August 20, 2008

Managing Painful Situations: Writer’s Block, Migraine, and Trolls

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 8:00 am

Get to Know What’s a Pain

Painful situations come in sorts of packages and combinations. Lately I’ve been hearing talk about three in particular — writer’s block, migraine, and trolls. When I think about about that set of pains, I realize that in some ways, they’re the same problem dressed up in different ways.

I know a couple of things about all three. I’ve been a writer since the last century. Been studying migraines since I got the first one when I was 12. And trolls . . . A cyber trolls once invited me to be CEO of his business.

Managing Painful Situations: Writer’s Block, Migraine, and Trolls

Writer’s block, migraine and trolls are a pain. Dealing with them is a management problem. I offer these suggestions that work for me.

  • Study the problem. Get to know the pain.
    Understand when it happens and how it works. Take away all of the personal issues. It’s not “your” writer’s block, “your” migraine, “your” personal attack. Those things outside you are just doing what they do. If you study them, you’ll notice they do the same thing every time.
  • Stop resources that support the situation.
    Your emotional buy in exacerbates the pain. Getting nervous about things, getting mad, insecure, or anxious only adds to the stress and undercuts your ability to move beyond what’s happening. Turn off the negative voices. Don’t feed the trolls.
  • Leave the war zone.

    • Get space to gather resources, rest, and perspective. Take a walk. See the sky. Feel the ground beneath your feet again.

Anyone who’s gone past writer’s block knows that moving away from the computer often allows the answers to come more quickly. Anyone who’s had a debilitating migraine knows a dark cool room works far better than a blinding sunrise to quiet the awful physical pain. Anyone who’s argued with trolls — are they really a pain or just irritants? — knows their words are deflated when left without rebuttal.

August_Sunrise_by_Liz_Strauss


On some days, we all give importance to things that get in our way. Keep an eye out for them. When you find one, just decide that you aren’t going there.

Have you got a strategy for managing painful and irritating situations?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

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18 Comments to “Managing Painful Situations: Writer’s Block, Migraine, and Trolls”

  1. August 20th, 2008 at 8:33 am
    Todd Jordan said

    Great advice on dealing with pains. Turning off the source and resources is something we sadly overlook. We most always focus on the symptoms.

    Thanks for sharing.

  2. August 20th, 2008 at 8:43 am
    Elaine B. said

    It`s hard to separate the attack from the situation and your feelings. Specially when the web makes communities so small and close to each other. I have learned, just like in your article, that there are many things you can do to empower yourself when being attacked.

    Anything slanderous and potentially damaging goes to my attorney and I let him handle it. Otherwise, I let wisdom be demonstrated by their works. Obviously if people pay that much attention to you, you must be important! I am however very astounded by how people will be nastier to you on the web than what they would be to your face. Then I found this link and I am happy to share it with you. http://www-usr.rider.edu/~suler/psycyber/disinhibit.html

  3. August 20th, 2008 at 8:51 am
    Writer Dad said

    One of the most helpful things for me is a simple change of environment. It opens the eyes and clears the head.

  4. August 20th, 2008 at 8:57 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Todd,
    Almost always we get distracted by the symptoms and what we focus on gets bigger and more powerful. Setting them aside is a good practice. I’ve learned that with my migraine. ;)

  5. August 20th, 2008 at 8:58 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Elaine,
    Often we empower what we’re afraid of. I hear you about people misbehaving more on the Internet. It’s hard to be mean to someone you know you’re going to have to see in person. :)

  6. August 20th, 2008 at 8:59 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Yep, Writer Dad,
    Just looking at the sky can change how I think about something. It’s hard to take myself too seriously when looking at creation. :)

  7. August 20th, 2008 at 9:47 am
    The Hunter's Wife - Jody said

    I’ve suffered from migraines for years. Identifying the cause is key. I had them from a few food allergies and mostly stress on nerves. I now avoid those foods and have turned to yoga. Yoga is so good for the mind, body and soul.

  8. August 20th, 2008 at 10:26 am
    SpaceAgeSage said

    Kahlil Gibran writes of pain this way, “Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.”

    In response to this insight, I sometimes think, “Ooooh, this is so deep” and other times I think, “Oh, crap! Not more learning experiences!”

    To counter my life pains right now, I’m starting Julia Cameron’s book, “The Artist’s Way at Work — Riding the Dragon. Twelve Weeks to Creative Freedom.” I plan to use her “morning pages” work to burst through some limiting stuff in my life. (Feel free to send me good thoughts so it goes well!)

    Liz, BTW — thanks for being the Blogger Who Touches the Heart. I appreciate your impact in my life and in the blogging community.

  9. August 20th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
    Mary@WritetoDone said

    “Stop resources that support the situation.” That certainly resonates with me.

    I like the idea that painful situations don’t just bump into us - we are part of the painful dance. It’s up to us to leave the dancefloor.

  10. August 20th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
    Cath Lawson said

    Hi Liz - My strategy is a lot like yours. Get out for a walk and get some fresh air. But for migraines - I tend to reach for the Migralieve first. I don’t know if you can get them in the States - they really do help.

    That is amazing - a troll asking you to be the CEO of his company. Some people have a flipping cheek.

    When I get any serious attacks on my blog, I don’t let them get to me anymore. I just mark them as spam and forget about them.

  11. August 20th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
    Beth Blair said

    Wonderful advice. I simply walk away until I feel better. Otherwise it just festers and I accomplish nothing. I also find good workout usually cures my inner ailments.

  12. August 20th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
    Amy said

    This is so dead on, I had to laugh. I’m a chronic migraine sufferer and lately have been plucking a few trolls from the garden. The writing block comes and goes, but at least it’s a little bit easier for me to ignore, because I very rarely have to be creative for the writing work I do (sadly). My own personal blogs, however, often become dark rooms until the pain escapes me. Walks are good. Naps are good too.

  13. August 25th, 2008 at 10:42 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Everyone!
    Sorry that Gnomedex slowed my response.

    @Jody!
    Knowing the triggers we control sure help. Of course, we can only do so much about the weather. :)

  14. August 25th, 2008 at 10:43 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Sage,
    That dual response to pain and learning is familiar to me. I like the Ben Franklin quote “Things that hurt instruct.” Learned it in college often pass it on.

    Thank you from my heart. :)

  15. August 25th, 2008 at 10:46 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Mary,
    Our recent email make your dance analogy even more meaningful. I’m here thinking of a quote I learned from Tom Peters, can’t remember the source, “If the situation is killing you, get the hell out.”

    It doesn’t explicitly state our contribution, but even the choice to stay is a way of participating. :)

  16. August 25th, 2008 at 10:48 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Cath,
    Thjs weekend someone asked me how I deal with negative commenters. I started to answer with, “Well, I used to teach first grade . . . ”

    She laughed so hard at that, saying “What a perfect response!”

  17. August 25th, 2008 at 10:49 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Beth,
    Sometimes walking away is the bravest thing we can do. Yet we don’t because we think it will be cowardly.

  18. August 25th, 2008 at 10:59 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Amy!
    It seems good practice to smile at that “pains” in our life. Then set them aside. :)

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