How Storytelling Helps You Heal
On trauma, vulnerability and writing
I have quite a story — whether I tell it or not, it’s a story that shapes my personality, my whole existence, it made me evolve into the present version of myself.
I wish it was easier. I wish I had a regular boring life with tons of first world problems to worry about. I wish my biggest problem was to choose a matching wallpaper for my carpet. I wish my only frustration was that the taxi company couldn’t send a car and I had to call another company. I wish my anxiety was only fuelled by the piano performance of my daughter.
It’s a lot more than that.
I have a heartbreaking story that can resemble a soap opera from some aspect — love, loss, grief, divorce, big love, abuse, abortion, PTSD, heartbreak, revenge porn, abuse, abuse, abuse, healing, depression, loneliness. It’s a success story, but I don’t see yet the happy ending. It is a lot to take in, it is a lot to process and deal with.
My difficulties are not unique. My life story might be unique — but you must have seen parts of it here and there. We have the same patterns, the same story elements, the same events to deal with — the only unique thing is the combination of it and how we choose to deal with it, how we manage to deal with life when it’s tough.
