Writing for Insight & Well-Being

If you can jot down a grocery list, you are ready to write for wellness. Polished writing skills, while helpful, are definitely not required! § § §

“Look, then, into thine heart, and write!” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Opening Writing Exercise  a person who is important to you  a favorite vacation  your earliest memory  a place you really love  something you feel passionate about  if you won the lottery... Put your pen to paper and write continuously for 5 minutes on one of the following topics:

BENEFITS OF KEEPING A JOURNAL  Keeping a journal stimulates insight, aids problem solving, and promotes emotional well-being.  Journaling can even improve your physical health.

Keeping a journal helps us:  Deal with life’s challenges  Expand our understanding  Promote our personal growth

When we repress and hold in our traumas and deep challenges, we often see an increase in health problems such as: higher blood pressure higher cholesterol levels increased risk of breast cancer more heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems

Some general benefits of writing for wellness:  improved mood  more positive outlook  greater physical health

More specific benefits include :  strengthened immune systems  Fewer visits to the doctor

In one study, those who wrote about traumatic experiences and their deepest thoughts had white blood cells that divided more quickly and efficiently to fight off bacteria and viruses. But to get benefits like these, your writing can’t be trivial or superficial. You must go deep, and write honestly about things that really matter to you

Other Reasons for Journaling:  Perspective  Clearing the mind  Problem solving  Generating new ideas  Insight and reflection  Self-expression

Your Personal Journal is:  A friend who always listens and with whom you can share anything;  A mirror in which you see your inner and outer self reflected;  A teacher who leads you toward personal growth and a healthier lifestyle.

What You Need: Privacy is essential!  Time—some periods of time when you are fresh and unhurried  Materials—a comfortable pen and notebook, or computer  A Place—that’s quiet and where you won’t be disturbed

Two Ways to Jump-Start Your Writing  Free Writing  Clustering

Free Writing Set a time limit—say 10 minutes—and then write continuously and quickly for the whole time. Just put down whatever comes to mind—without lifting the pen from the paper, without worrying about spelling and grammar, and without looking back to see what you wrote.

Clustering Write a key word in the center of a page and put a small circle around it. This is the nucleus. Then start spontaneously writing single words or phrases around the nucleus. Quickly write down whatever pops into your mind, or draw a little picture or diagram of it. Then, using what you come up with, write for a specific amount of time.

Writing Exercise Clustering Pinpoint a problem in your life—large or small— that needs to be addressed. Take 3 minutes to brainstorm about this challenge using the “Clustering” technique. Then write about it for another 3 minutes.

More Ideas for Writing  Idea Files  A Wellness Notebook  A Gratitude Journal  Time Capsules  Ethical Wills  Book of Dreams  Food Diary  Inner Dialogues

Visual Journaling Exercise Instead of words, use the language of images to express a feeling or situation of your choice. Express your image on paper using pencil, pen, colored markers, or crayons.

Rules for Spontaneous Writing  Keep your hand moving.  Don’t cross out.  Don’t worry about spelling, punctuation, and grammar.  Don’t think. Don’t get logical.  Loose control. Let it flow.  Go for the hot spots.  Edit only after you’ve finished.

I can shake off everything if I write. My sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn. Anne Frank

Closing Exercise Go around the room, allowing each person to complete this statement: One of the most important things I learned today was...

We should write because humans are spiritual beings and writing is a powerful form of prayer and meditation, connecting us both to our own insights and to a higher and deeper level of inner guidance as well.... We should write because writing brings clarity and passion to the act of living. Writing is sensual, experiential, grounding. We should write because writing is good for the soul. Julia Cameron