In the past 2 years, I’ve journaled more than I have in my entire life, writing helped me navigate some painful emotions I was feeling. It was so necessary for me to write to get those thoughts out of my mind and on paper. It helped me release those feelings, it helped me process those feelings. I know firsthand the healing power of writing.
Thank you so much for sharing Jasmin! “To release those feelings”, is so powerful - it’s like writing them down makes them travel from stuck within to an external safe place in your journal 🙏🏼
"Words, a way to concretise an abstract thought or emotion into something more tangible. Debatable. Shareable."
Your words, Elin, do far more than resonate with me - they touch the core of an inner struggle that desperately wants to be let out into the light. Because I am (in your words) a human "in need for connection and exchange".
I avoided writing for various reasons. Mostly I thought I was not entitled to, but after taking the plunge into it I realised the only reason I did not dare to write was the fear of confronting myself. There is a piece I shared recently on my Substack of this very nature you're talking about - of releasing, of making visible that part of myself that dragged me down - how liberating this exposure feels now.
Thank you for putting yourself out here. It feels less lonely. Let's write and share.
Thank you, Elin for a great read. I loved this part right here: "As long as the words and emotions remain locked up, we’ll forever feel alone in our own misery. Forget that there are others in the world who feel and think the same things. This very moment." It reminds me of the James Baldwin quote of similar sentiment, "You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read."
Thank you so much Rachel for sharing this! To be quoted in the same setting as Baldwin is no understatement and I totally see the connection, he was obviously right 👏❣️✨
Definitely resonates. I used to write fiction exckusively. It's what I studied in college. It was the dream. Then it died with my honor's thesis. And ever since I've struggled to do it. To commit. To write badly first. But now you've got me thinking.
The inevitable question: what happened with your honor’s thesis? Or was it that you just didn’t write after that?
You bring up a very valuable point around “writing bad”. Creativity is like a muscle that need continuous nurturing isn’t it? It’s one of the reasons I decided plunge myself into it and write as much as I can to quicker train it up again... x
Well... My director didn't really like it and through her guidance it became something I didn't like, that was written very well. But it also stole joy out of writing. As I look back, that story was my baby and I should have went with a different idea. I also was not very teachable.
Ah yeah tricky one!! I totally get you for losing the vibe to write though, I’m the same, I can’t stand people telling me what to do if it’s something I don’t agree with 🫣
This article is so perfect, writing has always been a source of catharsis for me. As of late I noticed that especially with pent up frustration writing really enables me to vent and clear my brain. In the book The Artists Way the author mentions this idea of morning pages where immediately you wake up you fill three pages with whatever comes to mind. Its been such a helpful practice in allowing me to put all my stresses for the day out on paper and focus my brain on my creative work and imagination.
Today, today, I literally wrote at the top of my journal page: "write to heal." And then...stop writing for the wrong reasons. This is all so aligned with what I've been sensing, hearing, feeling. Thank you for sharing. It's in these vulnerable places we help facilitate healing, in ourselves and in others.
Yesss. Writing is medicine... I’ll be featuring a friend of mine soon with a long standing journaling practice. I try to prioritise writing for myself first. The public writing comes second, so I can write from a full cup xx
Oooh I love that 🙏🏼 when the kids are a bit older I’ll definitely do the same. For now I don’t have much choice if I want to advance towards my dreams for this newsletter... just gotta hit publish 🫣
Yess for sure no perfectionism anywhere would be ideal. And hitting send is something I want to do more in my public writing, when I do write. So should take you as an expose for this :)
I always love the fact that writing is an act of healing, and that it’s gained more attention as a tool for expressing our internal thoughts and feelings. I see it as a way to alchemize and transmute energy, as well as a vehicle to connect to the Muse on a spiritual, sacred level ✨
Thank you for sharing something so near and dear to my heart, I know many others who have felt the same ♥️
Elin thank you for taking the time to share this. I want to acknowledge you for the time and effort it takes to create something from the heart and the courage required to share it. Writing has been a means to express my deepest most “ineffable” emotions and by doing to be able to make sense of my human experience. As a byproduct it may help others make sense of theirs. I shared one of my most vulnerable pieces of writing a few months ago around abuse: https://open.substack.com/pub/soulwisdom/p/sexual-abuse-my-story?r=a9uns&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post
Lately, I've also been thinking about the healing power of creativity. For nearly two decades, my primary medium was music. When asked about their creative process, my peers report that they receive 'complete ideas'--an entire composition appears from beginning to end. I never understood this and was quite jealous of it. I imagined their relationship with music was more pure than mine. I always got bits and pieces and attempted to weave them together.
