People have many ways of venting. Some constructive and others destructive. Either way it is an attempt to externalize something that is stuck inside of you. Whether it needs to be completely removed or analyzed.
The reason I find writing constructive is that it grants me the ability to fully dive into a specific emotion. Not only that but I get to chance to change that emotion before it has real world consequences. Shedding light on the darkness by putting deep thought before action.
I have found throughout the course of my life that when I am completely reactive bad shit happens. However I can be reactive while writing with little to no consequence. I am literally shaping my decisions in life by focusing my thoughts in writing.
I understand that for many people writing about something would make them dwell on it. But more often I find that the mood I begin writing with is completely different than the mood I end with. I’ve actually honed this ability to the point that I can write something in a tone that isn’t even indicative of my current mood. Although I believe the writing is more interesting when it is an indication of what I’m feeling.
More often than not what you are reading is a feeling I am alleviating, a preventative measure. A way to change the state of my mind so that it doesn’t influence real life. Almost nothing I write should be taken literally. A good indication of that is the fact that I write predominantly in metaphors. Yet in real life I do not walk around speaking in metaphors.
I have read several books that touch on the fact that stress is directly correlated to bad decisions. And that bad decisions compound on top of each other, thus producing more stress, a vicious cycle. I am not a person that worries or stresses out often (yeah it’s nice) but whenever I do feel that pressure I relieve it with writing. I capture it and force it out.
If you have this ability or any other constructive measure for venting I strongly encourage you to continue working on it. Even if your ability never takes you anywhere in life (I have yet to write a million dollar poem) it will probably keep your life balanced. Feel your feelings but do not let them consume you. Life is not predicated on what you feel, it is determined by what you do.
Verbose Musings 