Write to Stop Spiralling
Hello Dear One,
I’m blowing you a kiss. A beautiful, magical kiss. A kiss full of glitter, faeries, butterflies. A kiss like the sun on your skin. Do you feel it? Good.
This week I’ve relied on my self-compassion practise. It’s like training for something, building up muscle mass and skill, so, when put to the test, you are ready to go.
To put things frankly: I’m not brimming with positivity. I don’t necessarily feel that everything will be ok. But I do know that it will be. Sometimes we can know things but not feel them. I’ve found this to be profoundly true during the pandemic: I know it’s temporary, but it doesn’t feel like it is; I know things will get better, but they don’t feel like they will. And that’s ok.
Spiralling is where I get into real trouble; layering on the negatives. If, for example, I’m having trouble at work, I can be very guilty of thinking about everything else that’s ‘wrong’. It becomes I’m having trouble at work AND I can’t see my friends AND I haven’t done enough on social media AND my book isn’t published AND I’ll be on my own forever… You get the gist. Now, I never patronise myself by saying they are silly things to think, or ‘people have it so much worse.’ Shame does not have a place at this party. The point is they are one-by-one topics; together they become overwhelming. Some are also real things I have to deal with, while others are conjecture. If this resonates I invite you to use the prompts below.
How was it? At the end of my five minutes it became a bit ridiculous. That’s the point where I thought to myself - hold on Jo, things aren’t as bad as all that. If you didn’t get there try writing for longer.
It’s also worth noting that we hardly ever do this the other way, do we? I have a loving family AND I am able-bodied and healthy AND I have my own flat AND I work part-time so I can write AND I love the city I live in AND I saw a beautiful sunset yesterday AND my dog is the cutest thing ever. I could list many more things that are right than wrong. This might be something you’d like to journal on too.
It’s hard to not engage with the voice which tugs us down. It’s biological. To remind myself to stop spiralling I put my hand on my heart and breathe. Other times I say ‘I am safe’ or ‘Everything is ok, even if it doesn’t feel it.’
I hope it helps. Thanks for being here, and being you.
All love,
Jo
WORKSHOPS & JANUARY COURSE
I am hosting a workshop tonight & Thursday 10th December, both at 7.30 pm via Zoom. These are an hour of sweet self-care, ideal if you’re struggling to find time and space for yourself. All you need is a notebook, pen and cosy, quiet space.
£10/£7 concessions, two gifted spots available for those impacted by the pandemic. Hit reply to book or for further details.
I’m also planning a new course! This will be a progressive series designed to help you cultivate a self-compassionate voice and move confidently towards your goals. Keep an eye on my Instagram for details, or email hellojoannebell@gmail.com with NEWCOURSE in the subject line to register your interest.
THANK YOU
Write to Thrive hit a subscriber milestone last week! It’s huge to me: thank you for being here. If you’re new to the letter, welcome. Check out the archive for some great exercises. I’m always open to suggestions for what you’d like covered, feel free to hit reply and get in touch.