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Writing and Not Writing

Casting aside the judgment and self-doubt that comes with a dry spell in favor of looking at the meaning behind it

Here is an excerpt:

Not writing at all, especially when there is intention and plans in place, can be attributed to a lot of things. Laziness, procrastination, or forgetting something not normally in a daily routine are the obvious guesses for why the pen remains untouched, but it can also be an opportunity to see areas of creative energetic depletion or defenses acting as blocks. Sometimes what seems like a day packed with activity leaving no time for creative introspection is displacement and avoidance, the same way “I forgot” can be code for “I’m afraid to tread this unfamiliar soil.” 

If what your client or yourself, as a journal keeper, wants to do, is write on a regular basis, whether for self-exploration or as part of a creative project, then attention must be turned to finding the defenses sabotaging this desire. It can be a simple habit to sink into self-judgment, to say “I can’t” or “I’m not good enough” or “I don’t have any ideas” in the face of not writing, potentially glossing over clues that point to a larger system of defense mechanisms. So this becomes an excellent starting point, to examine the feelings that come up about not-writing. Are feelings of self-chastisement and self-deprecation familiar? What are the origins of these feelings, what other parts of your client’s life do they touch? There is also great safety in inactivity, what are some hypothetical dangers of writing and perhaps, revealing? 

This writing about not writing is an interesting way to illuminate fears hidden from sight, blocking creative flow, but is also a way to alleviate the building pressure of should. I should be able to write every day, it should come easier, and I should have endless ideas and inspiration. In my own history with journaling, I struggled with the idea that writing wasn’t ‘real’ writing unless there was a definite endgame. I felt pressure to write books or skits or screenplays or anything legitimate enough to prove to myself I was actually a writer and became frustrated when I couldn’t. Times when I didn’t write or didn’t write well enough filled me with doubt and depression. Was I creative or not? Why did I have this impulse and then choke on it? Judgment weighed heavily and became the overriding voice in my head, shutting out any creative ideas. It was the beliefs I had about myself and my writing that crushed my creativity under the five hundred pound bad of judgment, not the writing itself. 

Often you will hear a client or journal writer devolve into judgment and self-recrimination in the face of a dry spell and search for the answers within, but I have found it just as helpful to look without, at the world built around the journal keeper. Toxic, uneven, or unsupportive relationships or endeavors are an energy drain and can have more to do with losing the impetus to write than disinterest. Unhealthy situations will leave even the most energetic emotionally exhausted with nothing to bring to creative work. It’s important to note that anyone keeping a journal who has struggled in the past with depression or codependency may find that their chosen comrades reflect a dysfunctional version of themselves.  As they heal and rise it may become apparent that the previous choices no longer fit and can indeed slow progress.  A careful look around at the company we keep is an important way to track the efficacy and placement of our energy.

Read more here:

Transformational Journaling for Coaches, Therapists, and Clients: A Complete Guide to the Benefits of Personal Writing