I've been writing more lately and finally experienced what my peers reported. Often, I'll walk and be struck with a fully formed idea. It's surprising and, after being used to getting little fragments, seems too good to be true.
Does a particular medium's likelihood to provide complete ideas have anything to do with its healing powers? Does a medium that offers the creative immediate, complete ideas heal the creative differently than one that is a slog? I do feel like writing has been more healing to me than music but it could be just because it's new.
Thank you so much Will for the share and for these incredibly valuable added reflections!
I love the questioning you’re doing at the end as it’s something I tend to do in response to everything… why am I feeling like this, why is this happening etc.
The novelty may definitely play a part, but I do think there is a difference (my experience is in visual fiber arts especially) between writing and other mediums, where writing becomes such a concrétisation of the thought process.
Lots resonates and aligns with what i'm practicing now. I have very much, for a very long time, written in a vacuum and almost to a secretive degree but between sharing my writing, reading much more (including pieces like this) know I mustn't remain in the vacuum and Brené Brown (as always) comes to mind with this:
“True belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world. Our sense of belonging can never be greater than our level of self-acceptance.”
You’re so right, writing is healing! Writing has always been my way of making sense of the world and myself. I notice such a difference in myself during the periods of life that I don’t write or journal frequently and the times when I do, and let me tell you I’m always in a better headspace when I’m writing a lot.
In the past 2 years, I’ve journaled more than I have in my entire life, writing helped me navigate some painful emotions I was feeling. It was so necessary for me to write to get those thoughts out of my mind and on paper. It helped me release those feelings, it helped me process those feelings. I know firsthand the healing power of writing.
Thank you so much for sharing Jasmin! “To release those feelings”, is so powerful - it’s like writing them down makes them travel from stuck within to an external safe place in your journal 🙏🏼
"Words, a way to concretise an abstract thought or emotion into something more tangible. Debatable. Shareable."
Your words, Elin, do far more than resonate with me - they touch the core of an inner struggle that desperately wants to be let out into the light. Because I am (in your words) a human "in need for connection and exchange".
I avoided writing for various reasons. Mostly I thought I was not entitled to, but after taking the plunge into it I realised the only reason I did not dare to write was the fear of confronting myself. There is a piece I shared recently on my Substack of this very nature you're talking about - of releasing, of making visible that part of myself that dragged me down - how liberating this exposure feels now.
Thank you for putting yourself out here. It feels less lonely. Let's write and share.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience of liberation through finally allowing yourself to write 🙏🏼 it’s incredibly powerful!
Let’s write and share, absolutely 🥂✨
Thank you, Elin for a great read. I loved this part right here: "As long as the words and emotions remain locked up, we’ll forever feel alone in our own misery. Forget that there are others in the world who feel and think the same things. This very moment." It reminds me of the James Baldwin quote of similar sentiment, "You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read."
Thank you so much Rachel for sharing this! To be quoted in the same setting as Baldwin is no understatement and I totally see the connection, he was obviously right 👏❣️✨
He always is 😩 such a visionary! Be well.
Definitely resonates. I used to write fiction exckusively. It's what I studied in college. It was the dream. Then it died with my honor's thesis. And ever since I've struggled to do it. To commit. To write badly first. But now you've got me thinking.
The inevitable question: what happened with your honor’s thesis? Or was it that you just didn’t write after that?
You bring up a very valuable point around “writing bad”. Creativity is like a muscle that need continuous nurturing isn’t it? It’s one of the reasons I decided plunge myself into it and write as much as I can to quicker train it up again... x
Well... My director didn't really like it and through her guidance it became something I didn't like, that was written very well. But it also stole joy out of writing. As I look back, that story was my baby and I should have went with a different idea. I also was not very teachable.
