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Getting Out of My Own Way
I’m a writer who often finds it difficult to motivate myself to start writing, no matter what the project is. I’m also someone with anxiety. You’d think that losing sleep or ruminating over something would encourage me to simply write in a journal to feel better. But it’s never that simple. I can’t seem to get out of my own way when my anxiety tells me that everything I write must be perfect.
It’s a catch-22. To decrease my anxiety, I have to write. I can trick myself into writing by coming up with creative writing exercises to explore. Since writing actually strengthens areas of the brain, it’s really a form of self-care. Therefore, I give myself permission to have fun, which heightens my self-confidence.
As a result, the catch-22 becomes a win-win.
Getting Creative
Here are some creative writing exercises that I do:
Make a Worry List
List your worries as though they’re written on hats. Why hats? Because at the end of an exhausting day outside, we hang up our hats. We put away what was weighing us down. For example, I write down “What’s my next career move?” and can even picture a chess piece on the imaginary cloth, making it less intimidating. While I’m still very much aware of the worry’s presence, it has a place to live without touching me. This is beneficial because I feel better about myself when I am able to distance myself from my worries.
Write Down Random Words
Make a list of ten words and try to use each one in a sentence. Any words, any type of sentence! When I do this exercise, I write by hand, because I feel more connected to my words this way. Writing by hand also keeps our senses engaged and helps our memory. This is important once you know that there’s a lot of science out there that shows that anxiety can be a factor in dementia later in life.
Write Down Things You Love
Find a zippered pouch and place what you love to do inside it. Recently I found a beautiful cloth pouch that read, “Today I will not stress over things I can’t control.” Appropriately enough, I was shopping while procrastinating on what I had to write for the week. I decided to put verbs describing what I love to do inside the pouch. I didn’t want to put worries in it because I’d be physically holding onto them. Writing down what I love to do gives me a sense of control. I write down at least one thing every day on an index card that stays in the bag. It’s okay if you write “dancing” over and over; this tells you that you should be dancing. And if you write different activities, then you’re expanding your passion and curiosity. Curiosity is healthy because it educates us and keeps our minds fluid. Also, if you’re a crafty person, you can make word magnets or cut up pieces of paper and toss them in. It’s important that this exercise includes what you love to do and not just things you love because it acts as a reminder to get moving.
Don’t Worry, Laugh
Even with these exercises, sometimes fear tells my brain that my writing isn’t good enough. I quiet this fear by diving into wacky freewriting. Freewriting for a set amount of time gives me freedom from judgment, and often I get a good laugh with myself. Laughing is one of the best results you can get because it improves motivation, energy, positive thinking, and even your immune system.
Sometimes my wacky writing surprises me by showing itself as moving or inspiring. To get to these surprises, however, I need to ignore my inner critic.
So, get writing to stay healthy. No judgment!
Community Series – Mental Health Book Club: What Happened to You? by Bruce Perry & Oprah Winfrey
