Lesson 2: Getting Yourself Into The Right Frame of Mind To Express Yourself And Write

Lesson 2:

Getting Into The Right Frame of Mind To Express Yourself and Write

In Lesson 1 I suggested you just sit down and let the words flow with a pen and paper or into a digital environment. My goal was to let you freely write anything you wanted, without stipulations for judgment about subject matter, or grammar or any sort of writing structure. You were free to write for the sake of feeling the experience of writing and expressing yourself in any way you felt drawn to do.

Here in Lesson 2, I would like to give you a couple of simple writing affirmations, one to support the start of your writing session, and one for the end of a writing session. My goal here is to assist you get into the right mindset to be able to put down on paper freely what you would like. I am directing you to tell yourself, it is okay to let your emotions flow safely onto the paper by using a method of writing called ‘expressive writing’. (Of course, these affirmations can also be helpful if you are planning to write a more structured piece, like a developing story or a piece poetry), but for the purpose of this lesson here, I will relate these affirmations as useful tools for you to get started with a writing session in a calm, positive, and productive mindset to allow you to express yourself as you scribe.

‘Expressive writing’ is simply the term used for writing to express your feelings and emotions without any writing structure such as grammar, word tense rules, proper sentences, or paragraph structures. Expressive writing, since the 1980’s is now considered and recognized as scientifically, psychologically, and physically beneficial, and is considered a powerful life tool when it comes to supporting a person when facing stress, fear, and, anxiety and/or to help sort things out when dealing with a tough life-challenge situation.

I can personally say that I am an ‘expressive writer’ myself, because I now recognize that I have been writing my way through the tough times in my life for years, and I am very grateful, for this has been one of my greatest life discoveries. I hadn’t even heard or realized what this method of writing was, but as I poured out my emotions in stories and poems, I found myself feeling so much better, and much better able to deal with whatever it was that was bothering me. In addition to that, I discovered I had been funnelling not just negative emotions, but able to also celebrate things as I filtered positive emotions into my writing.

I consider myself a ‘Writing Warrior’, and, as such, writing for me is a means with which I feed my soul, exercise my mind, work out decisions, fight my battles and celebrate my milestones…I have learned words are my friends, my allies, my warriors, my cheerleaders and my pocket therapist.

As a writer, I declare myself an advocate for 'expressive writing'. A quote I wrote and can share with you here is…

“Writing is the way I walk through the world: I can write through anything…

(and you can too)…”

So let’s get started on today’s lesson, the purpose today is to just give you permission to get into the right headspace and write about whatever it is you want or need to write about.

(Please note from here, for the ease of writing for instruction and to guide you, I will say ‘pen and paper’, even if your means to scribe is, in a book, in a journal, or on digital device, for instance. So, here we are, ready to write, and some of you we might be a tad unsettled or unfamiliar with the act of freely writing, so here are my affirmations for you. Please continue to put yourself in a quiet environment, free from any of the usual daily interruptions, such as texts, phone calls and social media alerts. If you wish, you may decide to put on some low, soft-playing music, although I find complete silence is the best way to be able to concentrate or be in a state of creative flow as I write. However, as you start or end your writing process with these affirmations, a soft musical accompaniment is fine. (It goes without saying that if you are writing about private or sensitive things, please ensure that your privacy is protected by keeping your written pieces under lock and key, or password protected, if need be.)

Read these following words, either silently or out loud to yourself. Alternately, I give you permission to record them (with or without music) with your own voice, and play them back out loud or with earphones on, as you start or end your writing session.

Let’s get started…sit comfortably, back straight, feet on the ground, sitting at your desk or other flat writing surface of choice, with the pen and paper laying before you. Continue with my affirmation. Take a few deep breaths after the affirmation and then, with a positive and relaxed mindset, start your writing.

Affirmation To Start Writing

I am ready to write,

I am open to receive the thoughts I need,

I am grounded in my emotions,

I am in a safe place with which to write,

Free from any distractions.

I am freely able to express myself,

I can write anything I want,

I can use any language I want,

I can write in any format that I want,

For as long as I need to write.

I am calm,

I am at peace in this moment,

I am free to release my thoughts by writing,

I am purging stress, distress and negative emotions,

By writing it all down.

I am ready to begin…

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Affirmation To End My Writing

I have completed my writing,

I have expressed all I need to say today with my words,

I have purged all of my negative emotions,

I am cleansed and free of any distress,

I am ready to get on with my day in peace, gratitude and joy.

I hope these affirmations help settle you into a writing session (or ending one) with a calm and relaxed mindset.

Happy writing!

Cheers! Lise