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Pathway to Happiness This practice is part of the Pathway to Happiness Program

Expressive Writing

A simple, effective way to work through an emotional challenge.

Duration: 15 mins Frequency: 1x/day Difficulty: Moderate
Expressive Writing

Time Required

20 minutes per day for four days in a row

How to Do It

Over the next four days, you’ll write freely about your true feelings and thoughts about an experience of hurt that has been emotionally challenging.

  1. Find a comfortable time and place where you are unlikely to be disturbed. If a private space is not available, you can ask people not to disturb you while you’re doing this practice.
  2. Use any writing materials that are available to you. You can use a word processor, or physical notebook, binder paper, or even a piece of scratch paper.
  3. Choose an experience of hurt to write about that is important to you. Choose events or situations you feel you can handle now—that is, don’t write about a severe trauma too soon after it happened, or if it feels too overwhelming.
  4. In your writing, explore what’s been happening in connection to that hurtful experience, how it has affected you, and how it connects to different parts of your life. You might tie this experience to your childhood, your relationship with your parents, people you have loved or love now, or your career.
  5. As you write about your experience, really let go and write freely whatever comes to your mind. Don’t worry about spelling or grammar.
  6. Try not to edit or judge what you write. Remember that your writing is for your eyes only and that you are doing this for your own well-being.
  7. To the best of your ability, write without stopping for at least 20 minutes. Do whatever you need to help you stay on task–you might listen to music, wear noise-canceling headphones, and put away distractions.
  8. Optional: After the four days of writing, try writing from the perspective of a neutral observer or the perspectives of other people involved in the situation.
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