From a little girl with a big imagination, to a former nerd in high school who loved her English lessons, writing has always been something I’ve felt connected and drawn to. I used to love the lessons where we could make up our own stories, and I’ve always found it fascinating what our minds can conjure up when we get in the writing flow. To me, there’s nothing quite like it. It’s a meditative practice.
Creative writing isn’t something I have even thought about in years, never mind something to go back to. To be honest with both of us, I thought stories were for high school, and pointless when we reach ‘adulthood’. (Another post for a later date, I’m sure).
However after listening to Sara’s podcast episode on the Hashtag Authentic podcast with Megan Hayes, I felt compelled to order her book, Write Yourself Happy: The Art of Positive Journalling.
I’ve had a journal for years, but over that time it’s become more of a gratitude practice. Which is completely great don’t get me wrong, but it wasn’t a place where I expressed myself in my writing. In the book, Megan talks about different positive emotions we experience, and asks the reader to write their thoughts about them, for example, joy, hope, serenity.
I’ve nearly finished the book and I can’t believe how much I’ve enjoyed tapping into that creative writing flow, and describing each different emotion and what it means to me, personally. I’ve completely fallen back in love with it.
I’m a bit nervous to share the following, but I really wanted to, so here goes! These are a few of the sentences that I wrote.
JOY: Joy is finding spare change, that hint of luck you never knew you needed. The gesture of a loved one, showing you their appreciation, no matter how big or small. Joy is puppy kisses, hot salty liquid on your nose, excited squeals and wagging tails. Joy is where life leaves you speechless, you want to soak up every detail. Joy is where you can feel the magic.
GRATITUDE: Gratitude is a hot cup of tea on a cold winter day. Gratitude is something you always forget you have, it’s finding out that maybe that insignificant thing didn’t matter all along anyway. Gratitude is mother nature welcoming us with open arms, kindred souls uniting together, neither one realizing just how much the other was needed.
HOPE: Hope is the song lyric that resonates with you. Hope is powerfully brave, it is the knowing that it may not be easy, but still showing up anyway. It is the courage to keep calm, and carry on.
I definitely want to learn more about creative writing, so hopefully it’s something I can continue to share on here with you all.
Will you be having a go at positive journaling/creative writing?