Sharing how Uniting Caregivers got started, In The Beginning, reminded me of the value in writing. I believe you can benefit from it too.
After the car accident I felt the need to write. My head was spinning with all kinds of worries about Mark, our children and how I would juggle all the responsibilities. My attention span was very short. I couldn’t watch T.V. or concentrate on a book—so I wrote. I would maybe write a few sentences about my worries, but mostly I recorded Mark’s progress such as how many breaths he took on his own that day and what his temperature was. I wrote about things most people don’t think about let alone write or read about, but it helped me focus on the positive. I still have that notebook and when I look back on it I’m reminded how far Mark has come.
The value of writing about our experiences brings meaning to it and helps me understand the purpose in the events. It’s amazing the clarity that comes from writing. Through writing I am able to sort out and work through the emotions by searching for the right words to describe it. The act of writing has provided me with a greater depth of self-knowledge and has helped me become a resilient person. Some seek the comfort of a therapist’s office, I find it in writing.
Writing is so much more than a method of communication. Six benefits I’ve found in writing:
- Become better at expressing yourself. When we are lazy with words, it is more difficult to describe feelings, share experiences and make ourselves understood.
- Remember things long forgotten. As you write about memories it is like opening an old photo album. Your pen begins to expose feelings and details you had forgotten, and dreams you had lain aside. You suddenly remember people you would like to reconnect with.
- Keeps distractions at bay long enough for you to explore wonders of the past. Sometimes it is frightening, sometimes wonderful and almost always beneficial.
- Records history which will impact how you make future decisions.There’s a reason that the greatest leaders in history were students of history. They learned from what had happened before. Your history is important. Don’t let it be forgotten.
- Reminds you of your dreams and keeps you moving toward them. It is a means of keeping track of your purpose and the goals that will lead you to fulfilling them. Reviewing what you have written is a perfect way to see your progress and to reveal when you have been distracted and may need to refocus.
- Gives you a record of God’s blessings. In the midst of troubled times it is so easy to forget what He has done for us. Reviewing our blessings will give us the faith needed to endure our trials.
Reference: http://www.kendavis.com/personal-development/daily-writing-benefits/
You don’t need to be a professional writer to achieve the benefits. Writing is an exceptional tool for self-exploration and inner growth which is available to everyone. It can facilitate understanding and change in our lives. From the art of writing, we learn and grow and it is a powerful method to share our love, happiness, gratitude and fulfillment.
Do you write? How has it helped you? If you don’t, you really ought to try it. Whether you write it for yourself or want to share it with others, it will be benefical. I dare you to try it.
Uniting Caregivers 