by McKayla Holson, Editorial Editor
Venting is healthy.
I think the worst thing you could possibly do with your emotions is bottle them up. If you sit and stew, the problems and turmoil raging inside of you will just continue to fester until you snap.
An article by Jessica Stillman, a contributor to Inc.com, says voicing your problems or feelings makes the situation(s) worse.
I don’t agree in the slightest. Venting lets you blow off steam and actually get the feelings out of your body and mind.
The article says venting is a negative experience and can have a negative impact on the person you’re venting to.
It COULD be a negative experience, but I believe it won’t be if you have balance. You have to balance the good with the bad, maybe even add in an extra dash of good just to tip the scales in a positive direction.
When my friends vent to me, or when I vent to them, I try to add at least one positive note. And then, don’t just end the conversation there. Move on to something relaxed or happy to get away from the negative. I know I always feel better after word-vomiting my feelings.
Venting doesn’t even have to verbal, you could have a journal or something similar. In fact, the act of physically writing or typing my feelings out is almost therapeutic to me. I don’t always have time to handwrite it, or I’m not exactly in a situation where I can pull out a journal and a pen, so I’ve taken to typing in the notes of my phone. My phone is something I almost always have on me and it’s not as clunky to carry around as a journal and pen.
I have TONS of notes on my phone. They’re not all bad, I have a lot of school notes and random ideas for projects, but I do have quite a few. Every so often I like to go through and delete my rants or vent sessions, it’s like expelling the thoughts away forever. Plus, it’s nice to look back and reflect on what was bothering me, it’s oftentimes a learning experience.