Writing (and reading!) my thoughts in a journal really helps in a few ways: * It avoids getting into a negative cycle. When I feel good, I read what I wrote w

Writing (and reading!) my thoughts in a journal really helps in a few ways: * It avoids getting into a negative cycle. When I feel good, I read what I wrote when I wasn't and reflect. Next time I'm feeling not well, reading how I dealt with the situation in the past helps me from dwelling on negative thoughts. * I make notes about effective actions that help me feel better (physically and mentally) so I can take action without thinking too much. * I write about what I want to do do in the future when I am feeling better. This helps to keep me positive and also helps me make effective use of the good times. For context, I have to deal with eczema that can get pretty bad at times.