Hope you had a joyful
and graceful holiday. My holiday offering is a small slice from my soon
to be published e-book, The Stress Doc's ™ Resiliency Rap: The Wit
& Wisdom of “The Shrink Rapper” ™. This section on the
therapeutic value of “Writing” is one of the “Six ‘R’s of Burnout Recovery.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prose or
poetry writing as well as keeping a journal can be a
wonderful way to reduce stress, organize and clarify your thinking, strategize and
analyze options, exercise an imagination while you exorcize “grief
ghosts,” be emotive-creative in
expression, and share hard-earned or light-hearted wisdom with others.
And with practice, it becomes a skill with deeper, broader, and more resourceful style
and substance. (For example, can you find the Dr. Sesussian rhythm and
rhyme?) With all this in mind, here is
one of the "Six 'R's of Burnout Recovery" – Writing. At
least I hope you find it thought-provoking, fun, and inspiring.
As was once proclaimed...Write on!
Mark Gorkin
P.S. If you know of anyone in the "hard copy" book publishing world that
might be interested in my manuscript, please drop me a note.
4. Writing
I write, therefore I
am; trust me, this is
no scam
Like now, when life seems a nonstop
exam.
Or when burnt out, my brain on the
lam.
In a life sucking hole; others try to
cajole…
Don’t make me laugh: “Just set a
goal.”
Without Moses’ staff, there’s no
Promised Land path
Unless that staff is a pen with the
power of Zen
To transform a past broken into timeless now and when
Time for mindful “then”…despite all the pain, up the mountain again.
Time for mindful “then”…despite all the pain, up the mountain again.
Shoveling, Winging, and
Resurrecting
For improving self-image, writing’s
not a mirage…
Though trapped in a hovel your fingers
are shovels
Unearthing a maze, a safe passage for
rage.
Who knows where you’ll go on a blank
screen or page!
Even though a black funnel at the end
of the tunnel
A keyboard with wings may be a heroic
role model:
Perhaps a soaring and daring iconic
seagull
Or a soon to be Phoenix – the sign of ingenious
Skywriting with ashes; not just tweet
flashes
Morphing void and null as the rebirth
of a soul.
The Journaling
Journey
On the dark border of panic, torch
words therapeutic
Upon a moonlit screen – now mindful
dramatics.
And we’re not talking highbrow
academics.
Why not a journal of emotional
kernels?
Dig for earthy raw pearls; pass on the
cerebrals
Discover your history; debunk some of
the mystery
Behind life’s doom and gloom, oh
please leave some room
For sticking a pen in hot ego
balloons.
(And if you can self-poke, you’re not
totally broke.)
When concrete truth is too fixed;
simple, create your own mix.
One Must Begin to Separate…One Must Be Separate to Begin
Now escaping from hell, not such a
hard sell
The guts of recovery: share your personal
story.
Don’t wait for a sign – start an
outline and timeline.
Alas, starting’s not easy; many get
queasy
Perhaps even wary; to begin can be
scary, especially
Trapped in familiar rough: “It will never ever be good
enough.”
The key – start small; don’t try for
it all
Or finish your writing in only one
sitting
Unless a rough draft...reduce some of
the sweating.
Many believe in magical power – simply
wait till the 11th hour.
All they need, a final push; just one more adrenaline
rush.
From Sleeping and Dreaming to Mental
Meandering
Sleeping on words is far from
absurd
What better place to scheme on demand
–
Hades or paradise with a flick of a
wand
Your personal odyssey at once at
hand…
Ready, get set…now off to
dreamland!
And we’re better word pilots flying
the skies
With organic radar – a fresh pair of
eyes.
Yet, sometimes embarking, I’ll still
have to say
“Just walk away…live to write another
day.”
Being caught in slow-limbo doesn’t
equal a dumbo.
Try to meander, do not simply
mope
A mind that may wander has unlimited
scope:
To journey from desert to fertile
ground
One must be lost before being
found.
