Let
me preface this by saying I’m not a doctor, or a psychiatrist, or a
psychologist, or a therapist, but it seems to me that writers tend to be a
little lonelier, sadder, and angrier than the members of other professions. Granted, this is not a scientific fact, just
a mere observation. Does writing cause this condition or state of being – or
does writing become the expressive outlet for the emotionally raging,
intellectually-gifted individual?
I
don’t think writing makes people feel lonely, unhappy, mad, or crazy. I think
it is a savior for those who feel that way.
It’s a coping mechanism. If you
practice the art of writing well – perhaps it is because you don’t feel so well. You
may even get rewarded with money, awards, and fame -- but writing is a prize unto itself.
Still,
writers probably want to be happier, even those who wouldn’t admit that their
talent and gift is driven, in part, by some type of social deficiency or DNA
pattern. Many writers who have
experienced great success have also been known to suffer from addiction, mental
disease, and emotional instability. They
may need serious help and professional intervention, but all writers could
benefit from letting some sunshine into their souls.
So
how can writers make themselves feel better while not jeopardizing the tension
levels they need to write great stuff?
According
to Time magazine, Americans now spend $9.6 billion annually on self-help
products, including among other things, books.
So why are we so unhappy?
Oddly,
the October 12th edition article didn’t mention obvious things, including poor education, a lousy childhood, victimization, handicap, sickness, bad relationships, a crappy
job, loss of wealth, loss of family/friends or the fact the world is screwed up
and filled with violence, greed, politics, and crazies. The article spoke to people who seemingly
were not affected by any of these things but merely suffered from not getting
what they want or expect to get from life.
It said: “But in the US, happiness is often seen as an individual
pursuit: chasing the best career, buying stuff, and expecting all of that to
lead to happiness. That sets up
Americans for a lifetime of letdowns.”
The
article suggested five ways one could feel better, relying on scientific
data. Could these help writers? It said:
1.
Schedule
Fun Activities
When you intentionally create the
conditions of your day you take control of what happens to you and there’s
something to look forward to.
2.
Shift
Your Perspective
Instead of pursuing excited states of
happiness, recognize your time is limited and instead, pursue more relaxing
activities that achieve a state of serenity.
3.
Stay
Present
Just enjoy the moment you’re in, even if
it’s in a state of imagining and fantasizing.
No need to worry of the future or to force the present to play out a
certain way. Go with the flow.
4.
Lower
Your Expectations
That’s right, expect little and maybe
you’ll be surprised. Making huge plans
or hoping people will act differently or taking a huge gamble rarely pays
off. Don’t expect much and maybe you’ll
get more than you bargained for.
5.
Savor
Great Moments
Appreciate the positive moments, people,
or things, in your life. Think back on
them and replay these good times in your head.
Do once, celebrate many times.
If
none of this works, may I suggest that you write more. Yes, writing for you or me is what keeps us
happy, sane, and healthy. Writing is a
means and an end to happiness. Our words
are not only medicine for our readers, but for ourselves. Writers experience the world in their heads
and they play out more scenarios than a thousand lives could ever live. We see all kinds of possibilities and
probabilities safely from our mobile desks and then turn our attention toward
re-writing a world that makes sense and feels fulfilling.
The world is a beautiful but troubled place. Writers use writing to cope with the life they’ve been given, and they use their gift to help others escape from or cope with their lives. That is the real happiness formula.
The world is a beautiful but troubled place. Writers use writing to cope with the life they’ve been given, and they use their gift to help others escape from or cope with their lives. That is the real happiness formula.
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Brian Feinblum’s views,
opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his
employer. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him
at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the
third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2015
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