Over the past few weeks, I emailed several people who I had either worked with or connected with in the past. I was thrilled to hear back from some of them.
The cool thing that happened was that in their responses, many of them said that having to write out what they were working toward helped clarify it even further.
I find this to be true of writing. When we have to articulate something, it is helpful to get it out of our heads and onto paper. In so doing, you will find yourself starting to think about it differently.
I have long been an advocate for writing as a tool for transformation. Why? Because it’s simple and it’s accessible to everyone. You don’t need any special training or classes or equipment. A pen, paper and ten minutes will suffice.
Still not sure?
Here are three simple ways to start using writing to transform your life:
- Used first thing in the morning, writing can allow you to clean the slate. You can dump out all your worries, gripes, or to-do list items so that you free up space in your mind for creativity and higher level thinking. One caveat here: once you gripe or vent, make sure you don’t spiral down into negativity. Use writing as a tool for discovery as you explore solutions, not as a source of resignation.
- In the morning, after you’ve cleaned the slate, write down your intentions for the day. What three things will contribute most to your desired outcome for the day and your happiness? How do you want to show up? How do you want your day to go? Use writing to prescribe your day.
- At the end of the workday or right before bed, reflect on your day. Who were you that day? How did you show up? What did you commit to? Where did you fall off track? THEN, (this is the best part), rewrite your day. Write out your day as you would have liked it to have gone as if it actually went that way. Connect with the feeling of it. See yourself in it. Use writing to rewrite your life, one day at a time.
The more you connect on an emotional, sensual, and visual level with your ideal day, the more power you will feel over your day. Your day is your week is your year is your life.
Imagine beginning each day with a powerful intention and clear vision for your day and then ending your day with a deep sense of satisfaction with how your day went. You can do that every single day, no matter what may arise throughout your day. The one and only thing you have control over is YOU. You can decide how you respond to what life throws at you, you can decide how you want to show up, and you can decide how you want your day to go.
It takes a willingness to engage in self-reflection and a commitment to continued growth.
I encourage you to invite writing into your life – in the morning and in the evening. Buy a notebook and dedicate its use to your daily reflections. Start right now. Aim to make it three days in a row. Then keep going. At the end of the week, notice what shifts occurred and notice if you are living more in alignment with your ideal day each day. Notice how your sense of empowerment increases.
In conclusion: Write for your life. Get it out of your head, get it on paper, and get onto a greater life.
In what ways do you want to grow today? (Write it out!)