Why Blogging Keeps You Healthy

Aside from my regular mental exercises (reading books) and physical workouts (I lift some weights, do 150 to 200 push-ups every other day, do 60 squats, bend isometric bars and run---not to mention my regular Filipino martial arts workouts), I also blog for health. I mean total health. And don't confuse blogging with vlogging. I'm talking about writing blogs. 

Photo by Fikret tozak on Unsplash.

Doing personal blogs can do your health a lot of good. A personal blog is where you keep a diary of your past, present and future goals, your experiences and wishful thinking, and share them with people. Studies show that doing so (this kind of writing in particular) can improve physical, mental and emotional health. Writing gets rid of unheathy stress lurking deep, quiet and ominous in your emotions that may trigger dangerous chemical reactions inside the body and eventually prove lethal. But once you release it through writing regularly, your health has the potential to improve greatly. Says one study:

Writing about life goals was significantly less upsetting than writing about trauma and was associated with a significant increase in subjective well-being. Five months after writing, a significant interaction emerged such that writing about trauma, one’s best possible self, or both were associated with decreased illness compared with controls. Results indicate that writing about self-regulatory topics can be associated with the same health benefits as writing about trauma. [Sage Journals]

An article says about online writing, which includes personal blogging:

And writing about your ambitions doesn’t have to be private either. According to Dr Alice Flaherty, a neuroscientist at Harvard University, online writing may trigger the release of dopamine, similar to other dopamine stimulants such as listening to music and looking at art.

By writing online, you may have some of the same therapeutic effects you would get from writing privately, with the added benefit of accountability. That’s a pretty good deal for an activity that’s completely free. [Ness Labs]

When overstress is cleared from your body system, your immune system is greatly enhanced. And personal blog writing offers better dopamine effect than desserts or food (which also gives the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine) because it doesn't give you blood-sugar or insulin spikes. Easy to see why blogging is healthier. 

But I'm Talking about Personal Blogging

But it should be personal blog writing, not company or corporate website blogging. Or business blogs that target rigid sales goals. These blogs will make you sick. I hate doing blogs that require you to improve sales or marketing or audience reach. So-called results-oriented blogs. Personal blogs, though informal, can also help you sell but without the stupid stress, pressure and anxiety of hitting goals. I find rigid goals stupid. What's the use of hitting them but sacrificing your health eventually?

Personal blog writing makes you enjoy the freedom to talk about your goal, product or whatever it is you need to write about, putting your honest thoughts and feelings into it unrestrained, plus your relevant experiences, whether good or bad. Honesty is the best blogging policy. Look at the benefits---you get to express yourself freely, get rid of tension, release dopamine, inspire readers or sell products, and get healthier. Saan ka pa?

Explore, Discover, Broaden and Make New Paths

Formal blogs are rigid and require a lot of rules or plocies to be strictly adhered to. Companies and businesses keep their images sacred and undisturbed so you're not allowed to do things anyway you like. Your writing lose a lot of potential that way. Restrictions do not tolerate free spirits. They keep them bound. You may be allowed to explore a little bit, discover some things, but still require you to remain in your assigned limits. And you have an editor to please.

A personal blog is worlds different. The only rules you observe are yours. But you can always step out of your own rules, explore what's outside and see things even in forbidden territory. Broaden your perspective and hack away at restrictions and taboos to create new paths. The priority is to write as your own person. 

But Will It Make You Sales?

Sales is important, but it's not the priority with personal blogs---although you may make it so. It's your blog, do what you want with it. You may feel that making money is how you express and release your true self. Go ahead. I aim to make money with my personal blogs so I promote my ebooks in them. If I make a sale, well and good. If not, maybe tomorrow? I've seen how others make a killing with their blogs and ebooks, but their extreme drive to make money have swallowed them up and have taken away the true blog writer in them. Just to make money faster, they make other writers write their ebooks for them then claim to be "authors."

What I really hate seeing is how they make lots of money but remain dissatisfied with it. So they charge even higher prices. And the exorbitant pricing never stops. If they offer anything for "free" it's not really free. They tell you nothing or plain garbage in their free offer and then use that offer to urge you to buy something. The passion to write has become plain and simple greed. Real personal blog writing to me is first for self expression, sharing the expression to inspire others and then make some money out of that if possible. Watch out always when passion turns into greed.

By the way, watch out for my coming ebook, "Blog Like a Pro Even if You're Not a Pro." 

Slog Bhop Note: If you have a personal or small business blog (or need to create one) and you need someone to post relevant articles on it (you need at least 1 fresh post per week), just contact me via the contact form below (or directly to mindlaxing@gmail.com) and I'll do it for Php 700 per 400-500 word article. And always drop by my Blog Shop, I mean Slog Bhop 😅.