-Ernest Hemingway
A few friends told me that my DIY Therapy essay changed their life. DIY therapy changed how I subconsciously process the world, but dealing with life’s roadblocks and emotional hurdles is another beast. I practice what I call “write it out”.
Whenever I face an issue or feel I’m at an impasse, I get it all out of my head. I write. It’s not my usual writing. I write like no one is watching.
Note to Self
The writing is for me. It gets all the thoughts out of my head onto paper. It’s the only way I’ve figured out how to stop ruminating. To stop spinning. Those who are more enlightened than me may be able to simply let go of ruminating thoughts. I can’t turn them off… until I write them down.
Writing is my emotional release valve. I’ll write my worst, most negative thoughts– how I feel when I’m in an awful mood. My nihilistic, defeatist thoughts. The worst-case scenarios of every problem. When I’ve been as negative Nancy as a Nancy can be, I bring it back.
I write the positives. The bright side. What can go right? It’s easy to be pessimistic; It’s hard to see how and why things can go well. Describe a world where things work out. How could the obstacles be navigated? What does that world look like? Imagine it. What’s the path there? Write it out.
Once finished, I read what I wrote. I acknowledge and relive the emotions I felt. Then move on. If my mind wanders back, I read what I wrote again and add anything I missed— positive or negative. If I can take action to make the best of a given situation, I take those actions. There’s nothing to do beyond that.
The Upside of Worry
My mom would often worry or be overwhelmed. I remember thinking worrying was stupid and never a good use of energy. But that missed the point.
Worry is a useful trigger to check in with yourself. What do you need to organize, invest in, or recalibrate? The same goes for being overwhelmed. Writing down everything that’s overwhelming or worrying isn’t just cathartic, it gets it all out. It puts it in front of you. No matter your issues, they’re finite.
There are only so many problems one faces at a time. Even if there are thousands, they’re still finite. You can break them down and address each problem.
Reading the history and autobiographies of those who have accomplished great things helps here. You start to understand what humans are capable of. No matter what obstacles you’re facing, I guarantee there’s someone who faced 10x or 100x more obstacles and conquered them. They’re human, and you’re human.
We don’t know our potential. We’re capable. Write it out. Address it. Go forward.