Find meditation tedious? Introducing "writing meditation" through my personal experience!
📖Author: Nao
Conclusion: Let’s do it
- The benefits of writing continuously for 20 minutes have been proven.
- It is expected to yield effects comparable to meditation.
- Combining meditation and mindfulness enhances self-understanding.
For those wanting evidence (it’s explained rather technically, so feel free to skip it lol)
Evaluation Based on Research Data
Comparison of Health Effects:
In the expressive writing paradigm (a writing approach emphasising emotions, personal experiences, and subjective perspectives), participants are asked to write about such events for 15–20 minutes on 3–5 occasions.
These individuals generally show significantly improved physical and psychological outcomes compared to those writing about neutral topics.
Integrative Effects:
If meditation concerns the momentary observation of mental patterns, behaviours, and flows, journaling is a reflective, retrospective practice.
It enables one to connect and perceive the same patterns, behaviours, and flows that might have been overlooked in daily life.
Empirical Effect Data
Short-term effects:
One study showed that in just four days, positive emotion journaling (where participants wrote for 15-20 minutes daily about difficult experiences) led to reduced stress, improved ability to manage anxiety and depression, and even improved mood.
Impact on physical health:
In a particularly interesting study conducted by James Pennebaker, participants who engaged in expressive writing about traumatic experiences showed improved immune function. Compared to those who wrote about neutral topics, they had higher antibody levels and fewer visits to the doctor.
In other words, similar effects can be expected
Conclusions based on scientific evidence
- Similarity in neural activity: Both practices involve activation of the prefrontal cortex and regulation of the amygdala
- Emotional regulation effects: Emotional stabilisation confirmed in both mindfulness meditation and journaling
- Stress reduction: Similar stress-reducing effects demonstrated across multiple studies
- Cognitive Function Improvement: Enhanced attention, working memory, and self-awareness
- Physical Health: Boosted immune function, improved sleep, and reduced pain
Potential Complementary Effects:
Combining journaling with meditation may further amplify its benefits. Drawing inspiration from meditation, engaging in short writing sessions of 5–8 minutes can become a magical way for the brain to focus on what truly matters.
Therefore, writing meditation (journaling) can certainly be expected to yield effects comparable to meditation. Indeed, in terms of cognitive processing and problem-solving, journaling may sometimes demonstrate more concrete and lasting effects. Combining the two is highly likely to yield further benefits through synergistic effects.
I shall also include here an article presenting some examples of my journaling practice as of 2023
※ At the time of my research, there was already some overlapping studies, but well, that’s just part of the charm, I suppose.
The meditation practice known as ‘journaling’ is something even Google employees engage in.
Its benefits include enabling a calm analysis of one’s current feelings and fostering self-esteem.
It is also known as expressive writing, and writing down your anxieties and worries on paper (or your smartphone) has been shown to have cognitive benefits (such as improved short-term memory and concentration), as well as increasing feelings of happiness and helping with depression and anxiety disorders. This has been demonstrated by research from the University of Michigan and numerous studies by James Pennebaker, the originator of expressive writing.
Having multiple stress coping methods, known as stress management techniques, is never a disadvantage, so I recommend trying this journaling method.
First, write down your thoughts continuously for at least 8 to 20 minutes. In my case, when my mind is not working and I can’t think of anything, I don’t force myself to write, but write when something comes to mind. Actually, yesterday, I was feeling strange due to a recurrence of my illness. Let me write about it.
As of 30/6
- Stress level: 6
- Mood level: 3
- Mood: Depressed, irritable, self-loathing, anxious, restless
- Thoughts: My mood swings were intense; I felt like people disliked me. I went from being hyper to depressed, then aggressive, then plagued by intense self-blame, which gave me indigestion. I thought the stress might also be due to tomorrow’s hospital appointment, where they’ll likely decide on admission.
Theme: Facing the Pain
Writing out current feelings:
I feel intensely depressed towards myself.
I feel self-loathing and my stomach hurts terribly.
Hunger. An overwhelming sense that people are laughing at my low mood or taking pleasure in my misfortune.
I swing between hyperactivity and deep despondency, utterly lost as to how to cope. Irritability and intense self-blame make it unbearable.
Write what you think about this, as if observing yourself from a distance
Feeling down is tough, isn’t it? It’s painful.
