Saturday, December 09, 2006
Way to Keep Focused
Write about a color and it's affect on your life? Jot notes to write about other memories on your favorite colors, colors you don't like, or colors you can't live without.
By the way, now I enjoy the color yellow in my life. Perhaps I outgrew my negative reaction to it or the reaction served it's purpose.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Already December
As the end of the year approaches, reflect on how your year changed? Is your situation different from what you expected at the beginning of the year? Is it better or worse? How are you going to use what you learned this year to make next year better?
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Why Danny DeVito's Mouth was Trouble
Why did Danny DeVito's mouth get him into trouble? Well, simply, he talked too much. A great thing about being a writer is that you don't have to talk so much. You can use your time putting your thoughts on paper. Then you have an opportunity to look at your writing and think about it before you let it go public. You even have the chance to erase (tear up, delete) all of the writing without letting anyone ever see it.
You can write anything you want in private as you practice your writing. Write about your thoughts on the President and the Iraq war. Write about why you're angry with Congress or another politician. It's all up to you.
I think you'll find that you feel so much better afterwards. You get your opinion off your chest. Putting it on paper makes it real and alive so it doesn't bother you as much anymore. Yet, after venting in written words, you probably won't have to vent in spoken words.
Don't do what Danny D. did. Instead of talking out loud, write in silence. Take 20 minutes and write about something you feel strongly about in the news today.
Monday, November 20, 2006
When Tom and Kat Got Married
What do you think about weddings? Do you get excited about celebrity weddings and make them your focus of attention? Do you find wedding exciting or boring? Write about that for a while. If you're married and loving it, write about that too.
Some Can Be Seen, Some Cannot
As a writer, which you are, you have to find that memory that matters to you. Writing about your life helps to form the habit of writing more. You learn to write deeper when you remember the past in detailed ways. Writing a memoir gives you great flexibility. A memoir can be short. A phrase can comprise the memoir piece. Write the phrase and the thought can be over. You may not have anything else to say about that memory.
On the other hand, you might write a lengthy multiple page essay. A memory might come up that keeps you writing on and on. Words just keep flowing out of your mind, through your hand, and onto the paper or keyboard.
As with every memoir, some pieces of writing are so personal that you have to decide if they will go further than your personal journal. Writing is therapeutic. Some of what you write in an autobiography or memoir will never see the light of day. Will you want your favorite aunt to know that you hated her perfume that seemed to cling to you when she gave you a hug? Do you want to put in writing the actions you did when you were a teenager that until now, no one else knew about but you?
Take the responsibility of putting those memoirs in sections of your journal or computer file that are for you alone. When you do this, you can let the wings of your mind take off.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Working on Overload
The first thing that wants to go by the wayside is my writing. But writing can't go by the wayside. Writing has to be the first thing to stay in the forefront of life. When you write you release some of the pent up frustrations that want to claim your body and mind. Writing reaches down and pulls up emotions that would otherwise keep you preoccupied and unable to concentrate.
Are you feeling overloaded right now? What's making you feel that way. Today, make your writing practice your "to do" list and write out the steps that you'll take to get through realistic goals just for today. That way you'll write, release some frustrations, and provide a goals guide for the rest of your day.
Monday, November 13, 2006
are delightful memoirs, writing, legacy, autobiography
Draw and Write
Family memoirs can include anything of importance in your family. Even if it wasn't important to everyone else, you can record that memory too. Baby boomers have many memories that are unique so get them down as they come back to you.
What type of food memories do you have? Can you remember where everyone sat at the table during the holidays? This is a great time of the year to write a bit on food memories. Go for it!
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Is it Stuff or Meaning Making?
Writing is such a powerful medium. The emotions it brings out in the writer go unnoticed most of the time. Yet writing is a medium that can be used for healing because of the ability to put on paper things that won't come out in verbal words. Some couples find their primary way to communicate is through writing notes to each other. If that works, let it work.
Making meaning can just happen with the writing. At times, I ask myself, "Did I really do anything except put stuff on the paper this morning?" Maybe the anwer is , "No, that's all you wrote -- stuff."
But still, words flowed. Everyday is not a day to be profound. But everday when you write your feelings to paper, you do something to help the words know that they don' have to be stuck inside. They matter and have a life.
Get the words out. When the sufff is out, you can get to other wriitng. You can make everything count for meaning. Just keep writing and keep seeking to get to what counts for your writing goal.
Write stuff today. That is, deliberately write stuff that has been holed up inside for too long. Put on the timer and let the stuff flow. Then sit back and let the meaning making come out that was hiding behind the stuff you denied writing for so long.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Simple Days
- *a grilled cheese sandwich
- *tomato soup
- *grilled cheese and tomato soup together.
just nuts,
just grapes,
simple foods.
