For over four years I travelled for work. Some nights I welcomed solitude like a long lost friend, other times it was incredibly lonesome. But the greatest gift solitariness gave me was the chance to think, read, write, reflect, and gain clarity.
If you happen to find solitude during quarantine, try to see the glint of a silver lining. With external distractions stripped away, it’s an important time to look inward. I’m not one to sit and meditate; the acts of reading and writing have become my meditation and caused my awakening.
In this post I’m sharing five writing exercises to help you gain clarity and perspective in the time of quarantine.
“Without great solitude, no serious work is possible.”
Pablo Picasso
Write to Forgive
What’s weighing you down? Maybe it’s regrets, or “ I should haves.” It’s time to let go and forgive yourself. Take a blank piece of paper and write down everything that’s been drowning you. Once complete, read it, and absolve yourself. Then throw the list away. We are unable to move forward if we expend our energy dwelling in the past.
Your Ideal Day
Have you ever thought about what your ideal day would be? If you don’t have a clear picture of it, how’s it ever going to come to fruition? Take some time and write down, in meticulous detail, your perfect day. What time do you wake up? How do you dress? Who do you interact with? What kind of work do you do? The most important thing is to not limit yourself.
Inventory of Dreams
One night, while alone in my hotel room, a napkin in one hand, and a pen in the other, I wrote down the goal to complete a triathlon. I then proceeded to write down the steps I would have to take to achieve this dream. Write down five goals you wish to achieve. Then, take each goal and work backwards. Put down every step you would have to take, the resources and skills you already have, and then record the skills and resources you would have to acquire to make this dream a reality.
Your Five Words
I ask myself for so long what do I want to do? Who do I want to be? Thankfully I started asking better questions and realized you create who you want to be through commitment and taking action. Write down five words that would describe your ideal self. Are you focused? Determined? Adventurous? Loving? The beauty of this exercise is that you can decide who you want to become, and grow into it. Write this list down, and then paste it somewhere that you’ll see and be reminded of your ideal self every day.
If I Loved Myself…
I challenge you to put pen to paper during this time and become aware of how the simple act of writing, can change your life.
In solitude, the mind gains strength and learns to lean upon itself.
Lawrence Sterne
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Miss Susan Flynn 