Write it out

The simple act of writing is a really wonderful regular practice for getting in touch with your thoughts, feelings and worries. Being able to have a space where you can speak freely and there is no need to pass judgement on what you are writing can feel like a really cathartic process. On the page anything is possible- your wildest dreams, your darkest fears, your most potent furies or simply a rambling stream of consciousness that takes you by surprise.

I recommend to my clients to try and write a page each day if they can, of whatever comes to mind, and once the page is finished to leave it there and not go over it at a later date. Try to write with abandon and be curious if something unexpected comes up. Nothing is too scary to be put onto the page, and sometimes it is the perfect way of getting things out of your head and placed at a distance where the emotion feels more manageable to deal with.

Of course, it's lovely to settle in with a cup of tea in a quiet, cosy spot with a nice, new notebook, but the less aesthetic approach works just as well. Scrappy old notepad by the side of the bed? Notes app on your phone when you are on the bus? Untidy Google Doc when on your lunch-break? All still valid.

Here are a couple of prompts to get you started:

• What feelings are coming up for me today, do any of them surprise me?

• What things in my life do I feel grateful for?

• What would life look like if I could wave a magic wand at it?

• What do I feel like I am resisting at the moment, and why?

• What thoughts, feelings, worries or daydreams do I keep coming back to?