The Depths of Writing

Beyond catharsis

Photo by Trent Erwin on Unsplash

Many people start writing as a way of processing their emotions and experiences; they write to make sense of their realities. That is why journaling is popular. This writing is generally a form of catharsis. It has its importance, but even more important is its limits.

At a personal level, some people write well. They dig deep and even succeed at knowing more about themselves, but they still struggle in the social realm. They find that they don’t understand people, let alone connect with them. Others’ behavior puzzles them, and they are generally confused. They wonder why this continues to happen despite the evident amount of work they’ve done on themselves.

The truth is that writing is a lot more than an exploration of oneself; it is getting to know others, and some writers just don’t get to that point where knowing themselves helps them know others.

You don’t live alone in this world; you interact with others. Actually, your well-being and progress rely …