Habit Forming - Writing

In an attempt to bring this article to the focus of its readers, who (I hope, are varied, far & wide), I love chocolate!

Ok, so I hear you all asking the question - what!? - well you see, writing can very quickly become an enjoyable, engrossing, and much-liked habit. As with a large number of activities that you fill out your life with these days, writing is a very positive tool. It allows you to escape from the reality around you. Reducing stress & anxiety that habitually plagues you throughout your lifetime. I have spent much of my working life working 12-hour night & day shifts as a mental health nurse, which, as I imagine readers coming to this article can very easily relate with - particularly if they have been a nurse in the past or are involved in this field of work now. Everyone that I have known in the past, or still today, understands that there are copious emotions that you go through when you spend such long periods looking after others when they are unwell and vulnerable. You can easily become very susceptible to fear, anxiety, anger, frustration, sorrow, guilt, and complete and utter exhaustion; the list can go on and is certainly not exhaustive.

To combat and manage these (all, or just some) of these emotionally driven experiences, everyone needs to develop a sound strategy to get through and protect themselves - it is not about erecting a 'brick wall' between you and the stressor, more it is about creating a distraction within your life. In particular, it is about finding a healthy work-life balance; which is where hobbies, pastimes & your family life needs to be developed to balance your working schedule in harmony together. I absolutely love to go down to the beach with my wife when we can (in the UK well, let's just say the weather decides if we go at all on some days.) I like to take my camera with me and take views of the sea, the beach, and take in the atmosphere around me. From our local beach, you can see the Isle of Wight across the water. The tranquility that the area provides, allows me to breathe it all in - I can write endlessly afterward because the beach allows my mind to wander freely.

After needing to leave work after most of my working years through ill-health, I very quickly needed to discover an activity that I could get involved with - do you know how boring daytime television can really be? Apart from being pretty boring, it makes you tired very quickly and it becomes a bad habit-forming practice when you start snacking when you are watching it. Surprisingly, within a very short space of time, it begins to diminish your self-worth (the practical impact this pastime has on your behavior.) Self-esteem, on the other hand, affects the things you do and the choices you make consciously (the confidence in your own abilities.)

Admittedly, as a mental health professional, these words flow from my mouth (yes you guessed it, just like chocolate does!) so I have not had to trawl the internet to look them up. I know when to write seriously and actively listen to others but I do try to put humour within my articles (where appropriate to do so.) But I also know that as a writer, that humour does help in keeping the attention & interest of the reader themselves too - both good for me and good for you; a win-win scenario.

Writing is an art form in itself.

Writing has always been a technology within itself. I promise to keep this bit short - after all, it is not my intention to bore any of you and subject you to a history lesson at this point (that was my mum's role when she was a headteacher) I will leave that right where it should remain!

'Writing history' can be charted all the way back 30 - 40,000 years during the Palaeolithic period. Paintings and graffiti would be etched onto the walls of their caves and upon the rocks too. Later, Egyptians and Sumerians were considered as the first people who actually wrote (dated between 3500-3200 BC.) Grecians developed an alphabet from around 8th - 9th century BC.) Come the 15 century, the printing press was developed by Johannes Gutenburg in Europe. At this point in time, the very first book was put together and finally printed. As I said earlier, I promised to keep the history bit short, and do not like to let you down there, so I will stop right there - at least I can remember a few things from dozing off in my history lessons at school!

Today, probably the pen and paper, with the paper notebook are not (sadly) used as much as it was in past years. Having been replaced by technological advancements made with personal computer systems. Yet is true to mention that either faced with a blank piece of paper or a keyboard, with a monitor showing just a blank screen, once you start using that pen, or tapping those keyboard keys, then your thoughts will start to flow -allowing your thoughts take over, and your mind and body will begin to relax. Believe me... just try it & let your mind free. When you are finished, remember, proofing & editing your work helps to present the grammar much better before it is out there.

Now I better end here and go clean up the kitchen before the plates get up and walk out of the house! Remember, writing is a very beneficial form of relaxing therapy but, try not to do what I do - forget the house cleaning!

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More of my articles can be found at: https://vocal.media/authors/jonathan-townend