You might think you can’t forgive yourself for disliking yourself, but dwelling on that just makes it worse, doesn’t it?
It’s alright, nobody is laughing at you. There’s no one here to hurt you, it’s alright. Your illness got out of control and your brain glitched, didn’t it? It can’t be helped, these things happen. It’s understandable you blame yourself, but you’re alright just as you are. You’re alright just as you are. You tried your best, didn’t you. Your body was screaming in pain, wasn’t it. You’re trying hard… but you don’t have to push yourself. Rest properly today, resting is your job.
Conduct a calm analysis (identify cognitive distortions)
Do I dislike myself because I’m trying to create an ideal version of myself? It’s only natural that when I’m weak or feeling down, I end up venting my frustrations.
However, experiencing such emotions is also part of being human; it’s likely because I have strong ambitions and consequently high expectations.
I think the feeling of hunger stems from stress. Whether the sensation of being laughed at comes from negative thinking or the illness itself is hard to tell.
But realistically, even if someone were laughing at me, the harm would be minimal, so it’s probably not worth worrying about.
Besides, if such people exist, others don’t, so fretting over it is pointless. Believing others take pleasure in my misfortune likely stems from thinking they want me gone or dislike me. This too seems like a sign of persecutionary thoughts or worsening condition.
The high energy and mood swings feel like a precursor to relapse; the irritability and severe self-blame likely stem from the brain illness.
Improvement measures regarding the analysis
If this stems from the illness worsening, rest is advisable. The instability likely arose because hospitalisation was discussed.
Though impatience seems to be surfacing, given the current situation, nothing undertaken will yield positive results. Prioritising physical condition management and reducing social media frequency should come first.
Incidentally, I forgot to time myself this time; had I measured it, it might have been more effective. However, when approaching an illness, it’s often difficult to make calm judgements, so I suppose it couldn’t be helped.
Initially, there was anxiety about hospitalisation, which I think also played a part. Since things are already moving towards resolution, that anxiety might have been temporary.
After that, I focused solely on sleeping. That said, I kept waking up multiple times during the night, so my illness probably wasn’t in a good state.
The next day I was still emotionally unstable, but I didn’t have the energy for self-care. I concentrated on sleeping, and by evening my mood started heading towards feeling better.
7/1 Evening
- Stress level: 2
- Mood level: 7
- Mood: Secure, happy, calm, peaceful
- Reflection: Prioritising self-care and sleep helped my condition stabilise. Though I felt emotionally unstable at times, focusing on sleep and eating properly brought stability. This really drove home how crucial health management is. Rather than just sleeping whenever I can, I realised it’s also necessary to exercise a bit to make sleeping easier. I want to start doing what I can, like home workouts and walking.
Then, for today’s journaling on 7/2, as I’d calmed down, I wrote about the vague anxiety I’d felt about “the future”.
Below
As of 7/2
Theme: The Future
Writing down current feelings
Nothing comes to mind.
I wonder if there’s anything I can do. Is there anything I can manage? I’m scared of the changing me. I’m scared of becoming ill. Yet, I also feel like I might be able to do it. I sense potential within myself. Perhaps it’s enough to gradually become capable.
Isn’t the spirit of trying first, rather than fretting over what I can’t do, what’s important? It feels enjoyable, exciting. I see hope.
Hope for when I overcome my current state. Rather than giving up because illness prevents me, I want to take the long view – that even if it takes time, I will become capable.
I want to gain qualifications, become a mental health and welfare worker, help people in difficulty, provide peer support for those with disabilities, understand each other’s feelings, help those who struggle to develop what they can do, be a strength to those battling illness. I’m anxious about the period until I can work, but I want to work, I want to try hard. Even if I can’t work, I want to keep a record of my recovery.
I want to be useful to someone. I feel reassured that it’s okay to be who I am now. I think, “It would be nice if I could, but if I can’t, it can’t be helped”. I can see more hope for the future than before.
Rather than rushing,
I take things slowly,
I take my time. What matters isn’t the result, but the process; the feeling of wanting to try. Any outcome provides an opportunity for personal growth. It makes me think about how to live with my illness.
If it’s all or nothing, the thrill when things go well is wonderful. That I, who used to be so negative, could become this positive – journaling is amazing,
I think. My automatic thoughts have shifted from blaming myself to accepting that it’s okay as it is, that changing bit by bit is fine. Whether affirming or denying myself, it was all an internal issue. I’m happy now. I’m grateful for many things.
