A Letter of Complaint
Written by: Audrey Bartolomei, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Yesterday, I was talking to my husband about the topic of my next article, and I said I cannot think about anything else than the social crisis right now. He said to me, ‘Great! You should write about it!’
I thought the problem is that I am also feeling a bit down, and I am not sure if I could bring some positive mood to people as I am supposed to as a coach. What a funny belief! We suddenly ended up writing each of us a letter about what is really annoying us right now! We had fun doing it because it released the stress and anxiety we have towards the situation and felt way lighter after that!
Writing letters is a technique that we use a lot in coaching. It is so powerful. Why?
We tend to be a lot in our heads, overthinking. When writing, we go from thinking to doing, from thoughts to actions. We break this unstoppable circle of internal ruminations!
We may also be very touched about something. As writing helps to go from thoughts to actions, it also helps to go from emotions to actions. It makes the energy circulate in your body and gives room for the emotions to be released.
Writing allows us to make something not tangible into something concrete. Thoughts become words. Ideas become clearer.
It forces us to activate a different part of our brain - the frontal lobe - which is also responsible for movement, reasoning, judgment, planning, and problem-solving.
Combined with humor, it can play down something that seems so big in our heads. Here, I also suggest that we have fun letting it out! By laughing, we will release some endorphins and lower the blood pressure.
So who is up for it? Let’s make a gift to ourselves through this article, letting the negative energy out of our body, mind & heart!
Here is my list of all the things I cannot stand anymore in my life right now. I invite you to do the same. You can email it to me at audrey@firstepcoaching.com, and we can have a casual chat about it if you feel like it. I will post anonymously a compilation of the funniest sentences I have received.
I Feel like I'm in a golden cage. I have always dreamed of the possibility of working from home, and now I feel totally isolated! Being home is great. Being stuck at home is different.
Everyday feels the same. The excitement, the possibility of doing something different is gone!
I usually love to be spontaneous, but now I feel like everything is so heavy, and I am not expressing this part of me that makes me feel alive!
I am doing grocery, cooking, and cleaning more than ever before. I don’t even know how to be creative in what I am cooking anymore! I am fed up with my own food.
My husband is annoying me. It is almost a year we are 24/7 together! Which couple survives something like this?
In our relationship, everything becomes transactional. We don't have new stories to share at the end of a day since we are constantly together!
At work, I feel like everything is taking too long! We cannot have a quick chat and solve issues instantly. Simple things can take ages!
I don’t see my friends anymore! Each time we should meet, it is complicated, and options are limited! Should we have a coffee at 10 am? At your place or mine? Wow, that sounds fun!
On that note, I want a girls’ night out! A proper one. Laugh and let go.
There is nothing to look forward to! Human beings need that, right? Holidays? Weekend? Weddings? Parties? It’s too uncertain to plan anything.
Which day is it already? I don’t even know anymore!
I laugh less, and I feel the lightness of life has gone. Everything becomes so heavy...so many rules. Wear a mask, make the queue, not more than this number of people… Give me a break!
I get scared of doing things. Gosh, did I wash my hands? Where is my mask?
I feel that I need so much more patience that I currently have at my disposal! I really need to work on that.
We are pushed to our limits. I am seeing my own limits as a person, even if I am a coach.
I feel I should be positive, but I am sometimes struggling with it.
So what’s left?
Let’s cheer each other up. Let’s share, laugh about it. Even through a screen, we are all together in this. We all experience the same. Make your own letter of complaint and release the stress and frustration! It really helps and brings some fun into our lives!
With love,
Audrey
Audrey Bartolomei, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Audrey Bartolomei is a passionate leadership & career transition coach. After living in several countries across Europe and South-East Asia, she recently settled in Switzerland. For many years, Audrey didn't find a purpose in her professional life until she reconverted as a coach 3 years ago. She decided to make it her life mission to help people find their passion. In her coaching, she uses modern and customized techniques. Her favorite one: the exploration of the inner child. She is convinced that it reveals many hidden, often forgotten, treasures and natural motivations. Today, Audrey is working with top-ranked business schools & leading international outplacement companies. Apart from being a coach, Audrey is a wife and a mom, two very interesting roles giving her a lot of inspiration!
