Writing is one of the most underrated art forms. There is surely respect and enjoyment in writing, but it never has the same flair and flamboyance as something like painting or directing movies. A writer can work with emotions, perspectives and thoughts of readers because of how well they are able to describe and express something, and this ability makes writing powerful. However, writing isn’t just for somebody that is good at it. Anyone can use writing as a tool of expression, and get a lot of benefits out of it. Many people might feel like they’re not good writers, but writing can also be something deeply personal and meaningful for you. Everybody who wants to write can benefit from it and grow personally. If you need more reasons to start writing today, here they are:
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Clearer Communication
We all have these great ideas and thoughts in our head, but when we start telling someone else, we find ourselves thinking, “That definitely sounded better in my head.” This doesn’t mean that your idea is bad. It just means that you might have trouble communicating it well. Writing is an excellent tool to improve your communication skills. When we write, we are pushed to think more and think better so that what is written sounds good. The more we write, the more we invest in a vocabulary, and the better we become at communicating when we speak.
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Sorting It Out
Our brain is constantly functioning and trying to sort out a hundred problems at once. We may be worried about making that deadline for the project while also wondering what to cook tonight, when to return your mom’s phone call, along with making plans for the weekend with our friend, and thinking about our finances. It can certainly take a massive toll on us if we don’t sort everything out, which is where writing comes in. Expressive writing can be a great way of sorting our thoughts and worries out, because once we get them down, they become more tangible to deal with. Abstract worry can be an enemy because it is coming from so many places, but once we write everything down, we can prioritize and deal with things as we start to understand them.
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Positive Emotions
Laura King, a researcher, found that people who wrote about their future goals, dreams and ambitions were happier and healthier when compared to others. Another study done by Jane Dutton and Adam Grant reported that when people who had stressful fundraising jobs kept a journal to write about how their work was making a difference, their hourly effort increased by 29% the following week. Writing can not only sort out your thoughts and help you prioritize them, it can also remind you your efforts and struggles and why they can be so worth it.
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Gratitude
Gratitude has been linked to lower depression levels and better overall contentment in people who practice it regularly. It’s easy to be negative and cynical, but it can have detrimental effects on your health. Gratitude reminds you of the good things in your life, and can motivate you to keep moving forward even in difficult times. You can take a couple of days a week to write about the good things that you are grateful for, and when you look back on it once a month or so, it can have a powerful effect.
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Emotional Healing
Expressive writing has been linked to better mental well being, reduced stress levels and improved mood. In therapy, a lot of practitioners urge their clients to write about what they feel and why because it can help to heal emotional conflicts. Free expression, such as not writing in any particular direction and letting your thoughts flow, has shown to help people understand their issues and deal with them better. Moreover, the ability to clearly label and express a feeling can also help to subdue and simmer it down to make it easier to deal with. It helps people to understand what could be going through their mind, and thus take the next step towards healing.
