Why do I Write?       

Because happiness is complicated. 

Advice about achieving well-being is all around us – from tidying up our closets to eliminating processed foods from our diet. But for some of us, a commitment to practicing happiness may not be enough, if deep down we don’t believe happiness is possible. 

Our beliefs are steeped in the stories we have lived, heard and told, and if we want to change our beliefs about happiness, then perhaps we can begin by transforming the stories we live by. 

“Everyone thinks that they want happiness, but they might not. They  might rather keep their stories about who they are and about what is impossible. Happiness is not an add-on to what you already are; it requires you to become a different person from the one who set off seeking it.”

John Tarrant, Bring Me the Rhinoceros, and other zen koans that will save your life

Creative writing can help us to transform the stories we tell ourselves about what is possible, and research demonstrates that writing can help us to feel better.

Dr. James Pennebaker, a professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Texas, is a pioneer in the study of the health benefits of expressive writing. His findings indicate that writing can improve emotional and physical well-being.

For more about writing to feel better:

https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/01/19/writing-your-way-to-happiness/

http://expressivewriting.org/

http://www.thisisreallyinteresting.com/writing-to-heal-james-pennebakers-work/