I’m knee deep in writing my memoir right now. I half love it. And I half feel drained and sucked dry after each session.
No matter how frequently I try to make art of my own life through telling my most personal stories, each time I do it it feels like I’m getting ripped open again for the very first time. Writing about your life is confusing and humiliating and tenderizing and OMG I can’t even breathe when I think about actually sharing all of this with the world. That’s just too much.
So, how do we write about the deepest part of ourselves without letting it take us down? How do we take care of ourselves when it’s time to come out of our stories – often very heavy and traumatic ones – and get back to our life?
In today’s video I talk about the importance of self care when you’re writing a memoir or personal essay.
There are some things that have worked really well for me – like accepting the fact that feeling like an emotional teeter totter is completely normal, for one.
You can watch me talk about a few more now…
This is precious time, my friend. If you’re brave enough to tell your stories, then also be brave enough to be kind to yourself, greet yourself honestly, recognize your common humility, and accept that you must continue to learn while you’re writing. When you do that, you will be transformed by it.
