Culture
Write, and learn to relax
Writing is a good, simple and cheap form of therapy available to everyone. It helps to clear thoughts, make peace with yourself and others, and relive experiences.
I would like to share the five reasons I write: I think you’ll find them a help in learning to enjoy this discipline.
- Very often, I have a thought or idea that goes round and round my head and when I finally write it down, I feel as though I have set the thought free, which produces a liberating feeling.
- It’s a way of leaving something to the next generation. I like to write about real-life situations I have shared with my family, friends, boss, travelling companions, etc. And over time, I have come to see that it’s also a way to leave behind in written form my experiences, that some day might be read.
- It’s a way of giving something back to other people. For example, books I have read that have helped my personal development. Now, sharing my experiences and reflections, I see that I can help other people shed light on something that is on their mind, and that makes me feel good.
- It’s a therapeutic way of gaining closure on something that has been harmful in my life. Writing about it and forgiving the person that has hurt you can help you to learn to forgive and to stop feeling the negative emotions that lead you to feel resentment.
- In short, it is a way of achieving personal growth, and as a coach, a reason to stop the clock for a few moments, to think positively, and to see beyond the day to day: a reason to share things with my partner and my family with each post.
Whether it’s for one or the other of the reasons I’ve outlined, if you still haven’t done it, I recommend you take pen and paper and begin to write: you’ll soon see how therapeutic it can be.
Arantza Ríos. Professor. IE Business School http://www.ie.edu/
