Elizabeth Gilbert arrived on Substack with a splash of rainbows this month. I was not familiar with the author beyond a vague memory of the Eat, Pray, Love movie. But reading her first post on the power of writing love letters was inspiring.
She’s channeling a deep wisdom that transcends our individual selves. Her openness gave me the courage to share my own self-love letter from earlier this year. I wrote it to mark the end of an old chapter for myself, to express gratitude, and to move forward:
The Benefits of Writing to Yourself
Whether it be a love letter, a journal, or an affirmation on a post-it note, there’s value in writing to yourself.
A Form of Therapy
Humans are emotional creatures as much as logical ones. Yet, we often move through life pushing our feelings aside, dismissing them as useless distractions. But emotions are powerful - they help us make efficient decisions, avoid danger, and connect with others.
However, left unchecked, emotions can also be destructive. Processing emotions and regulating our nervous system is essential to our well-being. Emotions only have a 90 second charge. After that, the feelings are just us choosing to stay in an emotional loop. Those feelings are stored in the body and need to be recognized, felt, and purged.
Writing is a powerful way to give structure and tangibility to the nebulous thoughts and emotions that are swirling inside our minds. Putting down our thoughts allows us to see them clearly and with fresh perspective. Then we can process and let them go.
Tapping the Subconscious
95% of our lives are driven by our subconscious, encoding patterns and habits over the years into our nervous system. Most of our daily actions emerge from this hidden realm.
Writing has a unique effect that calls forth subconscious thoughts, emotions, and beliefs we’d otherwise be unaware of in our habitual routines. You’ll be shocked by the things you end up excavating in the process of writing a journal entry.
Capturing Accurate Memories
Our memories are fragile and fleeting. They are not stored in our brains in the way that data is stored on a hard drive. Recollecting a memory is actually an act of creation, where we are re-imagining what we thought had occurred. This recollection comes with biases and inaccuracies. The more we think of a memory, the more it changes.
So how do we remember ideas with accuracy? Recording memories through writing preserves them vividly. The occasional visit to my old journals often brings a wonderful sensation of bittersweet nostalgia. The self-reflection also keeps the stories in my head honest.
Have you ever written a love letter to yourself? If you feel the call, I encourage you to try it. The experience may be profoundly liberating. Please feel free to share your letter in the comments - you never know who else might be inspired by your words.
What I’m Doing This Week
Gratitude
I’m grateful to reconnect with old friends and experience joy, synchronicity, and resonance.
Lesson Learned
There is power in stillness, but to access it requires tremendous discipline and patience.
Listening to
Amor - C.B. Rework by Clark
Watching
A well-constructed, thought provoking discussion on our system of money and an eloquent case for decentralized money. Robert Breedlove is a profound thinker and polymath.
Reading
The Mountain Is You: Transforming Self-Sabotage Into Self-Mastery by Brianna Wiest
A comprehensive and quick read to help you blast away unneeded beliefs and self-destructive patterns. Thank you for the recommendation,
. 🙏Self-care
Volleyball, meditation, self-love, ocean, bikram yoga, fasting, nature, hot baths, stretching