HOW TO HARNESS WRITING FOR HEALING.

THE HEALING STRENGTH OF WRITING

Writing is as therapeutic as seeing any therapist would be. I realized that oftentimes, we carry so much in our thoughts that we begin to express the consequences of those thoughts to our environment, without knowing why we act the way we do. However, if we would sit down to understand our thoughts, it would be a lot easier to release toxic emotions and move on with our lives.

Writing, like we’ve established, isn't only for becoming writers. Everybody has the ability to write, at least, as if to communicate with themselves. As we go, we develop communication strategies to get what we want from people, but hardly do we do so for ourselves. Everybody needs to heal and one incredible way to do that is to write out how we feel.

Our thoughts dictate our atmosphere all the time, and we cannot tell why we have a gloomy day or a joyful day or we love someone so much but then hate another. That's because we aren't paying attention to what our mind tells us through our thoughts. Although the mind carries the ability to give us information, it doesn't readily store and return that information, so it ends up sending hormones instead to our body which in turn affects how we react and perceive things. However, we can fix that if we think about what we are thinking about. That’s why writing is important. Why writing? Why can’t singing or talking to someone instead do the trick? That's because talking to someone or singing only shows you glimpses that you aren't aware of, but you know you and you can only figure it out yourself.

Here’s how writing to heal, in another word, it's called therapeutic writing, works. Although there are different forms of therapeutic writing, which I won’t bore you with, there is however, one common and productive way to harness its strength.

WRITE FREELY.

A lot of the time, we think we must write in a certain way, when what we really need is to see things as they are. For example, when you catch yourself consistently feeling in a certain way towards a person or situation, no matter how short or long it seems, write what it feels and the circumstances that surround that emotion. Say I become defensive around a person and I'm not sure why. My journaling could come in this way ‘Eli’s body brushed mine as I passed the kitchen and I didn't seem to be okay with that. Even the sight of him pisses me off, but he is my husband and I'm not supposed to feel this way. I’ve found myself thinking a lot lately about how our marriage is turning. I don’t seem to be as excited as I used to be. I’m not certain. Can I talk about this with Eli? Would he understand? Nothing is wrong with Eli, he’s amazing, easy going, but something just feels off. We’ve not been talking a lot recently. I miss those times we’d sit in the living room with the kids already sleeping and talk about our day with popcorn and my legs stretched on his laps. I guess I'm reacting to this distance with irritation. I should talk with Eli”

If our friend here had probably gone over to sit with a friend, she might have gotten the perspective of her friend, but she, however, needs hers most importantly. This goes to show that writing freely always gives healing to the mind and direction too.

Whenever you feel overwhelmed, write things out.