The goal with this exercise is to practice taking the bad things that have happened to you and practice looking for the redemptive aspect.
Sometimes this can be really hard. Sometimes you won’t be able to come up with anything. That’s okay. We are simply practicing trying to reframe the way we interpret the bad things that happen to us, one of Frankl’s 3 keys to a meaningful life.
Process:
- Think about your life and write down the negative things that have happened. If you did the Story So Far exercise, feel free to use these.
- Next to each, attempt to think about a way in which that negative event was redemptive in some way. Perhaps you learned something in the process (however painful). Perhaps it drew you closer to people. Perhaps it closed a door that should have been closed. Perhaps it helped you build resilience.
- If you can’t think of anything redemptive, please feel free to skip it and move on to the next one. The point isn’t to “complete” this exercise, but simply to practice the discipline of redeeming pain.