Everybody's got demons. I've got demons. You've got demons. Maybe we've both dealt with our demons. Maybe you haven't yet. Sometimes people know exactly what their demons are (e.g. you feel worthless because of you weight, you're lonely after a bad breakup, one of your parents was never around so you have identity issues, etc.), and sometimes people don't. (e.g. You feel like crap. Why the heck...?) Even if you don't know what your demons are, that doesn't stop them from coming after you like bloodhounds. If you're uncertain about what's been getting you down, I'd like you to try this DLP.
Step One: Get a piece of paper. If you journal, use that. If you don't, any piece of blank paper will do- you can even use the back of an old advertisement. Get a pen or pencil, or heck, use a quill if you have one. It doesn't really matter.
Step Two: Start free-writing about your emotions. Free-writing is essentially a process in which you grab a pen, pick a topic, and let yourself write whatever comes to mind. Grammar, spelling, and writing quality don't matter in this case, this is just a way for you to get your thought flow on paper. Write on your topic for at least five minutes, and try to be as personal as you can- remember, you don't have to show this to anyone. When you're done, you can go ahead and burn it in a ceremonial bonfire. You could also just crumple it up and throw it in the trash.
Step Three: Once you've written for five or more minutes, take a look at what you have on your paper. Chances are, it's a big, emotional mess. (At least, that's what I get when I free-write.) This is where the process gets interesting; now you get to piece together the nonsense that you've written. Think of yourself as a thought-detective, investigating the crimes of your inner demons. Maybe you've written something like this: "Lately I've been feeling really unstable, I don't know, I'm kind of floating off the ground and don't have any purpose- I don't really feel sure about anything, ugh I just wish I felt more certain about my life I mean I don't even know who I am. I want to just go crying to mom, but she wouldnt get it either because everything I know about myself I learned from her. I dont know where I really came from What is my destiny anyway? I have no clue." If you skimmed over this group of words, you might think it makes no sense. However, if we take a closer look, you'll notice some patterns. First of all, we have the overarching them of belonging and identity. This hints at issues in the writer's past that make him/her uncertain of how they should move forward. Parentage is also mentioned. In this example, let's assume that the writer is adopted- maybe he or she feel so lost and uncertain because they feel disconnected from his or her roots. Maybe an investigation into the writer's birth parents would help, maybe it wouldn't- either way, the writer now has an idea of why he or she feels such an identity disconnect.
It's easier to decipher your feelings, once put into words, than it looks. We usually have at least a subconscious idea about what is bothering us, and hopefully this DLP will help you uncover it. Did you learn anything from this prompt? Feel free to sound off in the comments! The best of luck to you all.
Cheers,
Lily
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