Written by Tammy Machmali
I have always loved the act of physically writing. In this day and age it might seem obvious to simply type your notes via laptop, using a note-taking app on a tablet and save paper, time, and space. But there is an additional value that comes from physically writing that we lack when typing.
It is a basic principle but by writing everyday you can unlock a world of unlimited possibilities; creative ideas and create beautiful things. I like to encourage writing to others as a way to release. A big hesitation might be a lack of time or motivation but a tip I learned early on was to always carry around a notebook, and to write in it whenever you do have a moment throughout your day. It’s not about how long you write for but the act of physically writing things out that counts.
“The practice of writing helped me express myself and release me from my own mental prison. ”
I started journaling when I was a little girl. I remember writing to God when I felt lonely or unheard; when I felt that no one was coming and I was lost. There are times when I felt lost going down memory lane unable to see the light at the end of the tunnel. For years, I wrote and wrote and wrote some more about my deepest feelings, injustice, resentments, angers, etc. After a while my writings turned into gratitude and affirmations. My notebooks accompanied me everywhere and I would, and still do, jot everything down; whether that be my emotions, thoughts, ideas, creative endeavors, etc.. Everything got better and better as I continued writing. I felt a freedom within. I realized that as a result of writing, the loud voices that overwhelmed me, often producing paralyzing fears, disappeared.
I believe that hand writing on paper can help heal past trauma. First of all your handwriting is unique to you. It’s part of your personality, your hand print. It is also rewarding using our hands to produce something that you put your own mark on. When you write on paper, there’s more of an emotional connection to what you’re writing that you don’t create when typing.
Writing allows the feeling of freedom and safety
There is a freedom that you can find in writing on paper. The page is a safe empty place that is yours. You can write whatever you want without rules or restrictions. It is a place where you can purge all your concerns, worries, fears and dreams without worrying about taking up too much space or being restricted. The movement alone relaxes and soothes.
2. Writing helps us find solutions and answers
Writing out what you are feeling trains you to ask questions and find the answers in your writing. You learn to trust your inner voices and after a while you will progress and work out solutions to situations, stressors, or other things that are consuming your thoughts. It is rewarding when you can see the amazing divine intervention guide you and help you figure out what to do.
3. Writing improves mental and physical health
Writing is known to be a wonderful technique physicians recommend to deal with mental health issues like anxiety and depression. Writing helps people express inner thoughts and fears, identify negative thought patterns, and track symptoms. By keeping a notebook and writing you can find emotional clarity. This awareness happens after a while and you learn to know yourself better.
In an article from The Foundation of Art and Healing, Meg O'Connor states that “expressive writing is a free, simple, and readily available way to take care of our health and prevent the mental and physical harms caused by the stress of emotional upheaval.” It can help us cope with a number of neuroses, including depression, the pain of major life traumas such as bereavement, violence, or a sudden diagnosis of a serious illness. Expressive writing promotes healing, and can help us better control our emotions.
4. Writing guides us towards a new perspective
In the 12 step program, writing is known to help with recovery since members use writing as part of their daily routine to let go of old ideas, thinking of therapeutic writing as transformative.
In fact, taking the time to simply write can be an amazing stress reliever. It is the best way to retain information according to studies down by Princeton and UCLA. The act of writing aids cognitive skills by processing the information in a way that you understand better. This safe space helps boost the immune system, release negative emotions.
It takes daily work to move forward, a lot of breathing, prayers and affirmations, to feel safe. For me, safety used to mean hiding. Hiding who I am… Hiding my art… Hiding my inner voice. I believe that all these old patterns are ineffective because at some point hiding doesn’t help. The practice of writing helped me express myself and release me from my own mental prison. A prison that I choose to build growin up with high fences and a gold door. Writing showed me the good that is within and as a result I choose to open the door and free myself, my voice, my truth, and my art.
These days, I often write at least 3 pages every morning after my prayer and meditation to let go of all the mental garbage I have been holding onto and to start with fresh ideas. I started this practice a few years ago after reading The Artist Way by Julia Cameron. I suggest starting by putting a timer on for 10 minutes and writing down whatever comes to mind without judging the process until you are done with all your mental chatter and you feel lighter and free. This writing practice helped me heal from past trauma, find great creative ideas, discover solutions and above all, freed me from my mental prison to be able to live a happy creative life.
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I hope you enjoyed reading this blog and you got encouraged to give your best. Please share your notebook tag me on instagram @tammymachmali
