LOL – be careful what I wish for, right? I’ve got a hunch I may come back to the title of this post one day and cringe if I’m in a fit of writers block!

I’ve got another call with my writing coach and editor in a couple of weeks and I have some homework to wrap up over the next week and a half… in addition to a full work schedule, a packed calendar of stuff with the boys, and more than I ever should have planned at one time. Nobody will ever accuse me of not taking enough on at one time, will they?

In preparation for that call I’ve got a handful of slightly different and yet very connected tasks to focus on. First, I’ve got a bit more to write as they both noticed there was a key piece to bring out to really add more depth and completeness to my work. With how much I’ve already written and all the blogs I’ve already created I’ll also need to cruise back through what I’ve already put together. Second, there are some themes to clean up a bit to then be used to find more common ground to work with – if my book had a subtitle what would it be? On the surface that seems so simple, but when I dive in I’m struggling to find the correct way to sun it up. Last, there are pictures I need to find and pull together for both the cover and content. All in all, I’ve got some work ahead of me today.

What I’m really finding today is how grateful I am for the entire writing process. There’s an added depth of experiencing life in putting pen to paper in this fashion. When one of my favorite podcasters wrote about taking a “voyage inward,” I didn’t initially realize just how correct he really is. The process of writing is mind blowing!

To start writing I must first pause and quiet my mind. I have to find solitude and serenity. This first step is such a powerful start as too often I don’t make the space my soul needs to breathe and process as I need to be full.

I start with an idea, thought, memory, or emotion and then start hitting down the experiences I’ve had which play into this point. In a short period of time I quickly sketch an outline of where I think I’m about to go. This is never perfect and is kind of a messy scribble, but it starts laying out my thoughts so I can see them as a whole.

With an outline laid out I close my eyes and breathe. Open my eyes, look out the window with a thousand yard stare. In my head memories and thoughts begin to scroll like a movie. Within seconds there are a flood of awesome moments flashing through my brain, each bringing on a huge smile. It doesn’t take long before I’ve got the outline fleshed out with several seeds of future paragraphs.

What’s particularly great about these memories is that they aren’t always moments; they’re also lessons, mistakes, missed opportunities, moments of joy, and moments of pain. Through the lens of time I’ve become grateful for each of them. There are no good or bad, they just are. It is up to me to lend a depth of feeling – I choose positivity, gratitude, and growth. I’ve learned from these moments and they’ve brought me to this exact moment in time. All those moments make me smile.

Once I’ve got the moments written down I can then move into introspection and reflection. That’s when I can add context to each of them. In this stage I learn and grow. I am able to process, dissect, learn, and parse all those moments and thoughts. My brain has the space created for it to put all of it into one unified whole.

Then it’s nothing but typing. All of the words seems to flow so much more cleanly after taking time.

The writing process itself is so beautiful. I have to create space for thought. I remember so many moments and lock them deeper into the creases of my brain. I learn from them all and find more / new / better ways to live more completely into the me I am called to be. When it is all done I’ve got an almost everlasting document to help me remember in the future. Awesomeness.

Thanks!!!