🧘 Breathe. Reflect. Snortle.

6 ways a freewriting practice can help your everyday life. 🤔

Hey there,

So, I write a lot about how a regular freewriting practice can be the cheapest form of therapy around, especially when self-doubt rears its ugly head. If you missed the last post on dealing with self-doubt, check it out here.

In his book Opening Up by Writing it Down, James Pennebaker explores the emotional and physical benefits of a regular writing practice.

Think of it like barfing on the page, where you let your thoughts and feelings run rampant without censoring yourself.

Pennebaker mentions six specific things in his book that I’ve experienced in developing my own unique practice called Scribbling Sessions. These have their own distinct flavor and benefits.

So let’s break down the six ways a regular (scribbling) practice can support you:

1. Hypnotize yourself.

Get your current thoughts and feelings out of your head onto the page. And do a timed write about anything that’s on your mind.

According to Pennebaker, hypnotists use this technique to help clients relax and get into a hypnotic state quicker. When their clients finish writing, they tear up the paper and throw it away as a symbolic way of clearing their minds. Ah, freedom.

2. Become your own guru.

Freewriting lets you digest and assimilate experiences you don’t have time to think about during your busy day. Slowing down and getting words on the page helps you sift through them to find a new angle.

Getting some distance and perspective from the issue allows new insights to bubble to the surface. And YOU become the source of your own solutions, not a slave to your circumstances.

3. Ease up on your overthinking. 

When we go through major emotional upheavals, we tend to obsess about them.

Going over every detail in our mind repetitively makes it impossible to think critically about anything else.

For example, when the guy I was dating dumped me because his ex-girlfriend didn’t like me, it didn't matter whether I replayed those conversations in my head or tried not to think about him.

It was all a major energy drain. Rather than waste entire days obsessing, I did regular scribbling stints to clear my head and say “yes” to serious self-care.

Plus, it gave my supportive friends a break from listening. Win-win. 😅

4. Be kind to your future self. 

Your fears about the future add stress to the present. Especially worrying about things you may not have control over, like, asking your crush out, your boss for a raise, or moving to a new city.

Big possibilities mean big thinking. By letting your mind wander on the page, you uncover new options and gain clarity.

More headspace = gentler perspective on yourself.

Think of it like a kinked hose: you freewrite the kinks out, the water flows freer from tap to nozzle.

5. Move into swift, smart decisions with grace. 

Science shows we skew to negativity. Which rarely leads to great decisions.

Caution, diligence, calculation? Absolutely.

Unbridled negativity? Not so much.

When you’re your own guru, have more energy, are kinder to yourself, and are less attached to a certain outcome. You gain the agency and autonomy to make healthy decisions.

Which is a skill we’re not taught in school, but is vital for a well-lived life.

6. Breathe. Like, fully breathe. 

Life is stressful. As William James said, “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.”

And reflecting on what’s happening in your life can bring new insights.

Intentional change starts with slowing down enough to name your feelings, examine the thoughts that come from them, and give yourself the space to decide how to respond.

People tell me Scribbling Circles are a way for them to “Stop the clock on their lives and take time to reflect.”

It lets them slow down and center themselves, find their inner calm and poise, and refill their emotional and creative wells.

So you’re in luck because the next circle is this Saturday, May 25th, from 5:30pm to 7:30pm CT.

We have a cool group of women signed up to hold space for each other this weekend.

It’s an opportunity to let go of all the shit you’ve been stuffing down for weeks — usually while telling the world you’re ‘fine.’

In these circles, there’s no commenting, no critiquing… just a whole lotta getting it down on the page.

Hit reply if you’re brave enough to join us this Saturday. And I’ll send you the link with a warm, virtual hug.

Keep writing,

Jen

P.S. If you’ve been thinking about Substack but you’re not sure how to get started and feel overwhelmed — book a free discovery call with me here.

In a quick 20-minute laser-focused session, you’ll walk away with serious clarity about your next steps.