I went to see Tim Minchin talk about his book You Don't Have To Have A Dream: Advice for the Incrementally Ambitious. Tim calls Perth his home which is nice to hear that fame hasn’t forgotten his roots. He talked about free will and nuance perspectives to name a few of his philosophies on life. What I really liked was how he encourages the audience to think about things differently. Seeing our thoughts from an alternative lens and position can change our thoughts entirely. Tim’s no longer on social media as he finds it controlled him like any addiction.
I thought a thought, but the thought I thought wasn't the thought I thought I thought.
How’s that for a thought twister.
When teaching meditation, the part of thinking and identity challenges people to an idea that our identity is not just made of our thoughts. Thoughts are often programmed from the past, unconscious beliefs, determined by bacteria in our gut and affected by our emotions. Overthinking becomes stressful with insomnia and physical symptoms such as tight muscles/gut pain to name a a few of many. Overthinking can overide our senses and aware self. The aware part of ourselves has an ability to observe our thoughts and actions. That’s the other part of ourself that can be sculpted and strengthened like a muscle. Awareness has the ability to shine the light on thought content and challenge it.
I wonder about how thinking transforms with writing on The Gentle Kind. Writing takes thoughts and arranges in a way for the reader. Conversations between my thinking mind and aware mind combine into something that makes better sense in reading overall. This is different to writing in my journal which is often stream of consciousness. This gives me an outlet to just blah anything from my mind to paper and by doing this I am more aware of my thoughts as they are staring at me ( in very neat doctor’s writing) . There’s so much more clarity when it’s out of the head. It can be helpful having a topic to write about as it provides a framework to hang your thoughts on.
The transformative capacity of writing is worth a try. Here’s the nudge…all is needed is pen & paper or a finger & computer. It’s an opportunity to observe your thoughts and even change them as you write. Writing has an intention to give something more thought which is to exercise consideration of many things. Perhaps to get to know yourself better, to consider others and your thought itself.
Therapeutic writing
‘I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I write and I understand.’ Chinese Proverb
There is research to indicate that writing therapy helps breast cancer survivors.
Expressive writing about one’s breast cancer, breast cancer trauma and facts related to breast cancer, significantly improved the quality-of-life outcome in research of early breast cancer survivors. What to write? Absolutely anything! Can you believe it…no restrictions….complete freedom. If you surprise yourself and are worried someone will read it, just light the paper in flames or press the delete button. Here is an article for people with cancer on how to get started with Expressive writing tips. For those people seeking to write for other therapeutic reasons, here’s an article to get you started on Therapeutic writing.
Of course for some people, writing is not going to happen. There’s always voice recording as an option… or talking to someone. I find it’s helpful to do a bit of everything.
Insights
Sometimes I forget about how far improved my mind and body have come and it helps to be able to read back and be reminded of my own grounded past self. To gain assurance and comfort in my insights.
Most importantly is keeping good company with myself during times where alot of thoughts and feelings need to be expressed. Making sense of something in it’s expression outside of the thought in the head gains much insight for me.
I have spoken with a friend on the phone and without knowing my phone has run out of charge and I am just speaking with myself. At that moment, I realise that listening to myself well as a friend does, is a great thing to do.
To round this off, what comes to mind is,
“ may the force of expression be with you “
x
Thank you Su Lin for your wise advice,l struggle with thinking what to write as l am now 🤔, l am a person of very few words so l am going to try therapeutic writing 💕🌹