In this first issue, we will be exploring the technique of journaling as a tool for mining your creativity. The term, ‘mining’, is used in this context as I believe that we all have a stored amount of creativity that we can access. One of the methods that I believe we can access this creativity is by exploring our own souls through writing. This is much like shining a flashlight into a dark and abandoned room. There may be cobwebs. You may discover old and precious heirlooms covered with dust. You may discover old, tarnished items that no longer need to be kept, as they no longer serve you. You may find that you had forgotten that you even possessed a great many of these items.
Writing can be a way of revealing or remembering long forgotten truths. Sometimes, it can be scary to go into that dark room. But inside is the treasure. Inside is your authentic self.
You may ask, “How do I start?”
The way I find best is just to start. This blog presupposes that you have something to say and that part of you wants to get it out of the recesses of your mind. So, basically, just start writing the words that come into your mind when the pen hits the paper. Don’t worry if it doesn’t make sense or sounds trivial. You wouldn’t write it if it didn’t have some (either literal or implicit) meaning to you.
A good way to give this exercise a parameter is to set a timer. Write for 10 minutes, for example. And during that time, let your pen roam on the page. Or, if you prefer, use a computer or typewriter (if they still exist, ha ha). The point is to have some structured writing time. The structure will give your mind a way to focus.
I find that, for me, writing is a way to move my mind along a path so that I see something new and possibly draw some conclusions. What I’m trying to say is that, sometimes, I need to write to work through something in my mind. Therefore, writing is an aid to thinking. This idea gets a bit into the psychology of language and how it enables thought.
Abstract concepts aside, I fully believe that writing can be a positive way to grapple with thoughts and feelings and get at the root of barriers that are blocking our creativity.
Sometimes writing can be a tool to help visualize ideas in a symbolic way. For instance, sometimes I think of a mind barren of creative ideas as a dried-up riverbed with no flowing water, hence no flowing ideas. Writing can be a way of irrigating this barren land, so that ideas start to flow like water. But this can only happen if you start writing.
It may be good to set a time each day or each week to write. During this time, it is helpful to eliminate distractions by shutting off notifications on your phone or putting your phone on ‘do not disturb’ mode. It may be difficult to eliminate all distractions if you have family to take care of who are demanding your attention. But if you can manage a quiet moment to yourself, at least once in a while, your writing efforts may prove more effective. Sometimes, interruptions can’t be helped, but good boundaries can be an aid in securing focused writing time.
One positive by-product of writing is the experience of finding your own personal voice. Everyone has their own style of writing. Some people write short, concise sentences by nature. Others like to write longer, more flowery and expressive ones. There may be common themes in your writing that are consistent with your identity that you can reveal to yourself and others through this process. Your tone could be whimsical, brooding, or meditative in nature. And these voices do not have to remain the same. They can grow and evolve as you write and grow as a person. The important lesson here is that we don’t have to remain the same person our whole lives to keep our authentic selves intact. We can grow and change in positive ways and still retain our intrinsic sense of who we are. And writing is a good tool for cultivating the awareness we need to grow and change in ways that serve us best.
This is because writing is a way to tap into our intuition, that part of ourselves that guides us in our life decision-making processes. We can filter out extraneous outside influences that derail us from our own paths. The more we understand ourselves, the more likely we are to make decisions that are best for us.
This is not to say that we should disregard the views, opinions or observations of others. I think it is helpful to take them into account and think them through fully. And this process of exploration through writing can help us discern what ideas to keep and which ones to discard.
I hope you have found this introduction to the benefits of journaling as a tool for mining your creativity a helpful one. Please check out my next blog post in the Dream Excavator next week!
Thank you,
Phoenix Smith