It’s a fact. No matter how level-headed you consider yourself, at some point or another, something (or someone) is going to upset you. It could be that a work project didn’t get the recognition it deserved or the paper you put your heart and soul into didn’t get the grade you thought it would. It could also be that someone at your place of study or work has butted heads with you over just about anything. Whatever the issue is, though, there is one surefire way that you can begin working through it…Write about it.

Put Pen To Paper

For decades now, this little piece of advice has been passed on from person to person regarding all sorts of ordeals you might find yourself in. Maybe it happened forever ago and it’s still bothering you, or perhaps it’s a recent rise in your stress levels that’s leaving you down. Whatever happens to be bugging you, writing about it can be a simple yet very effective way to think through the problem, see both sides of the issue, and–in many cases–even come up with a solution for it.

With this method, you could choose to use writing in a variety of ways. Let’s look at some of the most common approaches:

• Explain the problem to yourself: If something is bothering you, it can be helpful to put all of your thoughts and feelings on paper. Explaining the issue to yourself (in complete form) as if you were spilling it to your closest friend can help you see what’s really getting to you, and it might help put things in perspective so you can move past it quicker.
• Break it down: Depending on the problem and how you think you could best approach it, you might also feel better after breaking down the problem. Using a simple numbered list, go through the problem in chronological order. Add an additional item to your list that starts with “This bothers me because…” and another that starts with “I can solve it by…”
• Learn from it: Sometimes, the best step we can take when facing a problem is simply work past it. Begin your writing by talking about how you feel about the problem right now and explain how you want to feel about the issue. The past can’t be changed, so ask yourself: “How can I change my thoughts/feelings about this and learn from it?”
• Forget about it: With certain things, you might just want to take some time out and write about something completely unrelated. This can be handy if you are working through something (like a time of stress) that you know will pass on its own. If that’s the case, pick anything except the problem and write about it. Writing is a great stress reliever, as we talked about in this post.
• Address the issue: Finally, one of the most creative ways to overcome a problem you are facing is to address the issue directly. If someone is bothering you, literally sit down and write a letter to them. Put all your thoughts and feelings on to the paper and say what you want to say to them–just don’t actually hand it to them unless it’s appropriate. If something is bothering you, you can even directly address it.
  • For example, maybe you’re upset with your neighbor for taking your Christmas party idea and then not even putting you on the planning committee. Write a letter to her addressing her by name and explaining the entire ordeal. When you’re finished, you’ll feel a lot better.
  • Or, perhaps you’re mad about something that’s not exactly anyone’s fault. For instance, maybe you’re upset because your computer crashed during the middle of a huge project you were working on. Now you need to write a letter, which will help you realize that (1) it’s not your fault and (2) you need to move on, because it can’t be changed.

No matter how you decide to approach the issue, writing about it can really help.