Be Happy - or Get Mad and Get Writing!

Here's a question for you to think about ...Does it help you to write when you're happy...or angry? I think about this a lot.

For example, I'm reading a couple of books on happiness right now. Did you know that the US isn't even in the top ten countries based on a measure of people's happiness?

This is from an article in Forbes, World's Happiest Places by Lauren Sherman:

Where in the world do people feel most content with their lives?

According to a new report released by the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), a Paris-based group of 30 countries with democratic governments that provides economic and social statistics and data, happiness levels are highest in northern European countries.

Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands rated at the top of the list, ranking first, second and third, respectively. Outside Europe, New Zealand and Canada landed at Nos. 8 and 6, respectively. The U.S. did not crack the top 10. Switzerland placed seventh and Belgium placed tenth.

A number of brain scientists (Dan Gilbert: Stumbling on Happiness, Sonja Lyubomirsky: The How of Happiness) are publishing ways to become happier, and thought leaders like the Dalai Lama (The Art of Happiness) have long advocated you can train your mind to be happy.

I know for myself, I find it hard to create when I'm happy, I'm too blissful and laid back. Sometimes, being fed up to the point of anger stimulates me to buckle down and do something, do anything...which can be quite creative.

How does your mood affect your writing? If I'm mad and can identify the source of anger, I'm energized to write. But if the source is vague, or if I don't like the fact that I'm mad, or sad, or negative, then I find it hard to write.

I know that I love reading what others write when they're mad. Getting mad energizes writers, makes them snarky, makes them controversial and their words sizzle off the screen.

It's hard to not read comments when a touchy political nerve gets tickled (like immigration, for example, people go nuts!) If you want a good example of this, go read The Brain Drain that Should Worry US Business by John Sviokla on Harvard Business Publishing blog.

On the one hand, I like feeling mellow, love being in love, and hate being mad at The Hubby. Can't stand it. But if it gets me to sit down and write, maybe it's worth picking a fight...? What do you think? I'm just saying... not that I would do that...

Comments

[Dr. IKE]

I find, in those instances where I am attempting to spill anger into text, I often am less creative. The destructive nature of the thoughts themselves seems to keep my brain from firing on all cylinders.

I get joy from expressing myself. The process of crafting a sentence, then another and another until I finally have a coherent essay is something that makes me really happy. And, when I'm coming from a peaceful place, I find it easier to do those things.

At that point, I'm writing inspired and that's how I can bang out a blog in twenty or thirty minutes and feel alive while doing so.

[Patsi aka The Blog Squad]

Thanks, Dr. Ike, for sharing your experiences. I'm interested to hear what others say, since I have experienced both the good, bad and ugly of writing under the influence of emotions!

[Jenny Pilley]

I think I'm the opposite. I have to be in a good mood to write about what people want to read. I feel if I calm I produce better written work than if I am anxious or upset. I can concentrate harder on the task in hand rather than having everything buzzing around in my head and finding it difficult to get on with one thing.