"If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." - Toni Morrison
How often have you caressed the picture of your childhood friend on a social networking site and thought of calling her, but stopped yourself, every time? You see each other often on your timeline pictures, but never in person. How often have you wished to go back to your school days and share lunch? You always had so much to talk about, but so little time. How many times has your heart raced at the sight of a dancing star in action (you wanted to be a dancer at one point of time)? How do you feel when you see the easel standing at the corner, staring at you? You may have forgotten your glorious years as a painter, but the easel has not. It has a story to tell; your story as a budding painter. Trust me, every time you wanted to say something. Something which is very poignant, meaningful, yet unspoken? How come nobody notices things which matter to you the most? Perhaps you are the only one who has felt this way.
Writing for Healing
Sophie Nichols mentioned in Beyond Expressive Writing, says “…. the writer gains some initial release from writing her feelings out onto the page and then moves on to begin to shape her material, learning to craft and redraft it, ultimately developing a new relationship with aspects of her self-experience, perhaps by experimentation with form, perhaps by fictionalizing or retelling the initially expressed material from a different point of view”. Well, she is right. Writing is one of the best ways of healing. You can achieve a sense of peace and solitude by writing about your personal experiences. Writing therapy helps a person reflect, unlock incidents and latent truths they keep hidden, even from themselves. Therapeutic writing and healing field is in a nascent stage now but shows good potential for growth.
Write for Yourself, Write for Your Soul
It is time to put your thoughts down on pen and paper. I repeat, pen and paper, not a computer or any other hand-held device. Writing with a pen is a physical action that allows a natural synergy of your mind and body. Scratching the irrelevant parts is a reflection of your mind (what it wants to omit) unlike using the delete button that simply erases everything that is unwanted, leaving no physical trace.
Writing about your own experiences not only releases a plethora of emotions but also helps you discover yourself as a person. You come to terms with yourself. You revisit an earlier time and ask yourself what happened and why? You will be amazed to see the results. I am not talking about explanations, but about shifting paradigms and different perspectives. You will be surprised to unravel the various layers of meaning hidden in a single incident. You will come to realize why your childhood friend could not come for your housewarming ceremony ten years back; she was attending to her invalid brother at home. Write down your exact feelings, fleeting thoughts, emotions, heartbreak, and reassurance.
You can now forgive your younger self for being unkind to your friend. Your recovered self induces you to speak to her again, rekindle the friendship, and plan for a meet-up soon. The practice of writing regularly inspires you to write more and you will be amazed to see how you have evolved greatly after a month. Your language, mode of expression, vivid imagery, detailing everything will improve. Writing will change your world.
“Pursuing your passions will expand your world. This will make you a better writer.”
- Walter Dean Myers
Writing TherapyHealthy Living = Writing Daily
A state of optimal well-being implies more than a mere absence of disease or disorder; it also means having the right resources to cope with problems and circumstances that are beyond your control and recover from difficult or troubling situations. This intersection between health and behavior can help you prevent chronic illness, and steer you to make better decisions about your well-being.
Experts on health and wellness have underlined the importance of writing in our daily lives time and again. If you have a habit of writing journals regularly (of the day-to-day happenings in your life) you will be calmer and more composed than your peers. Write daily before going to bed, or spare an hour after you come home from work, to recollect your thoughts. Write with a pen and think while writing. Let your mind wander and write the first thing that appears on your mind, though it may be the least important of all happenings.
Find out what you want to write. You don’t have anything specific on your mind. No problem. Take up a random idea and start digging. At times, you have to start writing to find out what you want to write about. You might stumble at first, but do not stop. Keep writing. Do not be afraid of falling short of words. Once you have got the drift, you will do a great job, I am sure.
writing for healingOnce you have written a page or two. Read it aloud, first to yourself, and then, to any known person, a friend or a family member. How was it? Did you feel a soft breeze touching your face? Did you just take a deep breath? Did you feel inner peace? You must have.
That’s it. You have achieved the first step of self-discovery. Now, you can be a winner at anything. You may also think of publishing your writing now.
You may also submit your writings in TheWriteScene.com for a review. We will review your writings and help you grow as a writer and get published. We encourage young talents to grow as writing professionals and unlock their hidden potential. Drop us a mail and we will get back to you.
Never stop dreaming.