How writing helped me cope with 2020

For this week’s blog post, I was going to share some of my writing resolutions but I was feeling more reflective this morning, so I thought I’d share a few ways writing has helped me through this strange and difficult year.

Reconnecting the old-fashioned way

I used to love writing letters and growing up, I had many pen-pals from places such as Canada, Ghana, France, and Germany. This is a passion that I have reignited this year, mainly to my older relatives in the UK who have been stuck at home for long periods. I’ve taken a lot more time to write all my news on beautiful stationary rather than just a one-liner What’s App message and it’s definitely something I will be continuing in 2021 knowing how much pleasure it brings people in a time where contact with the outside world is so limited.

Coping with grief

At the beginning of the year, my Grandma died, and I was asked to give a eulogy at her funeral. Never have I thought so carefully about the words I put down on paper. I wrote many versions trying to do my Grandma justice. Each draft was discarded until eventually, I wrote a poem. It’s never easy to say goodbye to someone you love but as I wrote and rhymed, delving into shared memories, it brought me a huge amount of comfort which I hope passed on to the congregation at the service.

Sharing knowledge

It’s only really this year that I got serious about a weekly blog post to help aspiring writers. Previously, my posts were sporadic, hesitant and very much a ‘marketing’ tactic. When the pandemic hit, it forced myself, and probably many others, to think a little more deeply about what I was putting out into the world. The number of subscribers to my blog has grown significantly as a result and I’ve been blown away with just how many people dream of writing a book. I’ve loved getting your thoughts and comments on the different topics and it’s a privilege to share my knowledge with you.

Easing anxiety

Writing a diary is something I used to do diligently but since having children, it’s fallen by the wayside. Earlier this year though, I came across Rachael Lynn’s journalling course and fell in love all over again with the practice. At a time when the world was in chaos and everything was unpredictable, journalling was something I could do in lockdown to help relieve stress, make sense of everything, and show up for my family in a much calmer state.

Planning for a better 2021

One of my favourite things to do in December is set new goals. To do this, I spend a lot of time writing my reflections from the last twelve months. What did I enjoy? What worked well? Where can I improve? What projects or passions do I want to take on? And perhaps most significantly, what have I learnt? While 2020 has certainly been one of the most challenging, there’s no doubt that this was the year where I slowed down, spent more time with my children, focused on my health, and reconnected with family and friends in a more thoughtful and caring way.

To end this post, I wanted to say a huge thank you for all your support this year and I do hope the content has helped you with your writing practice, whatever that may be. In the meantime, I wish you a very Happy New Year and I look forward to seeing you in 2021!

Photo credit: Love Has No Borders

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How has writing helped you through 2020?