Expressive writing doesn't require you to be a writer
The many healing qualities of journal writing come from being able to 'express' through writing, not about the craft of being a novel or book writer.
Think about the many ways you use writing in your life now: to do lists, reminder notes, shopping lists, text messages, emails, interaction or postings on social media - facebook, instagram.
Expressive writing is about the process of ‘expression’ whats going on for you through ‘writing’.
Otherwise thoughts tend to take us off on a tangent, a little like reading something on the internet where you can click on a word and it takes you onto another article, and before you know it you’ve just spent an hour reading really interesting articles but can’t actually remember where you started. Thoughts can feel real and true, when in reality our thoughts are our perception of what is happening. Thoughts are just thoughts, you are the being behind the thoughts.
The process of writing helps you to naturally intermingle your thoughts and feelings into the words as you are writing. If you are new to doing this, it can feel a little stilted at first and just like anything new it takes a little time to learn. So if you feel a little awkward to start with it ok, and quite normal.
With expressive writing:
there is no right or wrong way,
it doesnt matter whether you spell things correctly
you don’t have to use correct grammar.
It is about the process of being able to express whats going on for you on the inside.
And if you are someone who likes tidy handwriting, studies have shown that our handwriting can change during the process of expressing in our journal from a block style to cursive and back to block style without fully realising as we access deeper aspects of ourselves.
Over the next month, allow yourself to be curious ….. about you as you express yourself onto the pages of your journal.
“A person who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.”
- Albert Einstein
