Write to Heal

As a nurse, when I discuss healing, I usually focus on the physical body rather than the emotional and spiritual body. The emotional and spiritual bodies are critical factors to address, but they get pushed to the backburner quite often. Nursing in and of itself is holistic in many aspects, it’s an art and science, but there is definitely a western mindset component when working in traditional nursing roles. Don’t get me wrong, our physical body is just as important as our emotional body and spiritual body, but they are all interconnected. What we do to one, affects the other. It is my belief that our emotional and spiritual bodies are where dis-ease first presents, and if we aren’t able to address this on those levels, then symptoms express themselves physically. In my last article, I discussed beginning with the breath as this affects the physical, emotional and spiritual body. Today I am going to discuss how writing is a way to heal the emotional body. This in turn will affect the spiritual and physical body. I’ve found writing to be the MOST helpful to my own healing journey and navigation of life. I write because I can’t not write.

I can’t imagine where I’d be without my writing practice. I have been journaling most of my life, well at least until I could start stringing sentences together. I may skip a day here or there but for the most part I don’t go a day without writing. I write in beautiful places in nature, in the comfort of my office, hidden behind my bed, in my car, on the plane, and in coffee shops. I write everywhere and anywhere. I receive divine answers when I write, my life makes more sense and I’m able to understand problems better. Writing is the only practice I’ve been consistent with when it comes to healing. The reason it is so therapeutic is because it allows for introspection without judgment. It takes what's in my head and lets it out so that it doesn’t fester. The energy released when I write helps me heal. Writing is the cheapest form of therapy available.

Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

There are many tips and tricks on how to journal and/or write. There are guided journals that can be a good starting place if you are new to journaling. I have tried a few of these but I prefer a more organic method of using blank paper with no agenda or prompts for my day to day. We are all different and what works for me may not work for someone else. I have a tendency to be self-critical, but when I write, I leave all that behind. I allow myself to express myself freely without judgment. Nobody is reading and I can always burn later as this can be liberating in itself.

If you are interested in establishing a practice of journaling for emotional healing. I have some tips that have helped me over the years. Not How-To’s per say, but what has worked for me.

The journal: I like to find a notebook or journal that speaks to me. I personally like composition books that have cool artistic designs. I’m left-handed so I can’t use spiral notebooks otherwise I would as you can tear pages out more easily. I’ve tried small journals, expensive fancy journals but always go back to my tried-and-true composition books. They are relatively inexpensive, and I like the feel of them when I write. Journals don’t even have to be paper. We live in a digital world and many people use computers, tablets, notes on phones etc. But, I’m and old school writer, I prefer the use of pen and paper and here is why: it forces me to slow down. My mind can’t skip too far ahead. Slowing down in our fast-paced world can help us stay in the present moment, stay centered and focused, and minimize symptoms of ADHD. Recently I bought a small journal for my purse as I’ve found that there are times I need to write, and I can’t always lug around my composition book.

The pen: I like to use purple gel pens, the writing feels smooth, and I love the color. There are so many cool pens out there. I like ink. It’s permanent and won’t fade over time. It’s fun to experiment with different styles of pens. There are no wrong pens except the one that doesn’t get used.

No agenda: I just write. Some days I can fill up 3 pages in a mere matter of minutes, other days I have 1-2 choppy sentences. Some of my journal entries are short because I’m short on time, or nothing comes to mind. But I try to at least show up. Sometimes my journal entries are so profound I can’t believe it is me that wrote it. Some days my writing reads like a first grader wrote it. Some days I swear the pen has a mind of its own and it really isn’t me writing. It’s not always about what I write, but that I write consistently. It’s about showing up for myself again and again. It's about inviting divine inspiration and creativity to be present. It’s about receiving help from the still small voice.

If I have no ideas to write about then I might set an intention for the day. Some days I feel blocked, tired, and just have nothing. I don’t lament over this. If nothing comes to mind, some questions to get the creative juices flowing can be:

How am I feeling today?

What is it I am needing most right now?

Am I holding onto any negative feelings I need to release?

What would I like to accomplish? Today? In my life?

What questions do I have that need answers?

Like any new habit, it can be a bit uncomfortable and seem foreign at first, but this health habit can be extremely rewarding. No time to write? There’s always time to write. I’ve had times in my life where I had a 1-hour commute to and from work and worked at a job for 12 hours with very little time for breaks along with a demanding home life but still managed to write. My life depended on it. Writing helps us step out of our analytical left brain and operate from our creative right brain. We need the balance of both to live and heal properly.

Writing can be cathartic, a stress reliever, a therapist really. The last two years I went through a dark night of the soul. My grief showed up physically, mentally, and spiritually. Writing helped me make sense of what I was going through and helped me navigate through this. I prayed, I meditated, walked in nature, went to a chiropractor/naturopath, did a cleanse, but it was my writing that spoke to me most and helped me heal from the worst part of my grief. Writing is my most faithful friend, my honest companion, my inspiration, my mentor, and my healer.