Writing for Happiness

Though this blog has lain long dormant, during this time of indefinite quarantine we wanted a way to reach out and connect with our community and give a little inspiration to home-bound writers.

We hope all of you feel happy when you write (at least most of the time… Curse you plot holes and spelling errors!). It should be a time of freedom, creativity, and expression. It can also be a time for growth and self-reflection.

Some researches believe the act of writing and rewriting a story about yourself can help to give you a new take on a situation, and in turn, allow you to move forward in a more positive way. Read the complete article here.

This is certainly a time where a little extra positivity could come in handy, so here is a suggested writing prompt:

Write down how you are feeling about your current situation, be it work from home stress, self-isolation boredom/loneliness, or the admirable (but wow, exhausting!) task of wrangling stir-crazy kids.

Take at least five minutes to write down your thoughts, and just let whatever needs to get out of your head to flow onto the paper. Now, the tricky part, put the paper away for at least an hour. Don’t think about how it could be changed or improved. Put it away and let it be

When you are ready to return to writing, be it in an hour or day (or more — life is crazy), try to frame any negative thoughts in a more positive way. Instead of “I am going to lose my marbles stuck at home all day” try “Extra time at home will allow me to tend to X activity I have been meaning to take care of.”

It may not be easy, and sometimes it may even feel impossible to put a positive spin on certain aspects of what you have written. That’s okay, just try to inject a little happiness where you can. And, at a future time, if you feel you can rewrite it better, more positively, more creatively, whatever, go for it!

Just the small act of looking on the bright side can have a cheering effect. And, as an added benefit, writing and rewriting gives you a safe space to express how you feel, improve your writing, and –hopefully –your mood.

Feel free to share your writing, or suggested prompts, with us in the comments section!