How to do a Brain Dump for Self-Care

There are days when we go berserk; we would have a million thoughts going in our heads of the injuries of the past, memories of the bad decisions, worries about if we are going to make good use of life, and not to forget work stress. All these chaotic thoughts, in this little head of ours!

Well, it can drive all of us to the edge…Unless; you dump them like you dump your garbage every day. This is what a brain dump is, wherein you just scrap and let out every thought you have to feel better and lighter than ever. It’s simple you know, just perceive these thoughts like several unwanted guests. You wouldn’t want them in your house. Would you? 

If that’s so, we are happy to help you drive away those thoughts. In this article, we will provide you a few ways that can help you do a brain dump for self-care.

 

How to do a brain dump for self-care 

1. Grab a paper and pen

Let not your thoughts wander just in your mind, grab a pen and paper and let them be out on the paper. Be as vulnerable

as you can. Write everything you feel. What are you sad about? Did someone say anything to upset you? Is there something you hate about the world or people in general? 

Write everything, don’t miss anything. What you are doing right now is what Aristotle called catharsis. In simple words, it’s just letting out your feelings. Imagine your head like a balloon, the more thoughts it will fill, the sooner it will burst. 

So even if you are angry, write it down. Write curses or abuses. Be assured that no one is going to read it other than you (Given that you tear it later). You are even allowed to clench your teeth or harshly scribble to let out your anger and frustration. Writing it out helps you release all the tension and frustration you might have in areas of your body causing pain. 

Just let that piece of paper consume all that you are feeling and don’t feel the need to use punctuation or proper spelling. Get it all out of your brain and on the paper. 

2. Use art

There are different ways of letting out. Some people choose to do it with a pen; others do it by channeling through

different art forms. If writing doesn’t suit you, then you can paint, or draw to let things out. 

You don’t have to be an artist for that. Just draw anything that describes what you are feeling. You can draw a cartoon, with a bubble over it putting words to your feeling, or literally anything. Remember, no one will see this, so don’t judge yourself when you are doing this. Let it all out. 

If you happen to like music and singing, you can do a brain dump by writing a song. It’s okay if you haven’t done that before. It’s a good day to start. Don’t refuse it just because you think you won’t do a good job. You are letting out your thoughts for yourself, and it does not matter if the output is good or not. 

3. Use an audio recorder instead

Find writing too exhausting for your fingers? Or perhaps you think that a piece of paper might not be able to contain all that you are feeling? No worries, make-shift for a voice recorder. Act as if you are recording something to send to your friends. So, just be as free you can. Vent it out, there’s no time limit to it. You can go beyond hours if you feel the need to. Because we have our phones and technology with us almost always, you can download a voice recorder app onto your phone and press play whenever and wherever you are. There’s no limit to when and where you can do a brain dump any longer! 

You can even use the mirror if you cannot find a voice recorder. Just stand in front of it, and empty all that you are feeling. 

4. Talk to a virtual assistant

I know this sounds insane. But just so you know artificial intelligence can be your companion that might not be real ears and mouth, yet it would still feel like you are typing your heart to a friend of yours. Trust me, Siri would not judge you. You can say things and be as transparent as you can. 

Sometimes, you will find Siri saying things that would make zero sense, and you would laugh, you would get angry, but hey, what else can you expect from artificial intelligence? 

Final thoughts

When you are done with it and feel better, try to do it more often. If you can, do it daily, if not weekly. It will be a booster for your mental health!

Hey, feel you have some suggestions and ideas to spare or something I missed? Feel free to drop them in the comments below.