What if I write Mindfully?
The unexamined life is not worth living.
Socrates' Apology
In the dictionary of the American Psychological Association, the Self is the totality of the individual consisting of all their characteristics, conscious and unconscious, mental and physical. However, apart from the primary reference to personal identity, existence and experience, the use of the term in psychology is wide-ranging. More generally, it is argued that the Self develops gradually through an individualized process, which is not completed until late maturity.
As new research and views are constantly confronted with the classical ones, it is increasingly accepted that the Self should not be seen as a single concept; rather, it is constituted through multiple processes, divided into different components and capable of evolving. The development of self-awareness entails shifting our focus towards these processes and components, making self-awareness the awareness of the Self.
Self-awareness can be understood as the process in which one becomes the object of one’s attention. Every experience is a first-person experience, and the subject who has such an experience is referred to as either “I” or “myself”. The existence of the sense of Self allows for creating a protagonist who experiences objects and events as they permeate mental life. The Self or ego in any experience (e.g., “I am hungry”) has been a classic topic of interest in different fields.
Some researchers have distinguished two dimensions of self-awareness: private self-awareness, i.e. the extent to which people think about personal, internal aspects of themselves that are not directly perceived by others – e.g. their thoughts, motives and feelings, and public self-awareness, i.e. the extent to which people think about public, external aspects of themselves that can be directly perceived by others – e.g. their physical appearance, manners and behaviour.
Self-awareness is a complex concept; one of its key components is the ability to perceive our reactions to different situations. Mindful writing, which includes writing down these situations, helps to connect them to the emotions they create. Thus, writing becomes a therapeutic and developmental activity, highly beneficial and positive, providing the conditions for personal growth. Even without being the main focus or the defining element, writing, even as a collateral benefit, can serve as a means of introspection, discovery and self-improvement.
Utilizing mindful writing to develop self-awareness requires regular practice, just like exercising the body. It is used to redefine experiences, to record events with compassion for the self and empathy for others, and to record daily life with detail and learned curiosity. It is essential, then, to focus on appreciation and gratitude for the “little things”, which, in the end, are the most important.
In the bibliography on mindful writing, four pathways lead to wholeness along with all our experiences: good, bad, average, pleasant, unpleasant, neutral, etc.
- First path
By practising self-awareness, we find the path that leads us to where the self resides. - Second path
By cultivating self-kindness, we learn to accept our experiences as events that happened to us, not as a definition of self. - Third path
By developing insight and insightfulness, we understand the essence of our path in life. - Fourth path
By writing mindfully, we redefine our self and ultimately recreate it.
Overall, mindful writing can be a powerful tool for personal growth and self-awareness. It involves taking time to record our experiences, which helps us become aware of patterns in our thoughts and behaviour. This self-reflection leads to a fuller understanding of ourselves and allows us to identify areas for growth and change. Additionally, mindful writing can be a cathartic experience and a therapeutic outlet for reducing stress and anxiety and releasing pent-up emotions. It can provide immense benefits for our mental health and well-being.
Bibliography
https://doi.org/10.26417/153mgv68
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104543