I’d encourage everyone to write as a tool for self expression. Writing feels good for many reasons, even if you never share your work with anyone. You don’t need to be a ‘writer’ to write. In fact, anyone who writes is, by definition, a ‘writer.’ Everyone has something to say, but not everyone gets a chance to express it, and that’s a real shame. The world would be a better place if we all shared our stories. Yes, writing is often challenging, but it’s not the writing part that’s hard. It’s the self doubt that comes along with it. So, I’ve put together a list of five things to help you break free of self judgement and just write. Are you ready?

Just start

Starting anything is always the hardest part. There will always be a million reasons not to do something, and sometimes what feels like only one small reason to try it anyway. Listen to the part of you that wants to give it a try, and make space for it to be heard – it’s important, so don’t push it down further. And just — start. Start writing something, anything. It doesn’t need to make sense or be coherent. It could even be a scribble or a doodle. The main thing is to just break the cycle and start. Give yourself credit for the small steps you take – they are the hardest, and without them you can never advance further.

Find your zone

I like to light a candle, turn on a good Spotify playlist, and just type away on my iPad, and I always write at night, because that’s when my brain seems to work best. But you may find something else works better for you. Figure out what makes you feel reflective, inspired or creative and implement it into your surroundings. I’ve written some of my best work when I’ve been super melancholy. There is no right answer here. Find your zone, and get into it, and I can guarantee you’ll reap the benefits.

Write what you feel

Don’t force anything, because it will come out sounding forced. If you planned to write about a certain topic, but you keep drawing blanks, move on to something else. More often than not, there is something else lurking under the surface that wants to be heard at that moment. It may take time to find something you really connect with – that’s ok. Just keep treading until you find that thing that makes your brain feel alive again. You’ll find it.

Write first, edit later

This is perhaps the most important of them all. Writing is all about getting into a state of flow, and that flow is almost impossible to achieve if you are constantly back tracking on your work. If you delete things you write as you’re writing them, you will likely delete some really good bits too. Let your mind sit on a shelf for a while, and allow yourself the freedom to write without self judgment. Yes, it’s hard, but it’s worth it, you’ll see. And you can always edit later.

Sleep on it

Writing is all about revising and refining your drafts. But when you spend hours furiously getting it all out, you become so entrenched in the process and so invested in your writing that it becomes virtually impossible to separate yourself from your work and think objectively. Things will always look fresher the next day, so put it aside, sleep on it, and when you revisit it again, it will be like reuniting with an old friend – one that you just told your deepest, darkest secrets to.