This time last year I opened Microsoft Word on my desktop computer and started a new document that I titled ‘Write Now’.
I had been feeling stuck with my work (what’s new) and had no idea what direction to go in (again, nothing new for me!).
On this particular day the advice I leaned on seven years ago from a beloved ex-local writing lecturer during a similar patch of stuckness broke through the din of self-doubt.
“You have to write your way through it”, she had gently implored.
So on November 25, 2022 I took her counsel to the keyboard and typed these six painful but honest words:
I don’t know what to write.
It was the truth in that moment, spoken by the person who most needed to say it to the person who most needed to hear it - me.
By admitting where I was at and giving myself permission to be there - no denial, no judgment, no criticism - I started to get unstuck.
One year on the word count has reached 22, 668.
1,128 paragraphs. 2,460 lines. 93, 871 characters.
58 pages that have held my emotions, my ideas, my fears, my dreams, my questions, my reflections.
Insights, prayers, doubts, decisions, plans. You name it I said it.
And I always received what I needed.
Answers. Clarity. Direction.
But more importantly, I saw myself, I heard myself, I felt what I was feeling and I put words to it in the safety of the blank page.
I honoured who I was, where I was at, what I wanted and didn’t want.
I wrote my way through the turmoil and the uncertainty, the indecision, the confusion, and found solutions and healing.
But I also found love - for my self, my self-doubt, my process, my creativity.
Now, in my heart I’m a pen and paper gal - I love journaling by hand on perfectly smooth, white, lined a5 pages.
That’s my preferred style and the way I’ve been practicing solidly for at least 18 years.
And I will always treasure the intimacy of pen to paper.
But the point is not where we journal…just that we do.
When I wrote those first six words I never dreamed I would rack up another 20,000.
I just needed a place to express where I was at.
Writing my way through things is how I know what I think. And feel. It helps me to see what’s true for me. And then find what I am looking for.
One unexpected discovery I made was that I wanted to have a go at making my own website. I’m no tech-wizard so when I first felt the stirring to want to do it myself I was quite surprised.
It took several journal entries over a few weeks with me sharing my fears and doubts before I decided to go for it. And then a few rants wreaking of defeat and very worn out brain trying to navigate a new platform - but I got there!
And I’d love you to take a look!
I really enjoyed putting my creativity into a different place and for different purpose. You’ll see there is a Blog page where I’ll house my journaling tips and stories related to Seeker & Sage. And I have made three new eBooks you can download for free!
But the one thing I have re-discovered is my passion for wanting to share the magic and meaning of journaling and all that it can bring and be for us as we journey through life.
So I’ll keep ‘writing my way through’ this next phase of creating - journals for publication and a book on journaling - in my growing Word Doc, as there’ll no doubt be challenges to face and solutions to be found.
In the meantime, help yourself to the freebies on my website that can set you up to begin your own journaling practice. And as always I welcome your questions and reflections.
Thanks so much for being here. With my love, Gena xo