If you want to stay in an upward spiral of positive emotion, or need to nip a negative spiral in the bud, it’s helpful to think of yourself as a hunter-gatherer, searching for and collecting events, experiences and mementos of positivity that you can pull out and use as you need them. It will create what Barbara Fredrickson (POSITIVITY, Crown Books 2009) calls creating a personal positivity “portfolio.”
National Poetry Month has given me the opportunity to really build my “portfolio”, reminding me that a lifelong love of poetry nurtures, builds and renews me, whether I’m feeling just fine, or whether I need a lift.
If you enjoy or love poetry, there’s still time to collect plenty of poetry positivity from the numerous sites and activities around. Poets.org and Kidlitosphere Central will direct you to wonderful poetic opportunities. Gregory K.’s 30 Poets/30 Days has been an everyday treasure!
Even creating a portfolio may open you to unexpected surprises. One came for me in the form of an email from Kimberly Hutmacher, poet and children’s author, offering an online poetry class. Because I’ve been immersed in the positivity of poetry, I snapped up the opportunity to refresh my knowledge, and build my skills in the area of children’s poetry.
What’s in your portfolio? What might you benefit from adding?
Thanks, Carol. My first creative writing attempts were with poetry back in college. And now, some of it is creeping into my novels. I think writing poetry uses the brain differently than writing prose, or at least opens up potential doorways. I don’t know if there is any hard science to back up what I am saying but this month has been a reminder to keep that part of my creative-self alive.
You’ve made me curious about whether anyone’s done research about the poetry vs. prose impact on the brain. I wouldn’t be surprised, either. I know I feel differently when I’m writing poetry. It’s truer to my soul, to the heart of me, if you know what I mean (and I think that you do). Picture books feel close to poetry, which is why I believe I love them.
I love your opening statement, Carol: “If you want to stay in an upward spiral of positive emotion, or need to nip a negative spiral in the bud, it’s helpful to think of yourself as a hunter-gatherer, searching for and collecting events, experiences and mementos of positivity that you can pull out and use as you need them.” That’s so true and I need to do it more often. The more we refresh our soul, the more we can give through our writing!
Thanks, Jody. I agree with what you say about “refreshing our soul”…It’s a constant journey and practice.