Putting pen to paper can be very therapeutic when you’re troubled—sitting at a keyboard doesn’t have the same effect as sitting in a quiet spot and getting your thoughts down on paper. You don’t necessarily have to share those thoughts with anyone, although you could decide to show your insightful writing to a counselor or a therapist to help you make sense of what you have discovered about yourself. Here are some life problems that you can make sense of through the power of words:

当你心绪不安时，拿起纸笔写下来会非常治愈。坐在键盘前的效果可不如找一个安静的地方坐下，把你的想法全部写下来。你不必和任何人分享这些想法，不过你也可以把你写下来的深刻想法给某位顾问或治疗师看看，让他们帮你理解你在自己身上发现的问题。当你出现下面这些问题时就可以通过文字的力量来想清楚。



1. You’re Angry

你感到愤怒

Pick up a pen and write down exactly why you are angry. Now make a decision to let it go. Holding onto the anger doesn’t affect the other person, the company, or the situation one bit: only you can decide when you’ve had enough.

拿起一支笔，写下你究竟为何愤怒。现在做一个决定，放下这些不快。纠结于愤怒丝毫不会对别人、公司或者这件事产生任何影响：只有你能决定你何时应该解脱。



2. You’re Stressed

你感到有压力

Start by writing down the words, “I’m feeling stressed” and then go on to describe what that feels like. Your brain needs to get off the cycle of spinning around in circles so you can start focusing on solutions.

一开始先写下“我感觉到有压力”，然后描述这种感觉是怎样的。你的大脑需要从毫无进展的死胡同里摆脱出来，这样你才能开始专注于解决问题。



3. You’re Depressed

你感到沮丧

Journaling can help you document your recovery as you recover from depression. You can look back over time and see that you are making progress, even if you don’t notice that you are feeling better day to day.

当你从沮丧中恢复的时候，日记可以帮你记录你的恢复过程。你可以回顾过去，看见自己正在进步。哪怕你并没有察觉，其实你每天都比前一天感觉更好。



4. You’re Anxious

你感到焦虑

Write down the issue that you are concerned about and its consequences; it can help you put things into perspective, and save the response for when you really need it.

写下你担心的事情以及它的后果；这样有助于你以长远眼光来看问题，把应对措施留给你真正需要的时候。







5. You’re Confused

你感到困惑

We all get stuck sometimes and have no idea what to do next. Start with what you know and build out from there. You may find that you have more answers (and options) than you originally thought.

有时候我们都会遇到瓶颈，不知道接下来该怎么做。从你知道的开始，一点一点想办法。你也许会发现你比原本想象的有更多答案和选择。



6. You’re Afraid

你感到害怕

Write down exactly what you are afraid of. Let your words shine a light on it and stare it down. Is it something you can control or do something about? Then take action. If not, you may need to decide to let it go, either on your own or with professional help.

写下你到底害怕什么。盯着你写下的文字看，让恐惧的光芒黯淡下去。这件事你是否可以控制或者做些什么？那么就采取行动。如果不能，你也许应该决心放下它，不管是依靠你自己还是专业帮助。



7. You’re Grieving

你感到悲伤

If you have experienced a loss, your grief may come in waves. Write down memories of your loved one, what it feels like to be without him or her, your anger, sadness, or whatever you are feeling on a particular day. The paper is a safe place for you to unload all of those feelings.

如果你失去了什么，你的悲伤也许会波浪一般袭来。写下关于你爱的人的回忆，没有了他或她你是什么感觉，还有你在特别的某一天的感受，无论是生气还是悲伤。这张纸对你来说是个安全的地方，可以让你卸下这些感受。



8. You Feel “Blue”

你感到忧郁

On days when you feel out of sorts and can’t seem to get out of a funk, pull out a pad of paper and start writing about it. Some people find it helpful to remind themselves that even the worst day will pass and that things will get better. Another approach is to give yourself a limited time (15-20 minutes) to feel icky and write about it. Then get on with your day in a more positive frame of mind.

当你感觉心情不好，而且好像无法摆脱这种感觉时，拿出一叠纸，开始写下你的感觉。有的人认为这能提醒他们，即使最坏的日子也会过去，事情都会好转，这样很有帮助。另一个办法是给自己限定一个时间（15-20分钟）体会这种糟糕的感觉，并且写下来。然后再带着更加积极的心态继续过这一天。



9. You’re in Physical Pain

你正在承受身体的疼痛

People who live with chronic pain have a lot on their plate, even at the best of times. Writing about how you feel about the pain can be a good coping strategy, especially if you share what you have written with your health care team. Your doctor wants to know if you are feeling angry, depressed, frustrated, hopeless, etc. Putting pen to paper can also be a distraction from the physical sensations when you are having a challenging time.

那些承受慢性疼痛的人都有些情绪问题，哪怕是在情况最好的时候。写下你对于疼痛的感觉是一个很好的应对办法，尤其是如果你把你写的东西分享给你的医疗团队。你的医生想知道你是否有愤怒、沮丧、泄气、绝望等感觉。当你遭遇疼痛挑战时，把感觉写下来还能分散身体疼痛的注意力。



10. You’re Struggling with Low Self-esteem

你在和自信心低落作斗争

If your self-esteem has taken a beating and you’re feeling less than great about yourself, it’s time to do some work to build yourself back up. What would you say to a good friend in your shoes? Think of something positive about yourself and write it down. Then add something else. It doesn’t matter what these statements are; no one is going to see them. They can be sweet or silly. The important thing is that they mean something to you. Save that piece of paper and refer to it whenever you need a boost.

如果你的自信心受到了打击，而且你对自己的感觉不太好，是时候做点什么让你复原了。你会对你的秘密好友说什么？想想自己积极的一面并且把它写下来。然后补充一些东西。你怎样写的不重要，没有人会看到这些。它们可以亲切贴心也可以傻里傻气。重要的在于它们对你而言有意义。把这张纸保存起来，当你需要加油打气时就拿出来看看。

Writing can be a wonderful way to relieve stress, help you see things clearly, and give yourself a much-needed boost when you need it. Why don’t you make a point of spending some quality time with a pen and some paper today?

书写对于减轻压力、帮你看清问题、需要时给你增加必要的自信是非常有帮助的。你今天为什么不考虑拿起纸和笔写点东西呢？