When I am writing, I become completely absorbed. By the words on the page, by the feel of the pencil in my hand or the keys underneath my fingertips. Rarely, in the rest of my life, do I get to be so focused.
The same thing happens only when I am talking out an idea with a close friend or my father, setting out a random spray of words that might congeal into some sort of cohesive whole. And I know, when I get stressed, that this focus goes completely away. I don’t call people. I don’t write. I let myself sit in the dark recesses of my mind without any way out.
The remedy to this, of course, is not one that people find easy, nor is always within reach. Although it may seem like the simplest advice you can give, it is often the easiest to forget: get it out.
I’ll write it, I’ll talk about it, I’ll set it down as an art project, as a squiggle, as anything that will help me express the emotions that I’m feeling inside. And this works not just for stress, but also for any difficult emotions – from sadness to anger to ambiguity and confusion.
So, in this late post, I challenge you to record your thoughts and feelings in whatever way possible this week. Maybe it’s to just get over the stress of finals, or maybe it is because something else is going on, but it will benefit you to take the pressure out of your head and put it down somewhere else.
As a side note, I will be hosting two sessions of a Knitting Meditation workshop next week through knitting club and Well Woman – Monday (the 13th) and Tuesday (the 14th) for anyone who wants to attend! Times will be posted shortly.
You may also be interested in some other lessons I’ve learned through writing, including 3 Ways I Beat Writer’s Block to a Pulp.
Check out some of the writing that I do put down.