Writing: It’s the Best Medicine

Writing helps me rewind. Writing unclogs the parts of my life that are stuck or in need of a clearing voice.

For the past year, I’ve written nearly every day – sometimes for five minutes, sometimes for thirty minutes. The discipline of writing has yielded some interesting ‘results’. Sometimes I write a poem, song lyrics, short story, or an ode to my labrador of 3+ years.

Before this daily form of mental exercise began in December 2014, I felt tense, uneasy, with little time to reflect on where I’ve been or where I was going. Life was zooming by and I was just holding on for dear life. Writing doesn’t slow down the passing of time, but it seems to make it a bit more manageable.

Go ahead and write. Don’t think you aren’t good enough, smart enough, or clever enough to write something good. Most days, you won’t produce a masterpiece, but there will be glimmers – a word play, a few sentences – that will cause you (and maybe even your readers) to smile, laugh, think.

Pick up a pen or pencil and start creating. I recommend this route rather than punching the keys at your computer. When you write with a pen or pencil, your words are more carefully chosen. Your writing doesn’t seem as disposable, fleeting.

Don’t fret over the quality. The act of writing will start to help you find your unique style and voice.

Think you don’t have time? Balderdash!! Turn off the TV, open the notebook and start creating. 15 minutes or less is all you need. Start. Now.

Until next time,

Dan Naden