being human,  writing

Five Simple Tips to Make Writing an Everyday Priority

  1. Write first––and I do mean first. Write before email, tv, social media, a book––everything. Writing first gives us the opportunity to check in with ourselves. We are the most meditative early in the morning, before the day takes hold. Write first.
  2. All forms of writing count. Journaling, blogging, emailing, love notes, letters, writing articles for others. Any writing IS writing. Of course, you may set goals for yourself about the types of writing you want to accomplish each day, but all forms count as writing if you are counting the number of days in a row you write.
  3. Use ‘free form’ or ‘flow writing’ as your go to in stressful situations. When the mind won’t stop, write. Get it out. Set a timer for five, ten, fifteen minutes and just write whatever is on your mind. After spilling the contents of your mind, you may find it is easier to write about what you want to write about.
  4. Make writing a ritual. Pour a cup of tea. Light a candle. Use the same book and pen. Write from the same space each day. Eventually it will become a habit.
  5. Be gentle with yourself. Recognize that you will have distractions. You will be tempted to not write. Your mind will tell you other things are more important, like laundry or dust bunnies or rearranging the furniture. See it, become aware of when it happens. It is resistance and it is real. Take a deep breath, smile at the resistance, know that you are bigger than it, and just write.

What about you? Have any other tips that work for you? Tell us in the comments below.

Interested in beginning a journaling journey, or taking your journaling to the next level? I’m writing an email course, Writing HERstory, that combines journaling and embodiment practices with prompts and exercises you can complete in a month. A daily email will arrive in your inbox each morning for 28 days, and a PDF guide of the entire course will be available at the end of the program––yours to keep forever. Sign up here to be notified when the course is available in early 2020.