Nothing quite like the end of a relationship to get your creative juices flowing, right? Because, as any writer might tell you, sitting down and ruminating over the failings of an emotional adventure is the best way to move forward, right? Apparently, not quite.
A new bit of research from the University of Arizona suggests otherwise. Though psychologists set out to prove that spending time reminiscing and unpacking what went awry in a relationship helps sufferers move on, they seemed to find just the opposite after taking 90 divorcing or recently divorced men and women and asking them to journal for three consecutive days — some were instructed to keep an activity log, while others were expected to really explore the difficulties they were facing. Then, eight months later, the researchers followed up. Those who had enthusiastically turned their diaries into a Taylor Swift song were having, surprisingly, a harder time moving on.
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While emotional exorcism is certainly healthy, the lead researcher of the project brings up a good point: "If you're someone who tends to be totally in your head and go over and over what happened and why it happened, you need to get out of your head and just start thinking about how you're going to put your life back together and organize your time." In other words, probing deep for poetry isn't going to do anyone any good.
But, on the other hand, there is nothing more inspiring and emotionally overwhelming as a good ode to heartbreak. What if Adele had just wrote songs detailing her daily activities? No one wants that. Journaling about your broken heart might not be good for you, but it certainly isn't bad for your creativity, right? (Jezebel)
Photo: Via Columbia Records