The events of 2020 have taken the world into uncharted territory. We are living through a historic event. Imagine having a record of your experience – how you felt, what you thought and what you did. 

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Write about it

Writing helps a person make sense of their thoughts. To write clearly, it is necessary to write cohesively. Ideas, concepts and situations must be sequenced logically, or at least plausibly, so the reader can understand the message. Therefore, writing provides a tool for organising the flotsam and jetsam of the mind and helps a person fashion ideas into patterns that can be shared. It is this need for sorting, selecting and sequencing that makes writing an effective tool for reflection. Research has also shown that the narrative recounting of an experience can help a person make sense of what happened (Bruner, 1986; McAdams, 1993). Writing about events in narrative form is an opportunity to review situations from different perspectives. As a person shares a story, they are consciously choosing which elements to reveal and how to arrange them. This process can bring into focus what was previously hidden and may help a person become consciously aware of their thoughts, feelings and actions.  

The project described here is voluntary, it has been designed to capture your experience. The questions are simply prompts, the activities merely a guide. This is your opportunity to record your Story of Isolation.

POSSIBLE ACTIVITIES

Keep a journal or diary

At a regular time each day, record what you have done that day. Devote a few minutes to diarising the day’s events, activities and experiences. Then, read what you wrote the day before. Give a few minutes to reflecting on how you feel or think about what you wrote yesterday and jot down your thoughts. You may also like to project forward to reflect on thoughts or feelings about tomorrow. The aim is to create a continuous stream of linked thoughts, feelings and experiences.

Interview yourself and/ or family members

Self-interview

Use the questions as prompts. These questions are guides to start the flow of ideas – change them to suit your situation and aim. You may like to respond to only question, or you may choose to answer a few questions. You could answer a different question each day or base your choice on the experiences of the day. Write what you think and feel in the moment. 

Then, at a later time, go back and read what you wrote over a series of days. Sequence your writing into paragraphs and add any ideas, thoughts or feelings.

Interview a family member

Use the questions as prompts. Remember they are guides to start the flow of ideas – change them to suit your context and purpose. However, only ask one question per sitting. This will help keep interviews short (no more than 10 -15 minutes). Shorter interviews will be less cumbersome to transcribe. Record the interview so you can concentrate on what is being said. You may like to write down any thoughts or reflections you have during the interview. 

Then, at a later time, listen to the interview recording and write up a transcript. As you are writing, remove any interviewer questions, ums, ah’s and hesitations. Then structure the transcript into a narrative. Show it to the person you interviewed and ask them if they’d like to add any comments or additions to their story.

Possible interview questions

• What was the highlight of today? Describe it.
• What was your most memorable moment today? Describe it.
• What activity did you most enjoy today? Describe what happened
• What family activity did you most enjoy today? Describe what happened
• What was the most rewarding part of today? Describe what happened
• What was your favourite meal today? Why?
• Was there any part of today you wish you could do again or do differently? Explain why.
• If a film crew from a reality TV program was to film your day, what do you wish they recorded?
• Where were you at … (insert time) and what were you doing, how did you feel at the time and what were you thinking?
• Imagine it is one year from now and you are sharing your experience with a friend, what would you say about today?

If you choose to take part in this project, please let me know, I’d love to read what you write. 

References

Bruner, J., (1986), Actual Minds, Possible Worlds, Harvard University Press, Massachusetts 

McAdams, D.P., (1993), The Stories We Live By, The Guilford Press, New York

Nicole is an experienced Secondary School English teacher, Certified Gallup Strengths coach and qualified Meditation teacher. She helps teachers and students manage stress, find direction and understand the connection between thoughts, feelings and behaviours.