How Journaling Can Teach You to Love Your Body

Journaling can transform not only my physical health, but also emotional and spiritual health. I didn’t always love my body. In fact, for years, I hardly thought about it at all. My body was a machine that I worked relentlessly and neglected constantly. It was simply a tool that my brain used to get where it needed to go. I paid no mind to aching muscles, searing headaches and other signs of stress and exhaustion. I ignored my body’s needs until a major health challenge forced me to stop and recognize the obvious: my body isn’t a machine at all. It’s an integral part of me that requires love, care and respect. I began journaling every day as a way to get back in touch with my body. This practice has transformed not only my physical health but also my emotional and spiritual health. I started listening to what my body was telling me and making decisions to embrace a full, healthy and balanced life. Why Journaling? Researchers have been tracking the positive effects of journaling for decades. Over the years, studies have found that expressive writing can lead to significant benefits, including short- and long-term health outcomes, better immune system performance, stress and anxiety reduction and relief from chronic illnesses, such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. And a 2017 study from the University of Arizona showed that for people going through a divorce, narrative writing exercises – telling the story of their divorce, not just documenting their feelings about ...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Exercise & Fitness Health-related Mindfulness Personal Publishers Self-Esteem Self-Help Spirituality & Health body Body Image body love Emotional Health habits Journaling journaling prompts Physical Health Spiritual Health Source Type: blogs