Short and Sharp
Transform your pen into a
sword
Cut through dense forest; find the
right chord.
In today’s world: The
Lord of the Phone
One can no longer drone on and
on.
One must be short yet not too
sweet
With the summit of language: The
Art of the Tweet.
And one must surely abide that
all-knowing guide:
The “Three Steps to Mastery” Power
Point Slide!
Okay, waxing ironic – my own
face-saving tonic.
Oh to be afire with hot-blooded
desire
A solitary mind burning Byronic as
others “en masse” lust electronic
And attention spans click at rates
supersonic.
Tools and Tricks of the Trade: The Essential
Enough of my tirade; back to the
trade:
For sketching your draft, hard won
tips of the craft:
Don’t distort the complex by making it
simple
Make “the obvious” uncommonly
visible.
Design forest and trees, and even the
leaves:
We believe what we see and see
what we believe.
While most creativity dabbles in eccentricity
Nothing drives curiosity like "elegant simplicity."
The greatest challenge of all science and art…
That mind-blowing KISS - Keep It Simple and Smart!
While most creativity dabbles in eccentricity
Nothing drives curiosity like "elegant simplicity."
The greatest challenge of all science and art…
That mind-blowing KISS - Keep It Simple and Smart!
Provide needed context; cut out what’s
not vital
Though do sculpt your text – make
strengths and cares
central.
Target positive strategy; yet don’t
run from tragedy
Head and heart unity is practical
therapy.
Sharing drudges and druthers with
receptive others
May transform even strangers into
sisters and brothers.
Research shows misery doesn’t just
like company
It actually prefers the miserable
variety. ;-)
Tools and Tricks of the Trade: The Magical
Go beyond staying sane – try kaleidoscope brain:
Before taking chances on elusive
romances
Pursue a heart that sings and a mind
that dances
To a multihued rhythm that vibrates as
a prism…
The “Aha” integration: R A I N B O W Revelation.
Who, what, when, and where should always
appear
But musing how and why lights the narrative
sky.
Still my desire before I
expire:
To unify the wise man and wise
guy!
A Courageous Composition: A Meaningful Idea
Purposefully and Passionately W/rapped in
Emotion
Can you compose a story – far from
fields of glory?
Yet with a heartfelt ring, but…one
that’s embarrassing.
A tale that gently laughs at your own
failures and flaws
An unguarded account that might give
others pause
But for you it’s become an innermost
cause
Waiting, just waiting to seep through
your pores
A true priceless gift; unmatched by
Mr. Clause.
When you finally unwind the “be
perfect” bind
No longer honor bound by the old
“h”-word wound
Break through psycho-gravity’s secret
surround
At last, on the hollowed home
ground…
Shatter for good that barrier of
sound:
Sharing dark imperfection heals deep
humiliation
Naturally first in your own
mind…
And even if some others still lag
behind
Let healing essence flow to all human
kind.
Closing
Summary
When soulful writing is your
romance
You’re out on the floor; you’ve chosen
to dance
With ideas and emotions, in all
combinations
Wild and wise – from the pits to the
skies
Blending purpose and passion, yet
despite best intentions
Make room for regression, nurture some
deviance
As you tango and gambol on the path of
variance
Just remember, you always have a
writer’s chance…to:
- Make sense of
experience
- Justify one’s
existence
- Plow through
resistance
- Express
vehemence
- Rework
adolescence
- Demonstrate
coherence
- Explore
divergence
- Model
persistence
- Cultivate a new
fragrance
- Share your quintessence and of utmost importance
- Reaffirm common essence!
Email stressdoc@aol.com for his popular free newsletter & info on speaking programs and phone coaching sessions. And click https://vimeo.com/69053828 for the Stress Doc's wildly pioneering "Shrink Rap" video.
Stress Doc Mantra: "Think out of the box, perform outside the curve (the Bell Curve) and be out-rage-ous!"
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