Writing is often a skill that’s deemed unattainable, I’ve heard too many people claim that they’re bad at writing and they avoid it at all costs. But writing isn’t something you have to be good at. Inside of all of us resides a natural desire to expel our thoughts from our mind onto a platform of some sort. We want to be heard by others and sometimes even by ourselves. That’s why writing is something that I think everyone should do more of, because it gives you a place to develop your authentic self and convey your thoughts. It has more benefits than trying to get an A in a class, or attempting to start a book, writing helps to shape your daily life.
Writing can capture moments in your life in a way that pictures can’t. If you’re traveling and jot down a couple words about what you’re seeing, those words will remind you of those exact moments. When you look back at what you wrote, you will be brought right back to your travels. Not only when traveling, taking the time to write about your experiences big and small allows you to see yourself grow from one day to another.
Or if you’re having a bad day, writing down the words racing through your mind is sort of freeing in a way. Mentally, you’re getting rid of the negative energy within you. Physically, you’re watching the words coming from your hand onto paper or a screen and that action helps to either expel or enhance a thought. For psychological reasons, it’s a kind of therapy that puts things into perspective. If you write down everything you're too afraid to say out loud, it gives life to those words.
By writing things down, it helps to convey feelings that you didn’t even know were inside of you. I know that sounds a little too deep, but it’s true and all you need is a pen and a piece of paper. It’s like unveiling your mind in front of you. You're putting words to feelings, almost creating a work of art from your thinking process. After all, so many legendary songs or novels were created by one individuals’ fleeting thoughts scribbled down on a piece of paper.
With the use of technology taking over our world, it’s important to take a break and writing is something that can get you back in touch with what’s really going on around you and inside of you. People forget to go back to the simplicity of a pencil and a notebook every once in a while.
Even in an intellectual way, writing helps you learn. If you're trying to think of a specific word, you could be opened up to another word leading to an every expanding vocabulary that carries its own benefits.
Another thing that writing helps with is mindfulness. If you're thinking about what to write down next, it creates a sense of appreciation for little things you may have not have noticed before.
This may sound like I’m trying to persuade you into writing, but really I’m just trying to get the idea out there that writing doesn’t have to be confined by the walls of institutions or workplaces. It’s a creative way to express your thoughts and document experiences, and whether or not you show it to others is up to you. Next time you think about writing, try to detach it from it’s typically mechanical form and use it as a vice for expression. Add writing to your daily routine and see what happens. Everyone has an inner voice inside of them, and I think more of those voices need to be heard.
