Last week I posted about why you should read daily, and I thought I would follow that with reasons to write every day. Like with reading, a Google search yielded copious results extolling the virtues of a daily writing habit, so please seek out additional reasons besides what I will discuss in this post, if you are interested in finding out more.
You already write daily. Building on a practice you already have is much easier than starting afresh. At some point today, you will write a text, an email, a to-do list, a grocery list, a reminder on a post-it, a journal entry, something. Since you already write every day, the next step is to do so with intention and build on your good work.
You will write with intention. Now that you recognize you write every day, you can start to focus on outcomes from your writing besides the obvious boons of communicating with a friend or colleague and making sure to buy all the ingredients for your recipe.
- You can write to learn about the world. What do you want to know? Make a list. What do you already know about that topic? Make a list. What connections can you make between two seemingly disparate ideas (eg: falconry and the color wheel)? Writing helps you investigate, categorize, define, and explain concepts.
- You can write to learn about yourself. Keep a dream journal or a log of your daily activities. Write down what frustrated you today. Write about what you’re grateful for. Writing helps you reflect, clarify your thinking, and keep a record of how far you have come. Don’t believe me? Look at something you wrote a few years ago and what you write about that same thing today. You’re not the same person you were then, and your writing can help you see your growth.
- You can write to relax. This closely aligns with writing to learn about yourself. Writing down your frustrations, fears, anxieties, and ideas gets those concepts out of your head and onto the page. Once you’ve corralled them, those thoughts no longer take up valuable mental space and energy, leaving you room to unwind and destress.
You will become a better writer. Writing is a skill you can learn and practice. The more you do it, the better you will become at it.
You just might change the world. Entire world shifts and revolutions have been sparked by the written word. Of course I mean famous documents such as the bible, the Declaration of Independence, and Amanda Gorman’s “The Hill We Climb,” but I also man the notes and scribblings and journal entries that daily inspire people to live boldly and courageously. Writing is a transformational tool with the power to reshape individuals and entire societies.
If you’re interested in learning how LELA House can enrich your writing, sign up for LELA House emails HERE.
And comment below with what you’re writing currently. My current writing projects are in the comments, too.