Story Alchemy: 20 Playful Prompts for Rewriting Self-Limiting Beliefs
Break out pen and paper and let your inner child turn self-limiting stories into silly putty…
The intention for the following writing exercise is to bring greater awareness to one of your self-limiting stories and play with it. As a trauma therapist and group self-expression facilitator, I’ve seen how play helps us relate to challenging inner experiences more easily, as it activates different parts of the brain that are less bound by language and ration. Please know that the practice below is not a substitute for professional mental health support. Have fun!
—Eric D.
Stories That Follow · Original Art by Eric Dean (learn more)
WHAT ARE STORIES?
We all have stories: internalized beliefs about ourselves, others, and the world that stem from our family, community, and culture. Some stories speak of safety and abundance, while others preach fear and lack. Unfortunately, many of us possess the latter because of traumatic experiences from the past, especially early in life.
Examples of self-limiting trauma stories include:
“What I say doesn’t matter.”
“I’m destined to struggle with money.”
“I’m an outsider.”
“Intimacy is dangerous.”
Beliefs like these can be so persistent and pervasive that we take them for granted and perceive them as truth. Though our trauma stories once served a purpose—like keeping us from trusting too easily and being hurt—they are outdated, and now dampen our ability to thrive in the present moment.
WRITING EXERCISE
You’ll need multiple sheets of paper and colored pens or pencils. You’re welcome to do as many or as few of the listed prompts as you’d like. You can try your own variations as well. Accessing your creativity is what’s most important!
Take a moment to identify a story that has been present for you lately. All you need is a one-line headline that captures a negative belief you have about yourself or your current situation. ‘I’ statements tend to be the most powerful. For example, “I am trapped,” “I am different,” or “I deserve to be unhappy.”
Once you’ve identified your story…
1) Write it neatly on a piece of paper.
Notice how the story makes you feel as you write it. You’re welcome to read it to yourself and aloud to let its impact sink in further.
2) Now write your story with your non-dominant hand.
3) Write your story again, as fast as you can!
4) Now as sloooow as you can.
5) As messy as you can!
6) Write in anything but a straight line (e.g., slanted).
7) With uneven spacing.
How do you feel emotionally and physically? Consider using a different color pen or pencil if desired.
8) Now write your story again, but with the words in a random order.
9) Now again, inserting unusual or new punctuation, like a comma in the middle of the sentence or a question mark at the end.
10) Write holding multiple pens or pencils at once.
11) Write with both hands simultaneously.
Pause for a moment and notice how you feel now. Change colors again if you’d like. As the written expression of your story changes, the words may also want to change. You may want to remove or add words. I invite you to follow what feels natural.
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Keep going!
12) Write whatever story is present while holding your pen/pencil in an awkward way.
13) Write it again with your face and/or body contorted.
14) Again, while holding your breath.
15) While breathing mindfully.
Take note of how you feel, changing colors to align with that feeling. Again, let the story evolve if it wants to.
16) Now, write with your eyes squinted.
17) With your eyes closed.
18) With your eyes closed and with your non-dominant hand.
19) Now, draw a simple doodle that represents the story.
20) Finally, write, draw, or express your story however you want!
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
How did your story and your feelings about it change throughout this exercise?
What was it like to play with something seen as “negative”?
What other beliefs do you want to try rewriting?
I’d love to hear from you!
Eric Dean · @theecdean · eric@ericcdean.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Eric Dean is a seer, artist, guide, and psychotherapist who works and plays in the mountains of Flagstaff, AZ. Eric feels most alive when facilitating co-creative journeys that he transforms into custom art pieces. Earthy and spiritual, Eric finds joy in ecstatic dance, music circles, mountain biking, snowboarding, bouldering, and other adventures with friends.