My transformation wasn’t solely my own effort.
I was sustained by my environment and the people around me. It wasn’t just my strength, so my sense of gratitude is immense.
I’ll keep moving forward. I’ll expand what I can do. Even if I succumb to illness, I’ll recover again. I’ll learn to manage it well.
Thoughts written while distancing myself from the situation
I understand the fear of change; it’s only natural to feel apprehensive about anything shifting.
You wouldn’t want to risk a relapse by taking on a challenge, would you? You’d want to avoid it if possible. Still, if you feel you can manage it, I think it’s worth giving it a go.
When you realise your own potential, when you feel you might be able to do something you want to do, it’s exciting, isn’t it?
Knowing what you can do is far more important than dwelling on what you can’t. Taking time is only natural. You’re battling an illness, so it’s perfectly fine to take things a bit more slowly.
Yes, it would be great to get through this current state.
You might stumble again in the future, but I believe you have the courage to try getting back up each time. As a mental health and welfare worker, you originally aimed to be a social worker, so achieving that would be wonderful.
You’ve also been helped by others when you were struggling, so it would be great to use that experience to help people. You’re fine just as you are now. It’s okay to be yourself.
You don’t need to force yourself to change; just gradually accept the changes. Being honest with your own feelings is the best thing. I’m glad you’re happy now.
That sense of being sustained by those around you is truly important, isn’t it? If you live without realising it, you might think it’s all down to your own strength.
But when you realise you’re living through the help of others in some way, you feel you’re not alone.
That’s precisely why connections with people are so vital.
I think you’re doing well with your current positive mindset and efforts.
Just don’t push yourself too hard. Before the illness gets the better of you, make sure you rest properly.
It’s okay – managing the illness will continue from now on, so let’s take it at your own pace without overdoing it.
Conducting a calm analysis (identifying cognitive distortions)
By starting journaling,
I initially had vague thoughts about the future.
Gradually, through my own writing,
I became aware of my feelings and clarified what I truly wanted to do. It seems my true self is someone who finds meaning in life by working and helping others.
The mindset of “things not going well is just how it is” shows a very positive willingness to challenge myself, and it’s clear my mental state is stable.
I also express concern about overworking myself. This reflects a calm assessment of the situation, including a desire to manage my illness effectively and a new ability to take a long-term perspective. My capacity for gratitude, happiness, and positivity is analysed as being influenced by my inherent resilience (self-healing ability).
This is likely reinforced by an unshakeable core.
belief:
Precisely because I have experienced hurt and suffering, I do not wish for others to be hurt or suffer
and that this remains unshaken. A strong recognition that oneself and others are different beings, coupled with accepting oneself as one is, has likely reduced negative feelings towards oneself.
Perhaps by accepting whatever state of oneself arises, setting boundaries between oneself and others, and calmly analysing one’s thoughts each time, self-esteem can be strengthened.
As a result, resilience increases and stress management improves.
Improvements to the Analysis
While there was a slight tendency towards negative thinking, I consider this level quite normal and perhaps doesn’t require improvement.
A certain degree of negative thinking is necessary for accepting reality. Adopting a mindset that acknowledges things might not go well from the outset, including the possibility of falling ill, can alter the level of stress experienced when problems arise.
Therefore,
I judge that maintaining this perspective is actually beneficial.
The real caution lies in overdoing things. Analysing what burdens me and then avoiding excessive effort in those areas seems the sensible approach.
So, while I currently feel guilty about being unable to work, I also want to regain that ability. I aim to manage my illness well and pursue qualification studies.
Accepting my feelings contributes to stress management, so I intend to continue practising this.
Incidentally, when I neglected this self-care, my low mood tended to persist quite severely. However, practising self-care seems to help stabilise my feelings more quickly.
Result: Metacognition (the ability to objectively observe and recognise one’s own cognitive processes) is clearly heightened
It’s evident that my ability to control my emotions and engage in analysis – essentially, to view things objectively – has improved.
When feeling anxious, it might be worth considering mindfulness, journaling, or grounding techniques (such as focusing on the present moment, taking deep breaths, and paying attention to those sensations).
If meditation feels too much of a bother, start by incorporating “writing meditation”.