There are a lot of great reasons to keep a journal, and getting over a breakup might be one of them. The key is using your words to reframe your suffering into a positive, or at least meaningful, experience.
Photo by lukestehr.
A recent study, conducted by Erica B. Slotter and Deborah E. Ward at Villanova University, and published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, suggests that writing about your experience in a certain way can lessen the emotional toll that breakups take. Using a method called “redemptive narratives”, you can turn negative life events into a positive turning point in your life. For example, you can write about how you learned something important about yourself, or that you now have a better understanding of a relationship’s dynamics. Additionally, you can use hindsight to your advantage to reshape memories and decide how they positively affected your personal story. It may not work as well in the long-term, but time heals most wounds, and it can help you work through the darkest days of heartbreak early on.
Finding the Silver Lining [Journal of Social and Personal Relationships via Business Insider]
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