Blogging Is Good For Your Health

Blogging = Therapy. 

I’ve always found myself to be a better writer than speaker. If I have communication issues with friends or family, composing an email is easier for me to illustrate & organize my thoughts than a conversation over the phone or in person. Being able to edit my [sometimes too honest] words is a beautiful thing. Don’t get me wrong, there is something special – and let’s face it: rare – about having face-time and being able to share a beer with my friends & family, but — many natural writers do write like they are speaking directly to you. Don’t you wish you could censor or even take back some of the words that have slipped out of your mouth over the years? Writing puts a nice bandage over my foot-in-mouth syndrome! 

Now that I’m a blogger, I write to write. I like to express my thoughts to whoever will listen. Sometimes, I won’t get any feedback at all, and although I do get all tingly when I receive comments on a post I sunk my heart & soul into, the simple act of getting my thoughts out helps me gain some perspective on whatever I am feeling that day. I tend to be an over-analyzer, so if I can step back and wrap my brain around why a friend is acting weird, or to simply share and cry about milk exploding like a tidal wave in the middle of a grocery store, it helps on many levels. Blogging is my current favorite form of therapy.

Blogging Provides a Built-in Support-Group. 
When I first started blogging, I was aware of bloggers, as in, individual bloggers, but I didn’t realize the depth of the support I’d receive from this unique community. I do have off-weeks where I struggle to find the time to give as well as receive, but whenever I do make a point to comment on every blog in my blogroll, the feedback is almost always positive. The community of bloggers is very strong, and most of them have developed such an incredible sense of humor and heartfelt-honesty, I can’t wait to read many of their posts. Even if I occasionally envy their seemingly unobtainable level of awesome. 

As much as I love to write, I don’t know if I would have kept up with this blog, writing consistently 2-3 times a week on average for the last year and a half, without my fellow bloggers’ support. Like some forms of therapy, the blogging support group has kept my head on straight, without taking myself, or life too seriously.

Blogging Keeps Me Out of My Fridge at 3p. 
Before I was a blogger, I’d hit that dreaded 3p wall. I’d have shit to do, but I’d do the procrastination dance into my fridge, pantry, whathaveyou. And once I’d eat one snack, I wouldn’t stop until I started making dinner, then I’d taste this or that… ugh. I really feel like snacking was preventing me from losing weight.

How is this related to blogging?

Instead of raiding the fridge or pantry at 3p, I crack open my computer instead. I can find plenty to do in order to avoid my responsibilities of emptying the dishwasher, doing a load of laundry, #mustIgoon? I can compose a rant or funny post of brilliance, I can read other blogs, I can be social on twitter, FB, Pinterest, etc.

I’m not saying that blogging was the only reason I lost weight, but eliminating the afternoon nosh-fest definitely contributed to my current normal-sized physique. This is a beautiful contribution to my happiness. My fat ass needed to lose those 50lbs, and although I tried to put on a happy face behind all that fat, I was miserable carrying that extra weight around. Not having to worry about my fat rolls in this pair of jeans or how many chins are showing when I have a conversation gives me such a feeling of freedom. I’m not saying you need to starve yourself — but if you need to lose weight, try eating 3 healthy meals you enjoy instead of snacking for a month. Open your laptop instead of the fridge or pantry. #tryit

Blogging Helps You Stay Organized.
How is organization good for your health? Think about it: don’t you feel better overall when you have some level of organization going for you? I know I do. Being able to collect not only my thoughts, but pictures and events isn’t something I had a good handle on before I started blogging. The iPhoto collection on my laptop is, and may always be a mess of pictures. I know I should add folders to organize my photos better, but who has the time for that shit? Blogging allows me to actually sleep better knowing that I have chronicled some pretty amazing moments with my family & friends. Participating in some memes, such as Capture the Everyday forces me to slow down, capture & embrace all of these moments as well. Trust me, my brain has enough to worry about, but knowing that I have published some incredible events and moments over the last year and a half has helped me eliminate that worry from my mind.

Do you feel blogging is good for your health? How has it positively contributed to your life?