Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis seem so happy together that it's sometimes easy to assume that they've been a couple since their days on That '70s Show — after all, it is where they shared their first kiss! But, it wasn't so long ago that he was married to Demi Moore and, subsequently, embroiled in a pretty public divorce during which tabloids slammed him for alleged adultery.
Though Kutcher often chooses to keep his past behind him so that he can focus on Kunis and their two children, Wyatt and Dimitri, he felt comfortable enough to share how he moved past his painful divorce on longtime friend Dax Shepard's podcast, Armchair Expert.
"Right after I got divorced, I went to the mountains for a week by myself," he said, adding that this trip to Big Sky, Montana wasn't your average backpacking expedition.
"I did no food, no drink, just water and tea," he said. "I took all my computers away, my phone, my everything. I was there by myself, so there was no talking. I just had a notepad, a pen, and water and tea — for a week."
The time alone gave him the opportunity to reflect on all of the tabloid drama and evaluate how he may have treated past partners. With notebook in hand, he embarked on what he described as a journey to obtain a "cleared palate."
"I wrote down every single relationship that I had where I felt like there was some grudge or some anything, regret, anything," he said. "And I wrote letters to every single person, and on day seven, I typed them all out and sent them. I hand wrote them all and then typed them out and sent them."
Though Kutcher rarely gives a peek into his personal life, this isn't the first time he's talked about his divorce. Last April, the actor addressed rumors that he cheated on Moore while accepting the Robert D. Ray Pillar of Character Award.
"I'm also probably the first person to get this award for character who had, like, his name splashed across every gossip magazine as an adulterer, like, five years ago," he said.
Later, he added: "Character comes when those magazines tear you apart for something you may or may not have done and you gotta go out and perform tomorrow — with everyone looking at you like you might be an adulterer."
Writing letters in times of emotional distress can be quite healing, according to research conducted for the American Psychological Association. However, the APA's study concluded that to reap the full benefits, people must vent with intention and actively seek out clarity and resolution. This kind of writing is so powerful, the study suggests, that it can even strengthen immune systems. To make this even better, the APA doesn't say you have to actually send your letter to anyone to make a difference.
So, while drunk-texting an ex is rarely advisable, you might actually benefit from penning a heartfelt (or, rage-induced) letter — no mountain tops or fasting required.