Someday I need only simple pleasures.- The sun on my face,
- breeze in my nose,
- a walk--a long walk
- quiet
- a drive to just look at scenery
They let me rest my brain, my body, my expectations.
Then I can begin to feel creative again.
Write about the simple things you enjoy. How do simple things let you feel your creativity?
Off Line Benefits
I get up in the morning, turn on the computer and go to my email. I waste a lot of time reading and responding to email, as if that's my work. So in a way, the outage made me rethink how I start my day. Instead of going to email, I actually had to go to the wordprocessing system instead. The only thing I could do there was write. So I ended up writing more than I would have if I was surfing the net or doing other projects.
Sometimes drastic measures force you to make changes in the habits of your life. What seems like a bad thing and very frustrating actually turns out to be a good thing. A Biblical verse says "All things work together for the good ---." Having a three day outage turned out to be a good thing. I think I'm backed up now and need to catch up. But in reality, I know I need to streamline my activities. I even came up with new ideas for doing my work while I had to sit away from the computer and THINK instead of look at ideas of other people.
What is your morning habit? What do you do automatically when you get to the computer? Do you write first or find a way to be distracted? The first step to changing any type of habit is to identify the habit. Tomorrow morning, be totally conscious of your steps. What exactly do you do upon awakening? Do you go first to make coffee? Do you pray or meditate and plan your day with care? Do you jump right into reading stuff, surfing the net, looking at email?
Write about this. Be detailed and specific so you can see where you time is going and what you could do to make writing more important in your life.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
A Political Day
As I grew up, it was mandatory to show your voting stub in order to get dinner in our home on any voting day. Even the family dog growled at you if you didn't have your stub (not really, but he probably would have --- that's how serious it was to us).
I remember taking my grandmother to the polls the last time she was able to vote. She could barely walk. But she wouldn't rest until she got to the polls. I had to help her into the booth and even to press the hole into the ballot. She knew who she wanted to vote for and the issues she wanted to see passed. Then she sat up until late to her the results. I could go on and on about voting stories.
Did you vote today if you are in an area that's voting?
What are you memories of voting through the years? Write about them so you will get excited about being able to freely go to the polls to vote.
Monday, November 06, 2006
Writer's Butt
That brings up another issue.
Like today. I've been writing since around 8 a.m. this morning. It's 7 p.m. at night. I got a lot done, even caught up on old projects. But now I'm not worried about writer's block, I'm more concerned about getting a bad case of Writer's Butt.
If I don't start getting out to exercise instead sitting typing all day --- well you get the visual.
Imagine that you spent the last 20 days writing for 10 hours a day. You forgot to get up and exercise. What are you worried about now? Writer's block or writer's butt? Sorry, you have another 20 mintues to practice then you can go for that walk!
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Little Duck
Guess Halloween has changed and families are getting together at events instead of going door to door. I missed seeing the babies all dressed up in elaborate costumes.
What was the cutest costume you got to see this year?
It's Really Tough
Acknowledging this always brings back the fact that life is short. Even if you live 100 years, that's a short time in the whole scheme of things. Deciding to make life count should happen everyday.
- How can you make life count today?
- What do you take for granted that you will honor as special and wonderful in your life as you move through each minute of it today?
Write for 20 minutes. Practice writing and being grateful for life all at the same time!
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Too tired to sleep
Are you ever up late at night wondering why you are the only one in the house that's NOT snoring? When you have insomonia
- What do you do?
- Do you get up and write?
- Do you toss and turn?
If you are too tired to sleep, writing about this might be the sleeping pill you need to turn over and drift off to dreamland.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Daylight Savings Time
I guess the different perspectives on this have to be noted. I talked to a young person Sunday; a high school student. He loves daylight savings time. Guess being in the dark is more fun than being in the bright light all day ---for some high school students. He did have an interesting point that football games just seemed more "right" in the dark stadium with the big lights glaring.
What do you think? Write about the switch to daylight savings time if you experience it. Do you like it? Is the adjustment quick and smooth or are you sleepy for a week like me?
If you live where you don't have to switch the clocks, what do you think about this? Would you prefer to be forced to switch the time on your clock due to some antiquated rule on the government books?
Meanwhile, I'm going to catch a quick nap before my first teleclass at 9 a.m. this morning.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Collect Family Stories
Holiday times create a combination of good times, good food, and good stories. How many times have you heard a relative tell the same story? You know exactly how the punch line goes and you're sure you'll never forget it. Well, wait a few years. When that storyteller is no longer around and the story starts to fade you will be surprised how quickly the familiar story is forgotten.
