Writing about emotional upheavals in our lives can improve physical and mental health. There are now over a thousand scientific studies on expressive writing. The research strongly suggests that there is not one true way to do the writing. Rather, many different approaches work and can be beneficial for you. There are probably a thousand ways to write that may be helpful. Think of these as rough guidelines rather than Truth. Indeed, in your own writing, experiment on your own and see what works best.
Find a time and place where you won't be disturbed. Ideally, pick a time at the end of your workday or before you go to bed. Promise yourself that you will write for a minimum of 15 minutes a day for at least 3 or 4 consecutive days.
Once you begin writing, write continuously. Don't worry about spelling or grammar. If you run out of things to write about, just repeat what you have already written. You can write longhand or you can type on a computer. If you are unable to write, you can also talk into a tape recorder or just talk out loud to no one but yourself.
You can write about the same thing on all 3–4 days of writing or you can write about something different each day. It is entirely up to you.
In our research, we generally give people the following instructions for writing: Over the next four days, write about your deepest emotions and thoughts about an issue that is weighing on you. Really let go and explore your feelings and thoughts about it.
In your writing, you might describe this experience and ask yourself why it is bothering you so much. You might compare it with other similar experiences. Sometimes, it can be helpful to tie it to your childhood, your relationship with people you have loved or love now, or even your career.
How is this experience related to who you would like to become, who you have been in the past, or who you are now? You can write about the same issue every day or a series of different issues. Whatever you choose to write about, however, it is critical that you really let go and explore your very deepest emotions and thoughts.
Many people report that after writing, they sometimes feel somewhat sad or depressed. Like seeing a sad movie, this typically goes away in a couple of hours. If you find that you are getting extremely upset about a writing topic, simply stop writing or change topics.
The writing is for you and for you only. Its purpose is for you to be completely honest with yourself. When writing, secretly plan to throw away your writing when you are finished. Whether you keep it or save it is really up to you.
Some people keep their samples and edit them — gradually changing their writing from day to day. Others simply keep them and return to them over and over again to see how they have changed. Many people simply destroy them because if the writing samples were found by others, it could be embarrassing, shameful, or hurtful for others.
The writing is for you and you alone. Let that freedom guide your honesty.