Emily Dickinson writes “Hope is the thing with feathers.” Hope is that reservoir of strength, courage, and determination you carry within yourself. Writing gives you access to that reservoir.
You are invited to be open to the generosity and encouragement available to you in every waking moment as we celebrate April as National Month of Hope. Just like birds in the sky who sometimes find themselves temporarily grounded, you can embrace your ability to take flight despite disappointments, challenges and dark times in your life. You have the power to relaunch yourself when your feathers get ruffled because of the wisdom you gain from every one of your life experiences.
Writing is an outstanding way to access your inner wisdom…your reservoir of hope.
Your story of hope. Your story matters. I realize that writing may not be your favorite thing to do. I’ll tell you a little secret; there are times when it isn’t mine either. But I do know that after I’ve sat myself down to write, I’m very glad I did. The trick is to develop the habit of writing. Make it part of your daily routine, and you’ll be amazed at what you will accomplish by writing things down.
Here’s my simple suggestion to begin your writing hope practice to access your reservoir of hope:
- Pick a time of day that you will show up consistently on the page and make an appointment with yourself. Design your writing practice to best suit your tendencies. If mornings are when you are most creative, carve out time then. If evenings are when you are in a reflective and thoughtful mood, design your day to include writing time in the evening. Schedule anywhere from five to fifteen minutes to write in longhand in your journal to take dictation from your soul.
- Choose a journal and a fast-writing pen. It is essential for this experience that you write in longhand. Of course, if you are not physically able to write and must use the keyboard to journal, that is what you will do. However, typing puts you into a different part of the brain that grasping a pen and recording your thoughts on paper. I believe pen to paper results in direct communication between your head and heart. It doesn’t matter if it’s loose leaf paper, a spiral notebook or a leather-bound journal as long as it’s where you will show up on the page consistently. I say fast-writing pen because I want you to keep up with your thoughts.
- Create a Soul Sanctuary in which to conduct your writing practice. Every morning I make a pot of tea and bring my tea tray to my bed. That’s my Soul Sanctuary. I have a cozy nest with my journal, inspirational reading selections, my favorite music is playing, and I light candles. You may have a certain spot where you go to curl up and write as well.
- At the top of the page always put the date and describe your surroundings. If you are writing in the same place every day, then it isn’t necessary to keep repeating the same description, but when you are in a new environment, it helps to ground you and let your subconscious (your muse) know that you are ready to write.
- Set a timer and begin. You may want to start with the same question every time such as, “What does my heart want me to know?” Your words may just flow from the end of your pen without much thought from you. There is no wrong way to conduct this writing practice because it is yours alone.
P. S. don’t worry if your pages get messy. I promise you they will. Accept it. Don’t concern yourself with grammar, spelling, and “does this make sense?” Keep your hand moving across the page until the timer goes off.
Keep writing hope!
Unleash the Writer Within!
photo credit: Canva.com
