Write Your Story: 4 Ways to Incorporate Writing into Your Daily Life

Right now I'm reading through Elisabeth Elliot's "The Shaping of a Christian Family." When her mother was growing old her children gave her a notebook and asked her to start writing down stories from her life. She took a page per vignette and shared a lovely history of their family.  Her mom's stories are featured prominently in Elliot's book. Would she have even been able to write the book without her mom's stories? 

Live your life. Write your story. 

When you write something down, you are leaving a message that future generations can read. Even if you find this part of your story boring your children, grandchildren, spiritual children may be inspired by your faithfulness or encouraged by your failures. Your story is worth telling. 

"I do not write to be understood, I write to understand." C.S. Lewis 

My goal is to write five hundred words a day every day except Sundays. I have yet to run out of things to write. The more I write the more ideas I have. The more ideas I have the more I write. It's a never ending circle. Writing helps me clarify my thoughts. Writing allows me to see solutions and possibilities I was overlooking. Writing provides many psychological benefits and many successful people make time for writing. 

Often when I'm writing I write things that surprise me. I don't realize that I think a certain way until I'm staring at the words. Something about giving voice to your thoughts also gives them substance, sometimes even newness. I want to be writing as I go through life. It's how I process. It's how I remember. It's how I understand.  

You may have no intention of blogging, writing a book, or making your story public. Find a notebook and start writing anyway. You can sort through your emotions about a rough time or you can record happy memories for a rainy day. 

Ways to incorporate writing into daily life

1. Start small. Jot down something funny your child said in a journal or Evernote page. Write one fun/exciting/sad occurrence of each day in your planner. 

2. Be consistent, but don't quit when you miss. Write for five minutes when you get up or before you go to bed. Miss a day? Miss 20 days? Just start again. Don't let the angst of having messed up keep you from ever starting again. (That applies to way more than just writing.)

3. Make it meaningful. Write letters to your husband, child, or other loved one. Write the statements you're not brave enough to say aloud. 

4. Send a note. Mail delights people. Thank you notes are marvelous. Learn to compliment people and speak about the beauty within them. (Even if you have to look really hard for it.)

Writing may be the spark you need to pursue a dream. Writing might leave your story for when you're gone. Writing may encourage someone else to continue on with their work. 

Do you write regularly? Do you share it with others?