It is commonly known that writing is a habit of successful people. They've realized for years the benefits of jotting down their ideas and feelings, whether it's in a journal or writing them to share with the masses. Writing is one of the purest forms of self expression, which is why it's encouraged by psychologists and used therapeutically. Authors like Ernest Hemingway and Maya Angelou bare their souls through writing. Although writing as a habit isn't a new concept, the benefits are still overlooked by many. Too often people wonder why they feel stressed and restless, or regret not having documented their memories. Those feelings could have been avoided by taking a few minutes of their day to write something on a notepad, laptop or smartphone. These days there are no excuses for not making time to write, since we have computers in our pockets and even wifi in the subways. Now here are three reasons why you need to start writing on a regular basis:
1. Express Your Feelings
Writing gives you an opportunity to be completely honest with yourself without fear of being judged. You can release any pent-up emotions you have towards your friends, family, significant other, or even yourself. It also allows you to decompress from your day and just dump all your thoughts.
2. Share Your Story
What if iconic figures like Benjamin Franklin and Nelson Mandela never wrote about their journey? The world would be a different place. One of the few ways to document history is to write about it. Writing provides insight into how you accomplished or overcame events in your life. Everyone has a story, and someone can learn from your experience.
3. Discover New Ideas.
No matter what your passion is, the more you write and foster a creative environment, the more ideas will come to you. You'll probably amaze yourself with the amount of ideas that you come up with, because sometimes we don't realize what's inside of us until it comes out in writing.
With today's technology you can write anywhere, be it on the subway, during your lunch break, or even right before bed. I challenge you to make time in your day to write, and then record how you feel afterwards. Ask yourself, "Do I feel relieved? Creative?" etc. Whatever your reason for writing is, ask yourself if it helped. The first few times you do that, it may not go as you envisioned and you might not see the benefits immediately. However, if you stick to it you will feel the long-term life benefits writing can provide.
Alicia T. Glenn is the founder of Astounding Pursuits, a blog in which she shares her experiences and advice on how to accomplish cool things, and live a more fulfilled life by discovering and pursuing your passion. Join her free newsletter to get business ideas, life hacks, and strategies on how to live a more astounding life.