Jen writes again... and again
why i write, what i write, when i write, no matter where or how i write
Whenever my brain feels messy and cluttered, there is a need to reorganize it so I can focus. Writing is my way of bringing order to the chaos that is going on inside my head. This opening statement is my why.
Hello! This is Jen, the same Jen behind "Jen Writes Again”.
Among the top ten words I typically use to describe myself, “writer” is not one of them. Although it is something that I do on a (more than) daily basis, I feel like an imposter calling myself that. Professionally, I am a scientist who leads teams in doing research that opens doors to inclusion of the marginalized because I know how it feels to be unseen and to be excluded.
Here, on Jen Writes Again, I write about my reflections during ordinary days.
🧠 I write about my adventures in understanding the way we sense and perceive the scents around us, through experiences in the world of niche perfumery.
🧘♀️ I tell stories of how I ride through the waves of my emotions and what I do to (try to) keep a healthy well-being.
❄️ I observe the seasons intently as part of my desire towards intentional living.
💖 I write about the mundane events that bring glimmers to my ordinary life.
🐶 I write it-narratives from the perspectives of my dog (or any inanimate objects) and vignettes to practice mindfulness.
I write everywhere. I bring my notebook and favorite pens to cafes and write as I listen to the hum of the day around me. I write at my writing desk that faces the ponds behind our house, which is a great place to observe and remind myself of the season I am in. I write in bed before I sleep, when I wake up, and at anytime in between. I write in my head even when my hand is not writing or typing because I am a story-teller and I want to remember this life, the only life that I will ever have.
I do not write for social approval. I write for myself and not for anyone else. If people read what I write and they find joy in it or learn something from it, I feel happy. However, I do not feel less joy or fulfillment if no one else reads my writing. There are so many pressures coming from everywhere in other aspects of my life that this life, this writing life, is something that I want to shield from all of that. I write not for social appraisal or acceptance but just because I love to do so.
I feel amazed knowing that you stayed reading up to this portion. Thank you for giving me this gift of your precious time.
Welcome. Welcome to this ordinary life.
Credits:
to left: Photo by William Bout on Unsplash
top right: Photo by Daiga Ellaby on Unsplash
bottom left: Photo by Shot by Cerqueira on Unsplash
bottom right: Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash
I love this. It's a great snapshot of one writer's writing life. Thank you for your inspiration! 💐
Jen if you anything it’s not ordinary my friend!!! You’re amazing, inspiring and a beautiful soul… Your a bright star in sky that shine so brightly I find my way back home safe…The fact you write in your head… another thing I do and by the time I get to my notebook it’s several others going on. Thank you for sharing