary
It is easy to get weighed down with negative thoughts or things that haven't gone so well. Try to list down at least 3 things each day that are either positive, or you feel grateful for. It doesn't need to be monumental – little things like a call with a friend, a compliment you received or a task you managed to do. These are great to look back on, especially in times of struggle.

2. Journaling
Taking time out of your day to write about your feelings can help you to prioritise problems or concerns. It can be helpful to see if you have any recurring thoughts or triggers. The idea is to do this every day, even for a few minutes – write what feels right to you. It can help you to create some control when you may feel like everything is chaos.
Morning Pages

This idea is centred around a "stream of consciousness". Each day commit to writing 3 pages and write whatever comes to mind. If you can't think of anything, you can even just write "I don't know what to write" but you will find that once you get started, the words will flow. This is a way to write without censoring or fear of judgement – it is a technique to tune in to your feelings and be present with them.

3. Creative Writing for Wellbeing
Creative writing can be a great outlet. It can help you to learn to look at your thoughts in a different way and challenge your feelings. We often become fixated on see things from our own view and get stuck trying to think of things any other way. Why not try creating stories to throw light on your feelings, thoughts and experiences using metaphors? You could try one of the follow exercises:

• Future Focus - Think about everything has gone as well as it could possibly go and you have achieved all your goals. Write about how this feels to accomplish this – then write as your future self to your current self. What could you say to inspire them?
• Bus of Life - Imagine you are driving the bus but every passenger is a version of you from a different point in your life. Write a story where two of the passengers have a conversation – maybe you as a child is speaking to you as a young adult? How would this conversation go? What would they talk about?

4. Everyone has a story to tell
Sharing can be empowering and many people have penned their mental health journey. There is such a diverse range of voices – why not check out one of these Mental Health Champions:

Ruby Wax
Bryony Gordon
Natasha Devon
Jonny Benjamin