Member-only story
My Writing Journey: From Survival to Healing to Thriving
How words carried me through struggle, into healing, and toward a life of thriving
Introduction
I couldn’t imagine that writing would become my secondary coping skill after therapy. Putting pen to paper to craft fiction, poetry, or essay has been more than just a creative act; it became essential for my survival and healing. And now, as I continue upon my literary journey, it’s leading towards something unexpected: thriving.
Writing as Survival
My journals hold many memories — some painful — of struggles that weighed on my well-being. Revisiting those entries isn’t always easy: the stress, anxiety, and depression from working jobs I hated; conflicts with relatives; heartbreaks in relationships; and the fear of losing my first home to foreclosure. Despite the challenges, writing helped me navigate the storms.
Last year, I faced the most terrifying moment of my life: a possible prostate cancer diagnosis. The waiting period between my examination and biopsy results tested my faith, patience, and sanity. During that time, my…