Writing Prompt: A Letter to a Stranger

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Prompt: Type an anonymous letter to a stranger detailing what you have learned in life.  Leave a link to your post in the comments to share with others.  Here is my letter:

Dear Stranger,

I suppose I have learned a thing or two over my lifetime thus far.  I’ve learned that most people can’t be trusted but a few can.  I’ve learned that opposite phenomenons are going on all of the time.  For example, people are altruistic because it makes them feel better thus actually making them selfish not altruistic.  And parents hurt their children even though they love them intensely.  And churches lie to their followers while preaching the Truth.  I’ve learned to see the world in these grays, rather than in black and white.  It has been my biggest lesson. 

I’ve also learned that I can not like someone but still care about them.  That I welcome eccentricities, but not insincerity.  That someone’s ability to be open-minded shapes every facet of their being.  And that it is quite rare to change an adult’s mind on his or her core values.

I’ve learned that some people are actually capable of unconditional love.  That sunsets make the most beautiful photographs and children are the most difficult gift I have ever received.  That a clean house, flat stomach, or big bank account doesn’t make a person happy.  And that love and health are two of the most important things in life.  Most of all, I’ve learned that I don’t know much and that I’ve got a lot more to learn.

 

Writing for Mental Health

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There’s solid evidence that expressive writing can be good for your mental health.  I was planning on researching and quoting and referencing articles and telling you why and when and the how does it of it all, like this one: https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/boosting-your-mental-health-with-expressive-writing-0823185 but then I thought, you’re an adult.  You’ve got the internet.  I’m not going to reinvent the wheel and regurgitate other people’s articles, which by the way is one reason I hardly write here anymore.  I feel like, “Eh, it’s been said, why say it again.”

Anyway, you can look up why writing can be good for you.  What I am going to do in the meantime here is what is good for me:  write!  Not about my life.  No.  That is for my personal journal which is private.  Sorry.  Not that type of blog.

So, what am I going to write about then?  I have no fricking idea.  I’m still figuring this out.  But I have a book of prompts.  That could be helpful.  I also have a list of different types of journals that we could go through together.  I don’t know, what do you think?  Let’s see where this takes us.

Weekend Mental Health Writing Prompt – Afraid To Fail

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We are afraid to fail so instead we don’t try. How many things do you not try because you are afraid of failing?

Right now I am trying to stop smoking, and while a part of me feels like it is a lost cause because I have tried to quit several times in the past unsuccessfully, another part of me thinks, “But what if this is the time it works?”

Write about something you have tried and failed at, and then write about something you have tried and succeeded at, realizing that in life there are both failures and successes. The important thing is that we always try.

Make sure to link back to this post or comment below to share your response with others.

Weekend Mental Health Writing Prompt – Fathers

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In honor of Father’s Day, the writing prompt this weekend is none other than – fathers! Write about your father or grandfather or someone who was or is like a father to you. How did he shape you into the person you are today? In what ways, both positive and/or negative, does he affect your mental health? What is a good memory you have of him? What else would you like to write about him?

Link your response back to this post so others can find it or feel free to comment below. And Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers out there!

Weekend Mental Health Writing Prompt – Travel

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Travel. Write about a memorable trip you took. How old were you, where did you go, who were you with, etc? How did this trip affect your mental health? What would be some of the ups and downs of this type of trip for someone with your type of mental illness symptoms?

I’ll be doing some traveling of my own this weekend and will tell you all about how it affected my mental health when I return.

In the meantime, link your response back to this post or reply in the comments below.

Happy Weekend, everyone!

Weekend Mental Health Writing Prompt – Friendships

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Friendships. Write about what they mean to you. How do they play out in your life? How does your mental illness effect them, etc?

What qualities do you want in a friend? What qualities do you offer as a friend? How satisfied are you with your friendships? What changes could you make to better them?

What were your childhood friendships like?

Link your response back to this post or comment below. I hope you are having a wonderful weekend, my friends! 🙂

Weekend Mental Health Writing Prompt – Animal Me

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If you could be any animal which would you choose to be? What does this animal represent to you? What advantages and disadvantages does it have over other animals? Is it possible or do you already emulate this animal’s positive qualities in your human life today? Why or why not?

Blog your response and link back to this post, or feel free to comment below. Hope everyone is having a nice weekend!

Weekend Mental Health Writing Prompt – Whole, Not Perfect

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This weekend’s writing prompt is the following Oprah Winfrey quote:

“Seek to be whole, not perfect.”

Write about what this means to you, and post your response in the comments below or on your blog and be sure to link back to this post so that others can find you. Thanks, and I hope you are having a super weekend!

Weekend Mental Health Writing Prompt – Mom

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Ah, Mothers! Good, bad or otherwise, we all have or have had one, so let’s write about her this weekend. You could write about what you learned from her, how she impacted your life, how she impacted your mental health, how you are like her, how you are different from her. You could write directly to her thanking her for all that she’s done for you, or maybe releasing some pent up resentments you may have towards her. (I don’t recommend sending the latter to your mom, but it is a therapeutic tool nonetheless.)

If you never knew your mom, write about that, or write about someone who is like a mom to you.

Just think of the word ‘mom,’ pick up your pen, take a deep breath, and write away. Happy weekend, everyone!

Weekend Mental Health Writings Prompt – Worry

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Are you a worrier? Is there a particular worry you can’t shake? How do you cope with worry? Write about it and feel free to share it here or on your blog if you have one, and then link it in the comments below.