A Writer’s Perspective: How Writing Changed Can Change Your Life

As a kid, you would be hard pressed to find me without a book in my hands. Growing up, I discovered I had a voracious appetite for reading anything I could get my hands on. I attribute my love for reading towards me developing a love for writing. In high school, I was never one to be good when it came to art, but I knew I had a creative passion, and writing was the outlet that I could concentrate my creative energy into. Having a love for writing has impacted my life in a number of ways, and has allowed me to express myself in the best way I know.

As a kid, everyone has that wild imagination that they let run, which allows them to explore new and exciting area of your mind. For me, that imagination never went away, and I realized that I could express my imagination to the world through writing stories. All that time I spent reading and exploring exciting characters and new worlds, it dawned upon me that I could create these all on my own. In high school, I took a creative writing class that gave me the freedom to write how I want, and it truly allowed me to evolve creatively as a writer.

Writing has also positively contributed to my overall happiness, as it allows me to jot down my thoughts and feelings, and has decreased my stress levels. Research has shown that writing about future goals and accomplishments can directly affect one’s happiness, and I find this to be completely true, During times of stress, I will find myself writing down what needs to be accomplished during the week, and how great I will feel when I reach those goals. It has made me have a more positive outlook during times where I am overly busy and bogged down with projects. Often times you might find yourself with much on your mind but not be comfortable with talking about it to others. Writing about it serves as a major way to relieve stress, and can allow yourself to get your thoughts out in the open.

If you want to get started with writing, the only thing stopping you is getting over the fear of putting words onto paper. A good way to develop a writing habit is to keep a journal. This is often the most common way to get started in writing. I personally start my day by writing an entry in my journal, writing whatever’s on my mind. This gives me the chance to flesh out my thoughts, include notes on personal projects, or even jot down ideas I may have. I prefer to write with pen and paper, but in the end, writing should be done in the way most comfortable to you. If you find yourself looking to get into journalism as a career, then write about what interests you! You’ll be surprised to find how easy words flow onto a page when you actually enjoy what you write about. You need to find what you’re passionate about when it comes to your writing, then practice all the time.

Writing has allowed me to better process and deal with trying times in my life. After experiencing a death in my family, I took to writing how I felt, and it gave me an avenue to work through the pain I was feeling. Instead of running away from what I was feeling, I stood my ground and faced my demons, and eventually it was the deciding factor that brought me through the dark place I was in.

People often find the thought of writing as scary, as they have little to no confidence in their writing ability. However, if you get past that feeling, writing has the potential to make a huge impact in your life.