Writing Workshops for Self-Discovery & Self-Leadership

Writing Workshops for Self-Discovery & Self-Leadership (Online & In-Person)

Why writing:

“I must unpack my heart with words” – Hamlet

We don’t always know what we think until we write it down.

When writing, our thoughts are less likely to get obstructed by social politeness or concerns about over-exposure, even if they still encounter the internal critic or censor.

Writing does not only reveal the shape and boundaries of our understanding of ourselves, our relationships and our environment. It can also help us stretch and transcend these confines, so often painted by fear.

What it’s about:

I will be running a number of monthly, 90-minute online workshops to facilitate self-discovery using different forms of writing (free writing, writing using prompts, stems and questions, poetry, haiku and others) as a medium for personal inquiry and self-reflection.

Even though journaling and self-reflective writing have gained in popularity in recent years, I also see a lot of people thinking of it as fluffy or flaky. Some intuitively fear what may be revealed to them in the process, others don’t know how to do it. Writing about nothing remains too open, uncertain and elusive.

These workshops will be designed with this in mind. I am going to give you enough structure to facilitate your creativity and enough flexibility to liberate your thinking.

These workshops will be offered monthly, free of charge throughout 2024. This is a creative adventure, a heart-felt offering to the public and my commitment to learning by doing.

Who it’s for:

No prior experience or practice of writing is expected, required or assessed.

The workshops are primarily aimed at professionals (including leaders) who want to develop a practice of reflective writing and cultivate the ability to live, work and lead from a deeper sense of self.

However, these workshops are available to anyone who enjoys getting to know themselves at a deeper level and is willing to:

• explore the concept of self-leadership – the vulnerable act of taking responsibility for their place in the world
• penetrate their thinking and gain clarity by saying what needs to be said, deep down, through to the truth
• explore their experiences, thoughts, feelings, perceptions and intentions
• discover deeper dimensions of themselves, some of which may be hidden or dormant or disowned
• contemplate their choices, reflect on their life and actions
• play with different tools and try on a different perspectives for creative problem solving and experimentation
• write from a place of curiosity and openness, and gain a renewed sense of awe and fearlessness
• enjoy the creative act of writing: both the drudgery or uneventful mediocrity and the delight of an unexpected insight, inspiration and magic.

How we’ll do it:

Each workshop will focus on a different theme.

In each workshop, you’ll be given exercises or prompts to explore the theme of the day. These prompts will be designed to help you access new perspectives about a problem you’re trying to solve or have you experience a feeling of renewal, discovery or insight.

The intention is to explore writing as a means of self-inquiry and not to critique the writing or learn how to write well.

Just bring yourself, your heart and your curiosity to the process, you really can’t fail here. The process will unfold when you trust it.

Be alert to the inner critic that judges you and others harshly. Please include that part of yourself in your reflections, let it be part of the learning.

There will be the option to read your work or share your insights and discoveries in a small group or discuss your experience of writing itself.

Bring whatever you write with and join from a private space where you won’t be overheard or interrupted.

When & Where:

These online workshops will run monthly on Thursday or Wednesday evenings at 19:00 – 20:30 UK time.

• Please register for every workshop you would like to attend, save the invite in the calendar and join using the Zoom link provided.
• Participants who have attended earlier workshops are welcome to return. There will be different themes and exercises so please check the instructions every time.
• Please observe the following instructions for joining:
• Be on time. Due to the contemplative nature of these sessions Zoom will lock at 10 minutes into the session and late arrivals will not be admitted on that occasion. Please come again.
• You can write in any language you like.
• Please join with your video on, the groups will be small and intimate and your presence creates deeper connection and intimacy – we’re all in this together.
• Only humans are allowed, bots will be removed.
• The facilitator reserves the right to remove any person whose conduct becomes unreasonably disruptive to the rest of the group.

If you have any issues, please email me on agnieszka@leaderkind.com