Today is Tell a Fairy Tale Day. This day is a great opportunity for survivors to write our story and create our own fairy tale.
You see, as survivors, we often feel like someone else is in control of our story. Maybe our perpetrators took control of a piece of our lives, ourselves, or our story. Sometimes it feels like others also have ownership of our stories, whether that’s the legal system, our peers, our even society as a whole. Even if we don’t feel like anyone else is controlling our story, we know something bad happened, as happens in most fairy tales, and it feels like it needs to be overcome.
However, I’m reminded on Tell a Fairy Tale Day that we have the power to write our next chapter, we have the power to be the heroes of our stories, and we even have the power to re-write what happened to us if that’s what is healing for us. Others may have controlled our story for a time, but we are the creators of our own story.
Today I challenge you to think of telling your fairy tale. This may manifest in different ways. Here are some ideas:
- Think of your trauma as a dragon or monster and you as the hero of your fairy tale. How would you confront this dragon or monster? Would you slay the dragon? Would you summon a group of brave, supportive friends to go on a quest with you to protect you from the monster? Would you invite the dragon or monster over for a tea party, get to know it a little better, and tame it? Would you allow yourself to feel the pain of your trauma and put out the fire of the dragon’s breath with your tears? Would you do something else entirely?
- Think about if you were going to tell your story who would you tell it to and how would you tell it? What purpose would you find in telling your story? How might it be healing or therapeutic?
- Write or think about the next chapter of your story, including your happy ending. How do you get there? What opportunities are available to you? Is there a journey you may go on or an obstacle to overcome?
- Consider yourself as a hero. What heroic, brave, or resilient traits do you have?
- Think about a piece or chapter of your story that would be healing for you to re-write. For example, some people find it healing to re-parent themselves or support themselves in ways they needed others to support them. Perhaps someone didn’t respond to your needs in the ways you wanted or needed. Write a story about you showing up to support those needs for yourself at that time.
We know that you are the brave and powerful author and hero of your story. We also want you to know that no matter what your story is or where you are in it, we are here to be the trusty sidekick, wise sage, compassionate healer, fierce champion, or whatever you need on your journey to a healing happily ever after.