Have you ever dreamed of writing your life story? Is writing a novel on your bucket list? With social distancing and collective anxiety on the rise due to the coronavirus, we are all looking for reprieve. Enter: expressive writing.
Writing is an act of construction that can do much to relieve anxiety and to help us break free of the continuous mental loop that descends on us during times of crisis.
According to research from Harvard Medical School, unexpected life developments can throw us off kilter emotionally and mentally. Being able to express the experience is important. In this way, writing helps us observe our thoughts, organize them and give meaning to experience.
“But I don’t know the first thing about writing,” you say. Putting words on paper, or fingers to keyboard has never been easier. If you need inspiration and some tips from the pros, take a listen to the Write-minded podcast. Besides the generous authors who are guests on the show, the Write-minded podcast is hosted by writing mentors Brooke Warner of She Writes and Grant Faulkner of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month).
While hope seems beyond our reach just now, in time we will surpass the coronavirus. If you begin writing a few pages every day, at the end of this crisis you may have a jewel in your hands: a well-observed story created by you. There’s no need to write for publication. Start by writing for yourself. The process can help clear your thoughts, give you a sense of purpose, and a reason to wake up each day with something to look forward to.
For more on how expressive writing may help to lower anxiety and stress, click here: Psychology Today.
As BurstMarketing’s Chief Content Manager, Marisol guides the content strategy for your podcasts and develops engaging narratives that lead to audience growth. With more than twelve years of experience as a writer and producer, Marisol has created award-winning content for e-zines, magazines, videos and podcasts. As a former news reporter, she’s skilled in using storytelling to engage audiences.
