Writer’s Block

Writer’s Block is something people who write experience from time to time. You don’t have to be a New York Times Bestseller Author to get it. 

Last spring, while my life was changing in many ways I couldn’t make myself sit down and write a word. Before that, I was consistently writing both fiction and non-fiction. Considering, at one point in life I made money by writing, not being able to write anything was indeed exhausting. While I ticked my daily reminder to write, guilt would settle in but after a few weeks, I was already numb enough to not feel anything at all. I couldn’t write blog posts, or short stories, if anything, I couldn’t even journal at one point. Every thought, idea, and feeling I had either pleasant or disturbing was bottling up inside of me. Perhaps I would have exploded if I hadn’t had a notetaking system. 

Sometimes It Just Doesn’t Work

I’m a person who they call ambitious or dedicated. Which in actuality means, pushy, annoying, and insistent because if you want something, getting it might include pushing. Pushing through limitations, boundaries, people, you name it. So when I couldn’t write, it wasn’t my first instinct to accept it and move on. I naturally pushed. The more I pushed, the more we had awkward staring contests with a blank doc page. Words that were lined up like pearls on a string in my mind, would disappear into the abyss when I started typing. Words once mine were now under a thick veil of numbness.  

It took seven months for me to accept that sometimes it just doesn’t work. Whatever you do, however you push, which method you try. Sometimes, you are barren. 

I also have some newfound respect for people who write regularly. Writing is not just about creativity but it is also about discipline and introspection. 

Why It Is Important To Write

Not all of us are going to win the Nobel Prize for literature. Most of us won’t even get published. 

I always wanted to write a book, but the value writing adds to my life is not about what I might accomplish in the future. It is about how it is helping me unravel the current moment. 

Essentially, writing is a great way to organize and refine thinking processes which in the end will increase your quality of life. By writing, you can reach mental clarity faster and of course easier. You can also keep track of your progress on paper, which is another benefit. Also, even if you are just journaling, writing definitely opens up creative channels that could later be used otherwise. Overall, writing is a great invention, it’s the tool mankind uses to define itself, create itself, and destroy itself. 

Since Mesopotamia writing has done incredible things for the human race so why shouldn’t it benefit you individually? Write, and write often. 

Journaling 

I started journaling just last year. My obsession with having things tidy and organized wasn’t allowing me to really benefit from journaling until I accepted this was a messy process. I usually journal first thing in the morning. It is more of a brain dump. I write about thoughts, feelings, ideas, and projects. From that, I distill keywords for my day. Some of those keywords have actually become projects. I keep my journal close during the day, and if I don’t have my journal with me, I have something else to write on. This helps me whenever I’m procrastinating and or stuck. Being stuck could mean different things, it could be that the task you have is too hard, or you might struggle with emotions. Dumping it on paper clears up your mind. 

Journaling has been one of the most successful ways I achieved mental and emotional clarity. It’s also really good for identifying fears and deep-rooted desires if you’re interested in doing that. In doing this I found out a lot about myself but also a very practical tool for getting things done. A calmer mind is a great place to begin not just your day but also projects. 

Civilization

If the spoken word is the baby step of humanity, the written word is our waltz. By written word, we have trumped the sword of the enemy and transformed it into the rosy bushes of diplomacy. 

The written word is also how we keep each other accountable. 

Writing has done so much good for the human race, why shouldn’t it do the same for our individual lives? It should. 

We always talk about the importance of reading, but in today’s world, we overconsume. Books, articles, Youtube, short format content, podcasts, and more. However, we don’t have a constructive outlet for all the jumble this becomes in our heads. As much as we make space for reading in our life, we should also make space for writing. 

Let our minds become the greatest civilizations of all time.