How many wonderful family stories have gone undocumented over the years? Do you take your family history for granted not realizing that the "things" of your family can be wiped out very quickly? When Hurricane Katrina wiped out most of New Orleans, many of my family members fell victim to that hard truth. Family artifacts were wiped out in a 24 hour period. Several family members are still displaced and material things that were expected to pass from generation to generation are long gone.
But, we still have stories. Now the stories include tragedy and triumph over a natural disaster. The family history has changed. But the ability to engage in the sharing of legacy can't be erased as long as the stories are shared and recorded.
Have you started writing your family memoirs? Do you record those stories that you think will be with you forever? What is that one story that you hear every holiday gathering? Write it out. Then be sure to have it with you during the holidays to see if you got all of the details correct.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
What? I'm having a little brother??
Yes, you heard correctly. My step-son and his wife already have five children and they are expecting triplets! That's enough to get anyone practicing their writing.
When have you had a look like this on your face? What were you told or what did you find out that made you just drop your mouth, open you're eyes and shout "WHAT?" Bet writing for 20 minutes on that one will be easy!
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Trying a New Thing
I want to experiment today with doing an HTML post on my blog. I'm doing this for a class that I'm taking on blogs and how to make them look spiffy. If you want, you can visit the blog of my dynamic instructor by clicking this link http://julieanne.powerfulintentions.com.
Do you still take classes to learn how to do things you love to do in a better way? I continually take classes to upgrade my skills and to stay up with the latest, especially when it comes to technology. Today, write about your attitude towards life-long learning.
- Do you continue to take classes to upgrade you skills?
- If not, why not?
- Are you tired of studying because you've done it for so many years?
- Did you just not think about it or do you think you don't have enough time?
Meanwhile, I'm making this post extra spiffy with my HTML converter stuff. What do you think?
Friday, October 20, 2006
Out with the Old!
Guess what!
It’s alright to erase or delete stuff that is just not working. It’s alright to get focused on your writing and to start over.
Today could be the time to go through your files of unfinished projects and delete those that just don’t work. Delete
*The ones that will never get finished.
*The ones that make you angry for starting them because you don’t like the direction they’re taking you in.
*The writing that gives you excuses not to get finished with your real projects
If you’re not sure if you want the writing or not, make a printed copy and put it in your writing folder, binder or where ever you keep your printed copies. Download it to a CD for “works in progress” and file the disc away. If the writings want to be reborn later to fit into a piece that is working, or you fall in love with the topic again, you will have the pieces. If not, you can discard them all over again later.
After clearing some files, put your timer on and get ready to write for 20 minutes.
“If you had $50,000 to go off and write about anything, what would be the topic and where would you go to write about it?”
Tell us about it in the comments.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Writing Practice Prompt
"The smell made me remember ..." Write for 20 minutes.
Want to share? Post and comment on what it was like to write to this prompt.
Write with a Purpose
It is great to know that you can quickly whip out many words. You can let the muse flow and fill page after page with words that can be eliminated or not go anywhere except into writing practice. But never forget to also have a project going that also has a purpose.
If you don’t have a writing project, select something today that you can write with a purpose; something that has an ending to it. Write with a purpose and a focus so you know that your writing matters, that it has a reason to exist. What writing project will harbor your writing purpose? When will it start, where will it end?
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Morning Irritations
Right on my desk, I have a black, mesh pen holder that I really like. I try to keep it filled with pens but it's so convenient that I tend to grab a pen, carry it with me, and inevitably, end up with an empty holder. Periodically I have to go through the house, gather my pens and put them back in. So this morning is a gathering morning and I'm irritated because I want to get to my writing. Tonight, I will be sure the pen holder has pens in it so tomorrow morning I can get right to the work.
Do you have something that really irritates you in the morning related to your writing? Write about what you can do to control that.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Learning to Focus
I’ve become more aware of the ways I allow myself to be distracted. It’s so much more fun to just jot down information and notes, start new projects, and let my “Monkey mind” hop all over the place than to focus. Focusing and writing takes real discipline. Disciplined writing is something the writer must practice.
Have you stopped to think about the focus of your writing? Do you stay focused long enough to reach your writing goals for each day?
Start Writing
You don't have to have writer's block. You WILL have writer's block if you don't write everyday. This is the coaching blog for creative baby boomers who write. It is for those of you that follow my creativity coaching.
What You'll Find Here
You will find writing prompts, exercises, and my responses to my daily writings. Follow my thoughts as creativity coach as I blog my writing experiences. I am commited to writing daily. Write along with me in your own forum and create your legacy in words.