Why work with me at Life Notes?

Is exploratory writing right for you?

Exploratory writing helps you to work through your life experiences, listening to your own voice and wisdom. It deepens your awareness of yourself, the world and your place in it. This awareness brings knowledge you can work with to take informed action, guiding you towards peace and vitality, 

You may recognise in your own life some of the feelings that exploratory writing helped me to work through:

Overwhelmed with responsibilities at work and home. I felt I was juggling too many balls in the air and my attention and energy was pulled in many different directions. It was difficult to just be present with those I loved. It felt like I would never catch up with all the tasks that needed to be done and time for rest, especially mental rest, was a luxury I didn’t have. 

Anxious and fearful about making mistakes. I felt responsibility heavy on my shoulders and doubted my abilities in all areas of life. It seemed that my efforts were never good enough. I was always pushing and striving, feeling like I needed to do more, be more, learn more. I never felt like I could just be but always needed to do. 

Lacking time and energy for things I wanted to do for my health, or just for fun. I knew I should exercise but I just couldn’t seem to get moving. I couldn’t remember what I used to do for fun, never mind find time to do it. I put others’ needs always ahead of mine and left no energy or time for myself. 

Bereft of enthusiasm for life and worn down. Every day felt like drudgery, a grind, a struggle. I would wake up in the morning, already tired, with no spark to face another day. I couldn’t muster the energy to fight for change where I knew it was needed. I lacked hope and was becoming cynical, something I hated. I tried to escape by scrolling through social media and watching mindless TV, before falling back into bed again for a restless and fruitless night’s sleep. 

Thinking back to those days still makes me sad and if this is where you are right now, please know that I see you and I understand how hard it is. I hope you can show yourself some compassion (the same as I know you would do for someone else). And remember that you deserve better. And it will get better. 

Through my journal writing  practice, I faced these struggles on the page, asked myself the right questions, listened for the answers that were already inside me, and took action on the discoveries I made. I studied and experimented with exercises from creative writing, reflective practice and narrative therapy. Those exercises helped to lead me out of the quagmire I was lost in and brought me back to a path where I can now be more wholly myself and more joyfully present in the world. I am also armed with the knowledge of what keeps me on this brighter path and what leads me astray from it. 

I know exploratory writing will do the same for you.

Julia Cameron, author of “The Artist’s Way”, said “Art is therapeutic, not therapy.” The same can be said for exploratory writing. Always take care of yourself in the way that works best for you. But I believe that adding the skill of exploratory writing and journaling to your self-care toolbox will be one more gift you can give yourself to revive your wonderful, unique life spark.