My Writing journey
I have never considered myself a writer, but writing is now essential to my life. I am committed to writing a manuscript that I hope will become a book someone may want to read. My writing history is sketchy, to say the least; as an adolescent, I wrote in journals as a survival mechanism to make sense of the confusion and angst of those years. I later had the intention but never the discipline to write travel journals.
Writing resurfaced as a life raft after a traumatic romantic breakup twenty-five years ago. I saw an advertisement for a writing workshop that focused on writing your story, and in desperation, I signed up – it helped me reframe my pain and inspired me to do a postgraduate course in creative writing where I was writing a memoir disguised as fiction. But I wasn’t disciplined enough to continue after the course ended and put that manuscript in a box under my bed. Although I stopped writing, it was the catalyst that got me back at university, completing a degree I started in my twenties. I became a registered psychologist at fifty and have been in private practice for twenty years. You can find me at www.yourlifeinbalance.net.au
I never returned to my manuscript, but I developed and ran a series of writing workshops for 13 years until COVID hit. Find these workshops at????. I investigated running the courses online, but the sheer enormity of that project held me back. I have always suggested writing exercises to my clients – simple exercises can profoundly shift our perspective or bring long-buried stories into the light where they have less power to hurt us. Turning sixty-nine in 2023 and facing my seventies, I felt the urge to put my foot on the accelerator and take more risks emotionally, physically and mentally; no more waiting until tomorrow.
The idea of writing again bubbled around for months until, one day, I was in a cafe planning my next trip to Bali and suddenly found myself googling writing retreats in Bali. I booked the last spot, which was the moment I committed to writing the book. Twenty-five years earlier, I had gone to two writing retreats in Bali. It was time to go back.
The writing retreat in Bali confirmed my commitment to writing. Being with others in pursuit of words is inspiring and motivating – so I have booked two workshops this year, one in Guatemala and one in Canada. Travel and writing are perfect companions for me. When not overseas, I remain committed to monthly Airbnb solo retreats and love the excitement of finding new temporary homes for myself and my computer. I still have a full therapy practice and intend to work for the next decade. I learn so much from my clients; it is energising and inspiring work, but in honour of my writing, I have cut back one day a fortnight and increased the number of weeks I take off every year.
Setting up the website, blogs, and Instagram is terrifying, but it is another step to remind myself that I am committed to writing this manuscript. Stating this out loud to others is like announcing I am in a new relationship, and I am scared it might fail – but it is also exhilarating – I know putting down things on paper makes it real – it’s my turn now. Coming out to myself and others that I am embarking on this writing project is an exercise in vulnerability for me – something most of us need to work on.
Special thanks to every client I have ever had – all of your stories have inspired me to write my own. I have learnt more from you than you can imagine. Each time a client says, ‘When I am stuck, I just think, what would Gail do?’. Now it is time to tell you what Gail did, and hopefully, my story, with all its detours, missteps and near drownings, will help you recognise how strong, insightful and capable you all are – we are all learning this together.
I hope you can join me on the adventure.
My Writing journey
I have never considered myself a writer, but writing is now essential to my life. I am committed to writing a manuscript that I hope will become a book someone may want to read. My writing history is sketchy, to say the least; as an adolescent, I wrote in journals as a survival mechanism to make sense of the confusion and angst of those years. I later had the intention but never the discipline to write travel journals.
Writing resurfaced as a life raft after a traumatic romantic breakup twenty-five years ago.
I saw an advertisement for a writing workshop that focused on writing your story, and in desperation, I signed up – it helped me reframe my pain and inspired me to do a postgraduate course in creative writing where I was writing a memoir disguised as fiction. But I wasn’t disciplined enough to continue after the course ended and put that manuscript in a box under my bed. Although I stopped writing, it was the catalyst that got me back at university, completing a degree I started in my twenties. I became a registered psychologist at fifty and have been in private practice for twenty years. You can find me at www.yourlifeinbalance.net.au
I never returned to my manuscript, but I developed and ran a series of writing workshops for 13 years until COVID hit. Find these workshops at????. I investigated running the courses online, but the sheer enormity of that project held me back. I have always suggested writing exercises to my clients – simple exercises can profoundly shift our perspective or bring long-buried stories into the light where they have less power to hurt us. Turning sixty-nine in 2023 and facing my seventies, I felt the urge to put my foot on the accelerator and take more risks emotionally, physically and mentally; no more waiting until tomorrow.
The idea of writing again bubbled around for months until, one day, I was in a cafe planning my next trip to Bali and suddenly found myself googling writing retreats in Bali. I booked the last spot, which was the moment I committed to writing the book. Twenty-five years earlier, I had gone to two writing retreats in Bali. It was time to go back.
The writing retreat in Bali confirmed my commitment to writing. Being with others in pursuit of words is inspiring and motivating – so I have booked two workshops this year, one in Guatemala and one in Canada. Travel and writing are perfect companions for me. When not overseas, I remain committed to monthly Airbnb solo retreats and love the excitement of finding new temporary homes for myself and my computer. I still have a full therapy practice and intend to work for the next decade. I learn so much from my clients; it is energising and inspiring work, but in honour of my writing, I have cut back one day a fortnight and increased the number of weeks I take off every year.
Setting up the website, blogs, and Instagram is terrifying, but it is another step to remind myself that I am committed to writing this manuscript. Stating this out loud to others is like announcing I am in a new relationship, and I am scared it might fail – but it is also exhilarating – I know putting down things on paper makes it real – it’s my turn now. Coming out to myself and others that I am embarking on this writing project is an exercise in vulnerability for me – something most of us need to work on.
Special thanks to every client I have ever had – all of your stories have inspired me to write my own. I have learnt more from you than you can imagine. Each time a client says, ‘When I am stuck, I just think, what would Gail do?’. Now it is time to tell you what Gail did, and hopefully, my story, with all its detours, missteps and near drownings, will help you recognise how strong, insightful and capable you all are – we are all learning this together.
I hope you can join me on the adventure.