Writing
Writing is also a helping coping skill but offers us so many options on how to use it. Let’s start with journaling. Many people think of journaling as something that a middle school girl should be doing to talk about drama. While that may be true, it can still be helpful as an adult.
There’s free journaling where you take a blank journal and just write about anything on your mind. There’s prompted journaling where you respond to a question or a sentence to help you think about something specific. These are both great options. Some options work better for certain people than others.
There are premade prompted journals that you can buy in stores or online now too. You can always look up great questions/prompts and just write them yourself. Or many you are more spontaneous, and you do both free journaling and prompted depending on what you are in the mood for. There’s no right or wrong here.
There are also other options for writing such as blogging, short-stories, poetry, novels, or letters. Some of these options are great to give true details about your life and be able to express yourself. Others like to use creative writing with interesting characters that take on different personalities and adventures that may replicate your life in some way or express things for you. Letters can be written to people without ever being seen or sent. You can say everything that you would never say to the person, never let them see, and destroy it without hurting anyone else but helping yourself.
Create something
Another great coping skill, and personally my favorite, is to create something. This can include arts & crafts, food, working on a car, or gardening. Arts & craft types of projects include so many different types of projects that you may be interested in. Painting, metal work, sewing, woodwork, resin, knitting, or glass blowing. These are just a few that I could think of but there are so many unique ideas out there. Schedule the time into your week if you have to or if you are having a rough day, change your plans and make time for your craft.
