Overcome Negative Emotions With Fiction
An easy writing exercise to fight stress
How many times have you experienced stress, trauma, or conflict in your life? Two hands wouldn’t be enough to count the negative events we have to endure during our lifetime.
Think of your daily schedule or your stressful workplace that take their toll on your mental health. And I haven’t mentioned grief or abuse where the extent of distress can lead to emotional disorders and depression.
But let’s just focus on the silly nuisances of everyday life. What was the last thing that made your blood boil? The last time you argued with a relative? Or the last time you felt unsettled and worried after an argument with your boss or a colleague?
Jessica Lourey’s (American author) world was turned upside down after the tragic event of her husband unexpectedly killing himself. Lourey was crippled with pain and turned to fiction writing to face her demons and find relief. Her ordeal had to lead her to put pen to paper and work through the pain. On a side note, she didn’t only embrace her suffering this way but also ended up publishing a book.
Her story is an example of the therapeutic effects writing can have on anyone regardless of writing experience.
According to The Creative Pen:
There have been studies on how writing affects the mind and mood for years — in all sorts of settings and forms. Poetry classes, writing in prisons, in hospitals and hospices, writing in addiction centres, bibliotherapy sessions — writing is finally being recognised as a creative therapy, alongside dance, drama, crafts and music.
I found Lourey’s method simple, yet incredibly effective. The opportunity to test if it works presented itself recently, after a quarrel with a friend, that left a bitter taste in my mouth. So why not try it out if you feel depleted or anguished?
Find ten minutes and a quiet place.
Close Your Eyes And Conjure Up A Stressful Situation, Then Describe It With A Few Words
What is your trigger? An argument with your mother-in-law, delusion in love, or the loss of your beloved pet?
Just think about the sensations. Where do you feel the discomfort? Is it in your head, in your belly, or perhaps in your lower back? Is it painful, is it pressure or is it heaviness in your chest? Put your finger on it. For example argument with boss- heaviness in the head.
Stay with it for a moment, so you can identify the reason for your hurt.
Describe The Fictional You
According to Lourey, this is the time to shape our look and character any way we like. Do you want to be slimmer or fatter, short-haired or long-haired, elegant or casual? Would you like to change your name? Go and swap it from Louise to Margaret if you like. Add as many or as few details as you want. It’s your choice, it’s your fiction, be flexible.
Think Of The Plot
This will be the actual scenario that’s causing you grief. During this part, I thought of the surroundings, my body language, facial expressions, and whatever was being said. I remembered my feelings, my anger and the adrenaline rush.
Analyze it briefly, set your timer on your phone for ten minutes, and …
Rewrite It
Let your imagination run wild. This is the healing part and you can mould your story into anything you like.
Go through the events in your mind and write them into a gripping narrative. A positive outcome will release anger and frustration. If it’s too painful and a happy ending isn’t possible find a positive message to relieve the hurt.
Death can’t be undone, but happy memories that will forever stay can untangle the knots in your stomach.
If your partner cheated on you, make him a hero and say no to the woman who was trying to seduce him. Marry the prince on a white horse, or let him go and feel grateful because he didn’t deserve you in the first place. Your life will be better without him.
Don’t worry about grammar and spelling or finding the right synonyms to make the language more colorful. It won’t have to win awards or be published (unless you want it). It will only serve you to release toxic and painful emotions.
Just pour your words onto the page and feel the pain fading away.
Wrap Up
Close your eyes and think of the event that upset you. Focus on the sensations.
Describe the fictional you. This is your chance to be Scarlet O’Hara, Catwoman or whoever takes your fancy.
Think of the plot, go through the scenario and figure out what you’d like to change.
And finally rewrite it! Write your story into a positive one, or reflect on the message the story has in store for you. Because there’s always a lesson to be learned.
Have fun and be the author of your life.
