In the past ten months that I’ve been blogging I’ve shared my life experiences some of which were funny, sad or bad.
But really I’ve only been scratching the surface. Just chipping away at the bone instead of digging deep into the marrow. Until I participated in a writing exercise courtesy of Bigger Picture Blogs.
The assignment, to write where you are from. Not geographically per say, but the ingredients that make you who you are. Sounds easy right?
Well, not so much. For some reason this was the hardest writing assignment I’ve ever encountered (even from my old college days). It made me think long and hard about my life, the events that shaped me and my quirky personality traits. Basically it made me take long look in the mirror and I have to admit there were some things I didn’t like.
In particular, my overwhelming ability to dwell on the negative. EVERY single time I tried to write “Where I was From” something negative and dark would spill out. I started to get more and more frustrated. Negative and dark are not two adjectives that I would use to describe myself, then again happy and sunshiny aren’t either.
So I kept writing. I wrote out the dark and negative, letting it have its voice. Then I delved deeper, way deep into the marrow. I started remembering back to my childhood and started asking myself what brings me joy, when was I truly happy.
And slowly like a sun rise the darkness faded and the sun shined through. I had finally gotten past the anger and sadness, and found joy.
It’s a work in progress, but slowly I’m letting go of the negative and letting in the positive. One day at a time.
Read my Writing Me post by clicking here.
And try it yourself, you never know what you may discover.
>It is important to look within yourself. And I loved your writing me. I had a hard time writing mine, too. Also- I had to dig deep past pain to get to where I am today. I'm in a good place, and I only wish the same.
I loved. your bigger picture!
alita
>I had a difficult time with mine too, for the same reasons you mention. It's a prickly thing… a painful thing, to confront the dark, look it in the eye, and look beyond it to the light.
I loved your Writing Me and I love your resolution here. Thanks for the reminder to keep digging away for the positive.
>I haven't read your Writing Me post yet– I'll do that next. This sounds like a wonderful– albeit difficult– exercise. I might have to give it a try. Thanks for sharing– lovely, well-written post.
>Ok, here's the thing. Your writing me post is one of my FAVORITE writing me posts ever. Because it was real. It was an actual piece from actual life, both the good and the not-so-awesome. And really, I just dug it totally.
Also, Melissa {pbinmyhair} and I were talking today about how much we both adore your voice on your blog. You are funny and just have an authentic voice, and it so comes through. Just like it did the writing me piece.
🙂 xo, Hy