Writing your story
We know that writing about painful experiences can be an effective form of therapy. Journaling is a well-documented method of stress relief. More recently, research has shown that writing about yourself in a positive sense is linked to better emotional and physical health outcomes. The process of writing your story can increase self-awareness and cultivate positive emotions.
Stories are powerful. They are a mechanism for recording and communicating cultural messages, forging connections and sharing experiences. Stories allow you to record and articulate your experiences and express them in a structured way.
The writing process itself can be a tool for gaining clarity about an emotion or an experience, and can result in deep personal insights. It can help you gain a sense of your inner wisdom by exploring positive ways you coped during challenging experiences and identify how those skills can support you now and in the future.
What does the research say?
Academic papers describe the telling of one’s story as a tool for communicating your identity to others and to yourself. By recording your story, you can
