Stiff upper lip. Keep calm and carry on. Soldier through. Put on your big girl/boy pants. Let it go. Our society is filled with platitudes about trauma.
But while these catchy little tropes might make for a good bumper sticker, they certainly don’t make for a good — or healthy — life strategy. The truth is that, contrary to yet another popular cliche, time does not, in fact, heal all wounds.
Quite the contrary. Attempting to simply ignore or “move on” from your trauma is an almost guaranteed way to never truly heal — and the long-term effects, not only to your mental wellbeing but also to your physical health, can be devastating.
You deserve better. You deserve to live your life healed from your trauma. And it can be done.
Art is one of the most important fundamental expressions humans are capable of. From the prehistoric cave drawings to the modern-day artworks, we used brushes, instruments, words, and movements to communicate what goes beyond our everyday tasks and basic needs.
Creating and experiencing art lifts spirits, helps make connections, and at times, makes us experience feelings that can be described as “glimpses of eternity”. Knowing this, it comes as no surprise that creative arts have a huge positive impact on human health, improving focus on positive life experiences, reducing stress levels, and alleviating physical pain among others.
When it comes to the effect artistic expression can have on an individual’s mental state, here’s what benefits you can expect if you include creativity into your everyday routine.
If you want to pursue a more creative life, (literally) rewrite your story with the hand lettering courses, word art templates and art journal prompts in the Creative Home Projects Bundle! 64 digital products for $19.97, 5 days only.
“Life is like a story; it unfolds its beauty and tragedy along with your thoughts.” ― Debasish Mridha
You know how you can predict how your typical boy-meets-girl romcom will go and yet you’re still excited to see the movie? That’s because the human brain is hard-wired for stories.
Life rarely goes as planned, and our life story is how we all make sense of an unpredictable world and our place in it. We turn a complex, disjointed situation into a plot with a beginning, middle and an ending – including the occasional twist, cliffhanger, villains and heroes.
Life stories are not a chronological summary of events that occurred, but more a fluid narrative of how you interpret those life events. The messages our parents gave us growing up, the experiences we’ve had, the environment we live in – they all shape the story we tell ourselves about life, the world around us and our own identity.
In turn, those beliefs shape our daily reality. For example, if deep down you feel that you aren’t good enough, you’ll probably react differently to a comment about your looks than your confident friend. Beliefs about your basic personality tend to create a self-fulfilling prophecy: if you consider yourself a shy person, you’re less likely to apply for that top position you secretly want. That’s why the life story you tell yourself matter much more than you think.
Narrative psychology tries to separate the person from their problems, by framing their story in a larger context. What’s more, the techniques help to create an alternative, more constructive storyline than the one you’re telling yourself right now.
Are you ready for the next chapter? Read how you can turn the page and watch a better story unfold with these 14 life story quotes.
For as long as I can remember, writing down my thoughts, hopes, dreams and plans has instantly made me feel better. So to me, it’s no surprise that journaling has so many benefits for your emotional and physical wellbeing.
Trusting your deepest feelings to paper helps to reduce stress, which plays a major role in your overall health. Research shows that emotionally expressing yourself through journaling can strengthen your immunity and reduces symptoms in asthma and arthritis patients. And of course, traditional journaling is also a great tool for self-reflection and personal development, and to rewrite your personal story after traumatic events.
But a diary-style of writing isn’t the only way to keep a journal. Gratitude journaling has gained a lot of popularity over the years, and it’s not hard to see why. Study after study shows that writing down 3 positive things that happened that day is one of the most effective ways to feel happier.
Writing by hand also signals to your brain that ‘this is worth remembering’, which is why so many people use a journal to define their (health) goals and visions. If you write and read your dreams, plans and to-dos every day, you’ll be much more likely to actually achieve them.
No matter if you’re looking to boost your health, happiness or self-growth, grab yourself a journal – I recommend the beautiful & inspiring collection from Emily McDowell – and start jotting down your thoughts with these 40 journal prompts!
According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mental health conditions are amongst the most troublesome health distresses in the United States, and 63% are part of the workforce. Mental health problems impact many workers, a fact that is usually ignored because the disorders can be hidden at the work place. Unfortunately, the stigma involved in having a psychiatric disorder in workers may make them hesitant to seek treatment, especially in the current economic statuses.
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