Ah yeah tricky one!! I totally get you for losing the vibe to write though, I’m the same, I can’t stand people telling me what to do if it’s something I don’t agree with 🫣
This really resonated! I tend to write once the band aid is off and when I do, it’s very cathartic. Thank you for sharing this 😊
Thank you Gina and for adding your own experience 🙏🏼❣️
This article is so perfect, writing has always been a source of catharsis for me. As of late I noticed that especially with pent up frustration writing really enables me to vent and clear my brain. In the book The Artists Way the author mentions this idea of morning pages where immediately you wake up you fill three pages with whatever comes to mind. Its been such a helpful practice in allowing me to put all my stresses for the day out on paper and focus my brain on my creative work and imagination.
Thank you for being here Teniola! And you’re right, Julie Cameron sure knows what she’s talking about 👏🙏🏼❣️
Today, today, I literally wrote at the top of my journal page: "write to heal." And then...stop writing for the wrong reasons. This is all so aligned with what I've been sensing, hearing, feeling. Thank you for sharing. It's in these vulnerable places we help facilitate healing, in ourselves and in others.
Thank you for being here Sue 🥰🙏🏼
Yesss. Writing is medicine... I’ll be featuring a friend of mine soon with a long standing journaling practice. I try to prioritise writing for myself first. The public writing comes second, so I can write from a full cup xx
Oooh I love that 🙏🏼 when the kids are a bit older I’ll definitely do the same. For now I don’t have much choice if I want to advance towards my dreams for this newsletter... just gotta hit publish 🫣
Yess for sure no perfectionism anywhere would be ideal. And hitting send is something I want to do more in my public writing, when I do write. So should take you as an expose for this :)
I always love the fact that writing is an act of healing, and that it’s gained more attention as a tool for expressing our internal thoughts and feelings. I see it as a way to alchemize and transmute energy, as well as a vehicle to connect to the Muse on a spiritual, sacred level ✨
Thank you for sharing something so near and dear to my heart, I know many others who have felt the same ♥️
Thank you for your valuable feedback Christine, always such beauty in your expression 🥰
Elin thank you for taking the time to share this. I want to acknowledge you for the time and effort it takes to create something from the heart and the courage required to share it. Writing has been a means to express my deepest most “ineffable” emotions and by doing to be able to make sense of my human experience. As a byproduct it may help others make sense of theirs. I shared one of my most vulnerable pieces of writing a few months ago around abuse: https://open.substack.com/pub/soulwisdom/p/sexual-abuse-my-story?r=a9uns&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post
I'm so happy I came across this!
Lately, I've also been thinking about the healing power of creativity. For nearly two decades, my primary medium was music. When asked about their creative process, my peers report that they receive 'complete ideas'--an entire composition appears from beginning to end. I never understood this and was quite jealous of it. I imagined their relationship with music was more pure than mine. I always got bits and pieces and attempted to weave them together.
I've been writing more lately and finally experienced what my peers reported. Often, I'll walk and be struck with a fully formed idea. It's surprising and, after being used to getting little fragments, seems too good to be true.
Does a particular medium's likelihood to provide complete ideas have anything to do with its healing powers? Does a medium that offers the creative immediate, complete ideas heal the creative differently than one that is a slog? I do feel like writing has been more healing to me than music but it could be just because it's new.
Thank you so much Will for the share and for these incredibly valuable added reflections!
I love the questioning you’re doing at the end as it’s something I tend to do in response to everything… why am I feeling like this, why is this happening etc.
The novelty may definitely play a part, but I do think there is a difference (my experience is in visual fiber arts especially) between writing and other mediums, where writing becomes such a concrétisation of the thought process.
Building bridges for connection - this resonates so much! Thanks for sharing your thoughtful observations.
Thank you Lisa for taking your time to read and reflect on it too 🙏🏼 that’s a bridge right there!
Lots resonates and aligns with what i'm practicing now. I have very much, for a very long time, written in a vacuum and almost to a secretive degree but between sharing my writing, reading much more (including pieces like this) know I mustn't remain in the vacuum and Brené Brown (as always) comes to mind with this:
“True belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world. Our sense of belonging can never be greater than our level of self-acceptance.”
Oh yes, so powerful words! Thanks for bringing this quote to the conversation 🙏🏼 I’m very glad this resonated!
You’re so right, writing is healing! Writing has always been my way of making sense of the world and myself. I notice such a difference in myself during the periods of life that I don’t write or journal frequently and the times when I do, and let me tell you I’m always in a better headspace when I’m writing a lot.
Oh it’s definitely the same for me mama, I feel you ❣️
yes to everything about this!
Beautiful 💖