I took a break from writing with the idea that writing was contributing to me not growing in other areas and my life was perhaps becoming too narrow. After all, in the last year I had not tried any new adventures and had not even attempted to learn something new. Could it be due to spending too much time writing?So I took a break.
I took a month to explore what other options I may want to try or identify what new experiences I may want to attempt. What was I interested in? What was I good at? What could provide value to society?
But during this window of NOT writing I learned something totally unexpected.
I found that during this time of NOT writing I became rather whiny and negative; the two characteristics I absolutely hate in people and here it was something I was noticing in me.
I sat down and reviewed what was going on and I concluded that when I write, I process and wash away that kind of clutter in my mind. It is almost as if there is only so much room in my head and if I have to keep thoughts and ideas for topics to write about, I am forced to get rid of the thoughts and ideas that don’t have value.
As soon as I got out the old pen and paper (really, it was the laptop and a blank sheet on the screen), I noticed the dismal thoughts of gloom were pushed aside. Writing seemed to provide an automatic process to sift out the chaff that comes from that automatic thought flow we all have. Soon it seemed that only the thoughts allowed to stick around in my mind were those which carried more substance.
This simple and invisible act of how a writer can thinks and process out ideas allowed me to keep the garbage thoughts from sticking and taking root. Those automatic thoughts we all probably create, you know, those self deprecating, whiny, judgmental, or negative thoughts that stream through a person’s mine, well, writing seemed to allow me to ignore them in that thought stream. They now seemed to be getting flushed out.
This new found awareness of how my thoughts were processed helped me realize that the simple act of being engaged in writing allowed my mind to become more fine-tuned to find the good stuff going through my automatic thought process. Ideas and concepts that had no value, I found I was leaving them behind.
So I came to the conclusion I can be a better person if I keep writing. Keeping my mind actively engaged in the task of finding ideas and gems to share provides a positive outcome; a less bitchy Beth.
