The Power of Words
By Eileen Coan

Getting a diary – with a lock – is a rite of passage for many girls around the age of 10 to 12. The lock part is very important. Recorded inside are very private thoughts. Hiding the diary from nosy siblings involves setting up an intricate tampering detection system – our words are powerful and we may not want to share them. At first, the words we write may be no more than what we did that day and about whom we dream. With time, our diary becomes a journal of our evolution as a person. And what can be more powerful than that?

As adults, we may receive the gift of a blank book with a fancy leather binding filled with delicate pages made of vellum. That kind of book can be intimidating. As adults, we often are harsh critics of our own writing, and we worry that everything we journal must be insightful, wise and worthy of a wider audience. We assume that writing must be accurate and of value to someone else, must have a beginning, a middle and an end. So that fancy blank book stays empty on a high shelf or is re-gifted to a “more worthy” friend.

What happens to the little girl who writes “michaelmichaelmichael” over and over in tiny letters, expressing her heart's desire? As an adult, she may fall victim to her own judging, harsh, critical inner voice, repressing her most profound thoughts and wishes. It does not have to be that way. Adults in crisis, in transition or interested in personal growth can find the power of their own words to heal a hurt, ease a new jouney or open up new insights.

Psychologist James W. Pennebaker, in his book Writing to Heal, cites a study published in the April 1988 Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, which found that people who wrote regularly made 43 percent fewer doctor visits and exhibited better health than those who did not. According to Pennebaker, writing about a stressful event helps break down overwhelming and troubling memories, enabling us to make better sense of current struggles and rendering them more manageable. He also found those who demonstrated the greatest improvements in health were those who did not feel confined to hide their deepest thoughts.

So, as you begin your writing, here are some suggestions on how to sneak past your inner judge and find the joy and healing of words again:
• Use a simple tablet or spiral notebook of lined or blank paper. Anything you do not like can be torn out easily.    However, try not to tear out anything you have written for at least 24 hours.
• Keep paper and pen nearby when you read a book, watch a video or have conversations. Write down quotes    that speak to you, ideas that you want to explore and the compliments you want to remember.
• Keep scissors near when you read newspapers or magazines. Clip out the stories that touch your heart and the    comics that make you laugh out loud. Glue them in your notebook.
• Ignore any spelling or grammar that sounds awkward or wrong. It is not. These are your words as they came    out of you. Do not reread or edit your writing for a few days. Let it sit. Let the thoughts sink in.
• Record the date and time when you write. Do not worry if long periods go by between entries. Do not worry if    you seem only to write when you are mad or sad. Whatever draws you to writing is part of the process. Look    for patterns in the topics to which you return.
• When you are stuck for ideas, use a basic opening line: “I wish…,” “I wonder…,” “I cannot believe….” In    times of writer's block, try “If I could express my true self, I would stop writing about ___ and start writing    about ___.”
• Use crayons or markers or watercolors to draw in a journal. Even doodles have something to say.
• If you are uncomfortable writing, consider taping or recording your words or stories. Ask a friend to help you.    Think about what stories you want to leave behind, what legacy you want people to have when you are gone.    This is a helpful exercise whether you are facing illness or not.

Many organizations offer writing programs as tools for expression, growth and healing. At The Gathering Place, a local cancer-support center, writing is a powerful tool for those touched by cancer. Individuals who participate in the organization's writing programs are encouraged to put into words what the cancer journey has meant for them. Here are some quotes from a recent writing group:

“I am tempered steel. There's no other way to put it. I've been through the fires, been bent and twisted like hot metal in the blacksmith shop. And I've learned I can handle it. I've learned I can handle it. I've learned I can withstand just about anything that's thrown my way. I'm stronger than I ever could have imagined.”

“We mostly look for problem signs (Bump! Wrong Way! Slippery When Wet!) instead of signs that things are good. Whoever sees signs that say Smooth! Right Way! or Safe and Dry!?”

Consider your writing a good friend who will not judge you and who always will be there as a sounding board. No matter what you experience in your life, try putting your thoughts on paper every now and again. You may be surprised at what you learn and the peace you take away.

Eileen Coan is the medical librarian at The Gathering Place, a non-profit support center for individuals and families touched by cancer. In addition to the information and technical support she provides the organization's participants, she authors many of the organization's newsletter articles and teaches writing and journaling workshops. Eileen has master's degrees in psychology and library science. She can be contacted at (216) 595-9546 or coan@touchedbycancer.org.