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If you’re trying to move on from a bad breakup, writing a “redemptive narrative” in a journal will help reduce emotional distress, according to a new study.
These narratives “encompass the idea that negative life events or circumstances can be meaningful points in individuals’ lives that result in positive outcomes or silver linings,” reports Business Insider.
Researchers from Villanova University found that people who wrote about their suffering and turned it into a positive experience had an easier time dealing with a breakup. For example, someone using a redemptive narrative style may write, “I feel sad about the split, but I deserve to be with someone who treats me better.”
Researchers recruited 100 people to write journal entries over four days. The findings “suggest that redemptive narratives may reduce individuals’ post-dissolution distress.”
It’s unclear whether writing redemptive narratives can reduce stress over the long term. The study was published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.
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