How Writing Can Change Your Life

From Writerslife.org:

Writing really is a gift, and doing so regularly can be cathartic, therapeutic and truly bring positive changes and benefits to your life and the lives of those around you. It also, of course, can bring great pleasure to the lives of those who read your work.

So how does writing help to change your life for the better?

It helps you make sense of the world

Is there anything more useful than writing things down to help you make sense of them? Whether its a logical problem, or an intense feeling that you can’t quite account for. If you are feeling angry, or overjoyed, or deeply sad, writing things down and exploring your emotions in this way can help you make sense of things and feel much stronger and more equipped to handle anything life throws your way.

Keeps you in touch with your creative side

When we were children our minds were so much freer. We didn’t censor ourselves, we didn’t feel embarrassed or silly for believing in magic. Writing helps us to get back in touch with that childlike self. When creating a story, you can be as imaginative as you wish and can conjure up worlds where magical, otherworldly, impossible things might happen. Being creative helps to make our lives more interesting, more satisfying. Through creativity, we can explore ideas, make connections and find deeper meanings, and writing helps us to exercise our creativity on a regular basis.

Writing helps you remember things

Writing can evoke all sorts of emotions, all sorts of memories. Even if you are not writing a journal or autobiography, looking back on your work, you can’t help but be brought back to the time you were writing it. If you write throughout your life, no matter what it is you write about, you have this wonderful, fantastical, detailed account of your journey that is truly amazing to look back on.

Writing helps you communicate your thoughts and feelings

There is nothing more frustrating than feeling misunderstood, or struggling with emotions, desires and thoughts that you feel you cannot clearly express. Writing helps you to share such things, to explore them, and to reach out and touch the hearts of people who are perhaps feeling the same.

Writing brings joy to the world

Reading is a pleasure that has been enjoyed for hundreds of years. If your writing touches one reader, inspires them, comforts them, makes them look at the world differently, or simply entertains them for a while then you are bringing something positive and wonderful to the world. The more readers you are able to deliver this to, the better!

Writing is rewarding

Writing is something that you have to work hard at. But in doing so you will see fantastic results. Not only will you get closer to your goal of finishing that story, but your writing will also improve. It’s incredibly satisfying to get better at our craft, and the sense of achievement you feel when you finally finish your story is something truly amazing.

Writing really can make such a positive and impactful difference in your life. The more you do it, the more you will learn how to use it as a tool to bring you happiness and peace. Writing helps your memory, helps you feel more positive, and helps you communicate and connect with others, as well as providing you with a sense of pride and satisfaction like no other. So next time you sit down to write just remember what good it brings you, and be thankful for that!

This I can say I agree with. I've definitely felt rewarded in working the long book I have been composing.  It's gotten my creative juices flowing.  I'm still wondering how much longer I can go and what I can do next. I do have another writing project started and want too get more done on that one, but the ideas for the memoir keep coming and I've gotten so into trying to get it done.  

I've gotten so into my writing that I need to find some time to find art ideas for work. I just did the following idea (click here for info).  As with the assemblage, I try to make examples at home so others will get the idea.

And I need to find some recipes to try for cooking class. Since Memorial Day Weekend is coming up, I might try to find something I can do then.

For class, everyone chose a color for their flowers and since I did not find all yellow buttons, I allowed each of them to paint the buttons with their desired colors.