Before diving into writing, I’m inviting you to sit back, and relax. Take a deep in. Exhale fully. Another deep breath. And exhale.
Take some deep nourishing breaths as you read this prompt.
Notice where there is tension in your body. Put your hand there, if you can. Or, put your thoughts there. Easily and comfortably think about what could be causing that discomfort.
If you are not experiencing any discomfort, notice what you are thinking about.
Going over, in your mind, the past few days, have you had a troubling conversation or a difficult interaction?
For now, just notice these things. Set them aside, or make a quick list of these things.
Staying as relaxed as you can in your body, read the first part of the prompt, which is inspired by Viktor Frankl. You have probably heard of him or you might be very familiar with him. He was an Austrian Holocaust survivor, neurologist, psychiatrist, and author. He was in four different concentration camp over the course of three years.
He was the founder of logotherapy, healing through meaning.
Quote from Viktor Frankl:
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.
Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances; to choose one’s own way.
Between stimulus and response there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
Prompt:
Write about a situation that you would like to change, but you can’t. You can’t change what happened. And you can’t change other people.
Write about what changes you can make . . . how can you change your thinking to bring about hope and peace?
Brainstorm on paper about what you can do to change your perspective.
Or: Write about what happened from the other person’s point of view, write from their perspective.
Or: Write about something you survived, something you overcame.
Or: Write a rant about how crappy, horrible, and awful something or someone is.
Or: Write about what annoys you.
Logotherapy
Developed by Viktor Frankl, the theory is founded on the belief that human nature is motivated by the search for a life purpose; logotherapy is the pursuit of that meaning for one’s life. Frankl’s theories were heavily influenced by his personal experiences of suffering and loss in Nazi concentration camps.
Lotus flower
The lotus has a life cycle unlike any other plant. With its roots latched in mud, it submerges every night into river water and miraculously re-blooms the next morning, sparklingly clean. In many cultures, this process associates the flower with rebirth and spiritual enlightenment. With its daily process of life, death, and reemergence, it’s no wonder that the lotus holds such symbolism.
