Let Your Thoughts Become Words

I am an avid collector of words. Looking back through three years of screenshots from my phone, thousands are screenshots of words. Words written as poetry, as thoughts, as mumbling, rumblings from the belly of a heart-stricken writer. 

Why do I collect words? Because with each word comes a feeling. 

In moments where I am at my lowest, I come across words that give me hope.

When I feel most in love, I find words which echo out with my heartbeat.

In the times where I feel at my most passionate and motivated, I find words that spur me on.

Paired with paintings and photographs, words wrap themselves around my heart, as swirled vines that begin to bloom.

It's through collecting the words of others, that I can try to capture my own feelings. For words help you to express yourself and your thoughts. They allow us to share ourselves. 

Yet sometimes in searching for a way to put my feelings into words, I've realised there is not always a word for everything...

We are all our own individual people. We all have our own minds thinking our own unique thoughts. Our hearts beat out their own tune. We are whole and complete all on our own. 

It is only through making the brave choice to open up, to give voice to the words inside of us, that we can truly share ourselves with the world...because you never know what is truly going on in the mind of someone even sitting right next to you.

You can sit in a quiet library, where no one speaks a word and you're deceived by it's silence because really each person is lost in a busy, loud world of their own. Walking down the streets of a city after 5pm, as people journey home, their minds are swirling with novels of unspoken words. 

You can get so close to someone, know them like the back of your hand, yet still you will never truly know what is really going on in their minds and hearts. The door may always be closed and you can only peek through the windows that are opened up to let in the fresh air.

It is so easy to close yourself off too.

Think about all the times someone has asked you what you're thinking...only for you to avoid the truth and say nothing or say something exactly the opposite to what you were really thinking. We hide our own thoughts for a whole bunch of different reasons.

But in order to function as a human in this big beautiful interconnected web of relationships with other humans in this world - communication is the most important essential thing. You can never know what another person is thinking, unless you're brave and you ask. They can never know what you're thinking unless you speak your mind and give words to your heart's mutterings. 

Being able to say what you feel, shows that you trust this person. Being able to say what you think, allows you to be honest with yourself and others. This is all something remarkable.

I often think a lack of communication is why there are so many problems in this world. Why little cracks, expand and fracture into big problems. People close themselves off from what they really want to say. Words are misunderstood. Words are mixed up and forgotten and different conclusions reached. A straightforward path becomes a maze you can get lost in.

A word that should have been planted as a seed, becomes a bullet.

You overthink...worrying about what people will think of you if you speak your truth. You overthink...worrying what the other person is thinking and you try so hard to figure it out, but end up getting more confused and worried. You overthink...so much so you become scared to speak at all.

If I've learnt anything from my interactions and relationships with others and myself, is that sometimes, it helps to write things down. Words are a most powerful tool. 

I love to write. To use my words. Because I have so many feelings and thoughts flowing inside of me, it's as if writing becomes breathing to me. I exhale words and inhale peace. 

Sometimes I love a person so damn much, all I can do is write and write about how I feel, how with every beat of my heart, with every breath I breathe, with every pulse in my veins, I love them.

Sometimes I have so much sadness in my mind, that all I can do is saturate the paper with teardrops and make the ink blurry as I write over and over again I'm lost, I'm lost, I'm lost.

Sometimes I have a big fight building up inside me, but I'm so scared that I worry when the time comes to speak, I won't be able too. So I write to make sure everything I want to say is written down. So I leave with no regrets - only the thought that, well I tried and I tried my best.

Maybe it's better to say something honest and true,  rather than say nothing at all. 

We have so many modes of communication in today's society - our phones, our social media. We have the opportunity to communicate all the time and with everyone. This is something pretty cool, but you have to be wary. Because you can't forget the beauty of your own voice.

It's so lovely to just talk with someone, to relax in their presence, completely yourself.

If you have something important to say, if there's an important conversation that needs to be had, write your thoughts down first. This way you can assess them clearly and proceed forward with powerful gentleness. Your words become mindful.

I am an avid supporter of journal writing. None of that "Dear Diary, today I went to class and ate an ice cream." But rather, let your thoughts pour upon your page so your mind clears as the clouds drifting away after a storm.

Especially in talking with others about significant matters - have a piece of paper - writing both of your thoughts down. This means you can get on the same page - both literally and metaphorically. You won't forget what has been said too, stopping you from blurring the edges and morphing them into a false truth that can lead you down the dangerous path to overthinking later on.

Words paired with action are so powerful. They are tools we can use to change the world with.

Never underestimate the power of a kind word. An honest word. As humans we have so many thoughts and feelings going round and round in our heads and hearts, it's beautifully honest to share them with others.

Words have the power to hurt and break.

But words also have the power to heal. Words can soothe. Words can spin tales of beautiful imaginings in your mind. Words can bring people together, allowing you to peek into another's heart. 

So let your thoughts become your words and say what you feel. Dare to be honest and brave. Speak your truth. Open the curtains into your soul.

Let in some sunlight,

and remember to let out some of your stunning glow as well.