Write it out

We often do not have, or at least take, the time to focus on the traumas, hurts, and emotional encounters in our lives. While some may regularly visit with a therapist or speak with a pastoral advisor, many simply go on, pushed by the pace of the job (or jobs), without ever really processing. Unfortunately, healing is nearly impossible without the occurrence of said processing. Thankfully there is a low-cost, high-reward “hack” that may help us all.

WHERE WRITING COMES IN.

The science shows that taking the time to write about painful events increases the speed and thoroughness of moving past those hurts in a healthy manner. In addition, writing about our days, even when they were not painful, is a great tool to help us evaluate our own actions, discern things we missed in the moment, and be better prepared for the next encounter.

GIVE IT 15

Understanding the value of writing, it would benefit all of us to incorporate it into our daily routine. Be intentional about taking 10 to 15 minutes a day to write. Write about whatever. Some days it may be about the events of the day. Other times you may write about some philosophical struggle that you have been mulling over. The content is less consequential than the action itself. That you write is more important than what you write. Writing, every day, is a valuable asset to many and is scientifically proven to be quite therapeutic. As ministers, we certainly need a space to process our thoughts. Making intentional writing time in our day, whether it be a leather bound journal or a word file on our laptop, may prove to be just what we need.

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