Each day that starts off on the right foot begins with a kiss from Mari and a cup of really good, black coffee from our French Press but it is on the mornings that I find time to free write that my day takes on a new meaning.. thoughts, fears, emotions.. all puked out onto the page for my conscious mind to digest…

Often times, it’s just more of the same anxious dribble bubbling up to the surface that reminds me what it is that is draining me of my energies.  Writing provides an outlet for all of that excess mental baggage and helps wipe the slate clean at the start of each day. By freeing up mental resources to be able to focus on the development of things we truly care about, we are able to pursue our dreams with a little extra vigor. If that isn’t enough of a reason in it of itself to start free writing, HERE ARE NINE MORE:

1) Exploring emotions that you never knew you had can be exciting, albeit a little frightening at times!

2) Become a better writer! I can’t say anything about improved grammar or spelling but since I started free writing on a regular basis, I’ve found it easier to translate deeper internal thoughts and emotions onto paper.

3) It’s like a massage for the brain. Well, maybe not at first. For a while, it might feel more like a workout than anything else. Eventually, like all things, it will start to feel better, I promise.

4) Helps remind you of your top priorities. When you start a daily free writing ritual or process, even if you are only writing for 10-15 minutes, you’ll begin to notice trends in your writing that may act as signposts… your greatest dreams, concerns, desires will come to light. Work through it and you’ll have access to a tool that you can utilize at any time to help aid you in your journey.. maybe you’ll be reminded of an old contact that offered to help you when you were ready or you are feeling stressed and you recall a special place that you can get to that always calms you down and helps you relax.. the tip here is to just keep writing.. keep the pen moving no matter what… that’s one of the reasons why I recommend writing instead of typing. Keep it simple and go back to the basics and you’ll find it easier to make connections with long-lost, previously dormant, thoughts.

5) It can feel good to have something for just YOU. In a world where everything is shared, we need to have something that is just for us. Of course, you can always share what you write but I wouldn’t highly recommend it, especially if you are just starting off… the thoughts and images that are produced are all half-baked, so only share if and when you feel ready. Just remember that this is an exercise in introspection for you, always you, and nobody else. It took me a long time before I was comfortable with sharing my free writing with the public. And it is still something that I am relatively uncomfortable with.

6) It is really rewarding to see a bunch of pages filled out in your own handwriting. There is a sense of progress… development… advancement. It is visual proof that you are getting closer to truly knowing yourself.

7) You’ll start to recognize that the person you are is perfect already if you can focus on gratitude during some of your exercises.

8) You’ll be able to paint a clearer picture of your ultimate visions in greater detail if you are able to dig deeper into your wants and needs. You’ll be more capable (and conscious) of determining the next steps that you need to take to reach your goals (this isn’t really supposed to be a post about goal setting or anything… just trying to point out how my regular free writing exercises acted as a sort of “cure all” for me).

9) It can remind you of all the things that you are grateful for. It all boils down to gratitude in the end.. write it down. I know that I already mentioned “gratitude” in reason #7… it’s just so important that it bears repeating 🙂

I’ve found that freewriting has opened my mind to exploring new skills and passions. And I never thought that being able to share this stuff with you would feel so cool. And I am not sure that I would have had the confidence to start sharing certain vulnerabilities in my own life had I not worked on my writing skills through the free writing method…

So, maybe, just maybe, you’ll have a similar experience and start to share your writing more with other people. And maybe, just maybe, it will inspire other people to start free writing for just a few minutes each day as well. That would be really cool.

Want to see some freewriting exercises in action?

Feel free to check out some of the ones that I have published on my personal blog here! My writing is FAR from perfect and I recognize that a lot of the times, my writing provides little, if any, context. Well, I’m working on that and would absolutely love it if you could provide me with any tips or suggestions that YOU might have by leaving a comment on one (or both!) of the sites.

As always, thanks for reading 🙂