The beginning of a semester can always be a weird time for everyone. Adjusting to new schedules, getting back into a motivated swing, and even making time to see close friends after breaks in between, it’s guaranteed to be a hectic whirlwind for at least the first week. However, a common trend I have found is that while we try to adjust to these new chapters in our lives, we often forget to create time for self-care and reflection.
Self-care is a very important part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, both from a physical and mental approach. In mainstrem media, however, physical self-care appears to be more glorified and advertised because it is often time more consciously noticeable by the individual and their peers. It is mental health that we often times overlook because of various stigmas on mental illness which, in turn, subconsciously leads us to not pay close enough attention to when we need to regenerate mentally. In the last year alone, I have realized now how important it is for myself to reflect and write on my experience as often as I can to have positive energy and motivation to succeed.
The other issue with beginning self-care and journalism is a lot of people may not know where to begin, or even not know the amount of options there are that tailor to any given individual’s needs. This list of different methods of journalism for self-care purposes are a collection of platforms and tips I have found to be the most useful.
A Written Journal
One of the most authentic forms of journalism comes in the form of keeping a written journal or diary. Often times more of a private approach to self-care, this method I see as more of a meditation than something for public audiences on mainstream social media. This method is very much so for someone who wants to reflect solely on themselves and in a way that they feel safe and secure since it does not in any way require sharing thoughts and ideas publicly. The publication and sharing of those thoughts is completely up to the discretion of the writer.
A Digital Journal/Blog
Digital journalism and blogging is more of the route to go for someone who is into sharing their experiences in hopes of being able to provide content that others can relate to emotionally. Often times with the intention of giving advice to an audience, digital journalism can come in several different forms that can each tailor to an individual’s needs. For those who are visual journalists and communicators, platforms for vlogging such as Youtube or photojournalism such as Tumblr and Pinterest are very popular to meet those needs. Those who prefer standard written journalism have a variety of platforms to choose from as well, such as WordPress, Blogspot, and even Facebook or Twitter can be used depending on the genre of journalism. A new and interesting trend I have found with Twitter is personal reflection in the form of poetry that is restricted to the 140-character minimum (see @avxlanche), which surprisingly hits home quite hard for most people.
Photojournalism
This type of self-care journalism is personally my favorite and usually go-to for reflection. Using platforms such as VSCO, Tumblr, and in some cases Instagram, it is often best to upload a picture in the current setting or emotion you are feeling and then following it up with a description describing it. I typically use VSCO to upload photos into my journal entries as well because it allows me to give a voice to my memories and pictures.
Now that you have three different types of self-care journalism to explore, I hope it may be easier to find a way to channel your thoughts and reflections in a way that provides the necessary amount of self-care. With this semester already in full swing, don’t forget to look out after yourself too in the midst of keeping grades up, staying committed to a career, and any other life component that may be happening!