The ebb and flow of establishing a writing practice
How to get over that first hurdle and keep going
I often hear from folks who want to establish a regular writing practice, but don't quite know where to begin. How to get over that hurdle of the blank page.
Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash
Or sometimes it's sustaining the practice that can be most challenging. Showing up again and again, when life is getting in the way.
And if you have a strong inner critic who likes to interrupt the process to leave you red-penned mental notes, then that can be a fresh level of creative hell to overcome.
As someone who has always scribbled in notebooks and whose notes app now overflows, writing has been a natural part of my life. The form has ebbed and flowed over the years - from daily diary entries and (sometimes pretty dark in hindsight) stories as a child to angst-ridden poems, then national newspaper articles, magazine features and opinion pieces when I wasn't yet out of my teens. And I have several started then abandoned novels languishing in my Word docs.
There have also been times when the words fell away - most notably when I was experiencing toxic relationships or environments and was in survival mode. Ironically, during the times when I needed it most, I was unable to access this core part of my self. The relief I felt when I was able to break free and the words came back was visceral.
Research shows that writing practices, including journalling, can profoundly impact our wellbeing. From increasing optimism to helping us to process past trauma and experience increased self-awareness and growth, there are many benefits to a regular writing practice.
The key lies in experimenting to find what works for you. Something that can change over time and seasons of life. And in sitting down and starting, again and again. Even when the words are reluctant to come. Also, go gently and seek support if you need to. You don’t have to do this alone.
You could start by setting a timer for 10 minutes and free-writing, or giving yourself a few reflective questions to respond to such as...
What do you need right now?
Is there something you could let go of?
What can you lean into this week?
Other ways to explore include letter writing (it could be to yourself or someone else) and journalling with a visual prompt (the image below could be a starting point).
I’d love to hear how you get on if you give it a go. Let me know in the comments. Christina x
This post was first published as a newsletter for The Spark Crew. Sign up to The Spark here for occasional landings like this in your inbox.