Life around us is changing rapidly. We have the power to share anything to millions of people, in this age of technological evolution that we don’t fully comprehend. It is important to speak your mind, be authentic and not overexpose yourself.
As our lives go more and more virtual, we are not talking much to others, as we used to, unable to ask for support or help, or even someone to listen to us. An effective antidote to taming this mental isolation and suffocation is to start writing.

Life On The Edge

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<li>Writing is a process of unfurling your thoughts and is a healthy alternative to sitting down with a friend and having a heart-to-heart talk. Just writing down what’s on your head and having it in front of you provides you with a space to interact with your thoughts productively.</li>
<li>When we start talking to our mind by writing, we see that we are having a healthy conversation with ourselves, which is cathartic and helps our mind express things that were repressed earlier.</li>
</ul>

Write Your Blues

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You see, asking for a hand when you need one is important. It isn't easy, but it's important.
As a matter of fact, it's very difficult.
Traditional forms of talk therapy can be expensive, time-intensive and it takes courage to make the leap. Allowing yourself to be vulnerable takes courage, and embracing that challenge is extraordinarily difficult, but it's also one that should be celebrated.
The same mentality that can contribute to a certain degree of success can breed a belief that you can solve your own problems yourself. Or, that you can take on the problems of other people - which can quickly become a burden - draining you of the energy necessary to take care of yourself. " Secure your own oxygen mask before helping others " comes to mind here.
Also, it's easy to tell someone else to make the time, but it's very possible that your reality is such that you don't have the bandwidth or the literal time each week, which is completely justifiable.
All this is to say, it's not easy to express our feelings in today's society.
For those of us who can relate, here's a healthy first step in taming the ugly monster: write. Start small and let it rip. Writing is the process of unfurling our thoughts; the good, the bad and the ugly.
The same brain that tackles complicated issues at work, supports your family, allows you to plan surprise parties, weekend trips, learn a new language or navigate foreign places can get you stuck every now and again. A fuse can blow, your bucket can overflow, get swept away in the undertow or [insert your preferred rhyming analogy here].
Writer's note: I know that was corny - I thought about deleting and rewriting it - but it made me happy, and if just one person enjoys it, then why the hell not. The point is this: getting your thoughts out of your head and on paper or a screen can allow you the space to interact with them productively. Writing is a healthy alternative to sitting down and having a meaningful conversation with a friend, family member, or trusted member of your inner circle. Through the process of sitting down to write, you'll pickup the habit of being proactive with your mental health rather than being reactive.
And over time, you'll learn to identify patterns which can provide you with a more informed insight into how you can help yourself. Remember that oxygen mask?
<blockquote>
Writing is the process of unfurling our thoughts; the good, the bad and the ugly. 
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When we're feeling blue, our day-to-day attention is drawn to our problems like a moth to a porch-light. Over the years, I've learned that the process of writing has been an invaluable tool for shifting my perspective away from those problems into things that are more helpful.
At the very least, releasing the steam of burning thoughts or repressed emotions can be cathartic. Abraham Lincoln would write what he called a "hot letter" where he would air his grievances in a hand-written letter that he would never send.
On a personal note, I'm currently commuting two and a half hours a day for work. This can be difficult, and it can absolutely be lonely at times. Calling people I love always cheers me up, but it's not always appropriate to have a meaningful dialogue with a stranger. And I know for a 100% capital-T Truth that writing has improved the quality of my life. It's strengthened my resolve, allowed to to flex my gratitude muscles and taught me to not be a victim of my current perspective.
You see, this perspective all begins with how we talk to ourselves, and writing our thoughts down on paper is a beautiful way to have a healthy conversation with ourselves - and to properly express things we've been shying away from.
<blockquote>
Writing is the process of unfurling your thoughts; the good, the bad and the ugly. 
</blockquote>
Getting back to our analogy, seeing your thoughts on a page makes the imaginary monster real. And we're able to address what is real.
It won't be easy, but nothing worthwhile ever was.
<figure>Helping each other write better. </figure> </div>

You see, asking for a hand when you need one is important. It isn't easy, but it's important. As a matter of fact, it's very difficult. Traditional forms of talk therapy can be expensive, time-intensive and it takes courage to make the leap.

Feeling blue? Here's a simple first step.

Life On The Edge

Write Your Blues

Vera D.'s ideas are part of this journey:

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