Introduction
“Writing truly became my light in the darkness” - by Jessica Phillips
Writing for me has been a huge part of my life since the age of 10 years old, when I was given my very first dairy from my mother. My first dairy was baby blue with a fluffy feathery cover and quite small, it fitted so well into my little rucksack. I used to write in my diary everyday, all things to do about my life experiences in primary school. Back then, I never wrote much, only a few pages every day. I found as I grew older, my writing became more in depth and I could literally write for an hour or more at a time - and many pages. I have to say that I went through quite a few diaries and loads of pens over the years!
Writing has always been my passion, and has always been very therapeutic for me. I would get all my feelings out onto the paper and after finishing my “Dear Diary” entry, I instantly felt a huge weight lifted off my chest. Writing truly became my light in the darkness, a comfort through all the storms I experienced. Having a traumatic childhood, writing became my sanctuary, my sacred space for just me and only me.
Just to think of the many diaries I had, if I had kept all of them from 10 years old to my now 36 year old self - I would have an archive of treasured documentation, of a life lived … pages upon pages of true stories on lined paper. Boxes upon boxes filled with different types of dairies, different colours - and my different ages in time. Many preserved memories… all sacred.
If you asked me why I write, my answer would always be that I write because it brings me deep healing, it brings me deep peace, as well as happiness, and it brings me back into a beautiful union with my soul… my heart.
Every time I write I am brought to a better understanding of myself, of my life, of others and of the world. It gives me time to process emotions I deeply feel but never quite manage to express out loud. It’s not everyday you get someone to talk to that relates to you and your life experiences, least of all someone who is willing to be there for you out of their love for you, or their care for you. So most of the time, I have found myself turning to my diary, my constant companion. Some people may find that weird …but the truth is, I am writing to myself - my own soul - and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that at all. If I cannot honour myself, my emotions, my thoughts and witness them as they are, as they come, then I am not being true to me and my own needs to be seen, heard and loved exactly as I am. In all my moments.
It all starts with you at the end of the day… and sometimes we just need time to sit with what is coming up and hold space for ourselves through what we are feeling; whether good and bad feelings in our experiences. It is always good to allow yourself time to sit with all that is coming up.
Also if you wanted to, you can go back to those memories you wrote in your diary archives of many dairies. However… I have found that I barely return to old diaries to read its contents that I wrote. To be honest, not all memories are good - not all is to be remembered as it was. Diaries for me are my outlet … I get it all down on paper and once it is on the paper, I release it.
It is the knowing that - My soul wants to speak and I let it speak, however it wants to. I allow myself the freedom of expression in solitude.
I do not think I would have written my four magazine articles, or my first solo performance or that I would have written an original TV series script in Univeristy - consisting of a full length episode along with ideas for future episodes, for a series 1 - or that I would have even written my radio script (still to finish) - or my theatre plays (still to finish) - if I had not written in my dairies to begin with, when I was 10 years old.
From the start of my love of writing, I gave myself permission to speak my truth and that was not easy at all to do outside my diaries. But, the minute I wrote my truth down - I was completely FREE.
My First book is coming ~ A year in the making - to be published at the end of this year 2024.
For the last year, I have been writing my first ever book - consisting of my own poems, spiritual messages I have received myself over the years, as well as some spiritual practices I do - and also with some journalling too. It will be quite a big book and I am so proud of my book and of myself for having the bravery to create something that was so incredibly vulnerable to write. I had to completely believe in myself, not knowing if anyone would love my work. I had to trust the process and keep writing despite the fear and the anxiety- to create something new I hadn’t seen before - done in the way I am doing it.
Spoken word poetry videos I created with my own poems I had written, really opened up the door to my authentic voice in a deeper level. I also fell in absolute love with my work - something I had never truly felt this deeply. I became more proud of myself than ever before. It has been such a deep healing experience for me. I did receive very positive feedback from my soul tribe on my creativity and my poems. I am forever grateful and deeply moved by the heartfelt comments under my spoken word video’s this last year. It is such a beautiful blessing to have amazing people coming to me and telling they love my work.
Years ago, I would have given up after a few pages of writing, but now and since my university days of writing different medias and because of writing those amazing magazine articles over the years, I was able to find my true writing voice - my soul voice - my authentic expression. My own unique light.
When I began writing my book, I felt very nervous as I had absolutely no clue if it would be any good. I had always felt the sense of not being “GOOD ENOUGH” - But with this book especially, I had finally come to realise that I would not find my work anywhere I looked in the world, because none of the writers out there are me, my book was for me to create the way I am creating it, and written the way I am meant to write it. Not how others write - not how others write their own books. I am different for a reason and so I had to let go of the need to find something like my work out there in the world … because it does not exist the way I am writing and creating it.
This was the most uncomfortable realisation I came to know - when in fear we feel we need permission to create what we are called up create. Or we think we need to be qualified or have others love us as creators before we begin our writing. But we do not need any of that to write from the wisdom of our own soul, those of us who are old souls know that our souls are ancient , holding its own knowledge never told how we are to tell it.
Know this…
It is safe to be seen.
It is safe to express your own truth.
It is okay to go your own way and do things your own way.
If everyone was doing the same ART then there would be no new ART … no new ideas … all would just be recycled and boring. The world needs NEW CREATIVES - IT NEEDS NEW CONTENT.,.. NEW WRITERS - NEW ARTISTS.
Keep believing in YOU.
Keep believing in your ART - your IDEAS.
YOU GOT THIS 🌿🌹🍃