Ernest Hemingway famously said, “Write hard and clear about what hurts.” Although Hemingway probably was unaware of it at the time, research has shown that writing about “what hurts” can help improve our mental health.
Life is a mix of opposites—ebb and flow, highs and lows, joys and sorrows, day and night. People often describe life as a series of events, sometimes delightful and sometimes bitter, touched by despair. That’s just the way it is.
Let's say you have to take your sick child to the hospital on a Friday morning. Your spouse is in tears, and you’re struggling with chronic sleep deprivation.