Writing from the Heart
September 23, 2008 by Heather Goldsmith
Filed under Home & Living
When you write in your journal a lot you begin to tune into what is most on your mind. The things that trouble you become your personal themes. As you investigate these themes you learn more about the way your mind works. But is it really your mind you are writing about? I believe therapeutic kind of journal writing has more to do with heart than mind. What about you? How can you tell the difference?
Writing from the place I think tends to produce short, choppy sentences with little flourish or interest. Writing from my heart reveals long descriptive passages that may even lose track of logic or sense here and there. Most of my journal writing tends to be a bit of both. I begin with the facts and take a structured and investigative bent, which works towards emotion as I explore what it is I really feel.
Are you writing from the heart or from your mind? Are you aware of these things in your personal journal writing style? Spend some time writing about this in your journal. Please feel free to share any comments in the section below.
Heather
Photo used with permission from Morguefile
When I use timed writing (I set my countdown timer at 10 minutes) and write as fast as I can without stopping and thinking, it isn’t possible to write from my mind. I love writing this way. My inner critic isn’t able to say anything. I feel more connected with my heart.
Hi Kriebels & Krabbels,
Yes, that is an excellent way of sidestepping the inner critic. Timed writing is a fantastic way to access rich journal material, in my opinion. Thanks so much for you response.