When I became a coach in 1999, I went out and bought a suit. I wanted to be ‘professional.’ As a young coach, I felt the need to dress for success, and I thought the suit would ensure that I was taken seriously.
It didn’t take long to realize that for me, professionalism was something else. Professionalism was being completely present for my clients. It was honoring my word and living my integrity. To survive in business, life and writing, one must be authentic. You cannot adopt someone else’s business practices. You cannot take their same steps through life and you cannot parrot someone else’s writing style.
Writing not rooted in your soul goes nowhere. It’s a struggle and it leads only to misery. It’s what we call ‘selling out.’
I’ve a confession to make: I’ve been struggling with my writing for some time now, specifically these newsletters and my blog posts. Current business wisdom tells me to write how-to articles that shepherd people through the writing and publishing process. These articles should have sexy titles that get you to open the email and should have plenty of keywords that you search for so I am established with Google’s algorithms as an expert.
And I’ve written those articles – hundreds of them. And the truth is, I can’t do it anymore.
Because writing is much more than ten steps to… or five ways to…penned in 500 words or less. Writing is soul work. Writing is a path to our deepest truth. Writing takes us into the rich terrain of our lives to discover what we are and what we have to give. It’s a magical and transformative tool that enlightens, empowers and guides us. Writing isn’t always easy. It’s not always received and it’s not always a tidy marketing tool.
This I believe: if you have the impulse to write, you must follow it. The urge to write is a deep calling. The desire to write is a profound invitation to access your soul’s wisdom.
I know this because this is what my clients experience. Our conversations acknowledge the soul work we do together. This is why writing can be so scary and why we may need hand holding to brave the page – it’s important work to be honored and respected.
I’ve been writing for sixteen twenty twenty-five years now. I’ve written essays, poems, how-to articles and books. I’ve attempted screenplays and am still writing my novel. Good writing works us, comes from our deepest desires and passions and helps us live authentically.
The writing I’ve been doing for Original Impulse has become the equivalent of putting on a suit. And even though that suit I bought eleven years ago was red and quite sexy, it wasn’t my suit. And those how-to articles may have helped people, I know I can offer more by writing from my soul.
My work is to be a leader and my writing is one way I lead unconventional women to lead lives of creative daring. I can no longer tolerate dreading the writing I do for my work and for you. My soul insists that I brave deep and inspiring essays that enliven and encourage us.
Who knows what that will look like! I only know this: writing is soul work and I must honor that in me and in you. Perhaps you’ve been struggling with writing that isn’t your true voice, subject or soul expression. Join me in acknowledging the power of writing to guide, to heal, to learn and to teach.
Today, identify your current perspective about your writing. For instance, my perspective had been: Writing is a marketing tool I can use to build my business and help others.
Then, consider the new perspective I’ve asserted here – writing is soul work.
- How does that perspective impact you?
- How does it help you overcome your creative fear?
- How does it help you make time to write?
- How does it help you choose what to write about and how?
I’d love to hear your responses to these questions. Please comment below or send me a note.
A great post and timely for me as well. Life’s a beautiful journey and sometimes we need to make hard choices to achieve the dreams we have. It’s hard to be brave enough to show your soul and passion. But I admire those that truly do.
Well, I’ve loved everything you’ve written, and photographed, and drawn, and filmed, and posted. So I’m with you in whatever you want to share with us next.
Absolutely the best piece of yours I’ve ever read. Thank GOODNESS (or someone!) you spoke your truth — what an inspiring, empowering post. As Jean Houston says, “Yum-yum-yum” to the deliciousness of living a rich, real life. Thank you. Melanie
Hi Cynthia
Well I hear you loud and clear and love every word. I trust that you will open to the next song you are inspired to sing and we will share your joy.
As you know, you helped me have the courage to write from my passion and it changed the way I interact with my readers… in many ways your inspiration and encouragement opened the way for a pure effortless ease…giving me permission to to be writing what I love to share…the delight of ‘Luna See’.
I look forward to seeing how your next step evolves.
Thanks, I love your written posts. This is wonderful and I’m going to answer the trailing questions for myself as an exercise today.
Yes, yes, yes. We are often too wrapped up in making our writing perfect and trying to mould it to a concept it might not actually fit that we forget to write from the soul. YES do it!
This is exactly my feeling about my wrk as a visual artist…”soul work”.
I have enjoyed the diversity of your writing and blogging. I now value your honesty in with yourself and your readers. Your post fortifies me in my journey to be true to my inner soul in my art and words. Thank you, Cynthia!
You probably know from my own writing that I am questioning the future of my words as well. Your words are so true – the need for my writing to touch my soul truly is key and trumps what it does for my readers or my business. Thanks for this post – it was like having a full coaching session with you!
Thank you, everyone. Your comments and responses to do your own writing is affirmation of what I’ve suspected. I get very few comments on the how-to posts and a lot of comments on the inspirational ones.
It was just so clear to me yesterday that we all need more courage to write our truths. There are tons of resources for how to write; I’m here to shine an inspiring light. And I’m happy to do it!
I very much appreciate your feedback and encouragement! Thank you!
I find that this exact same thing is happening on the mega large scale across the planet. So many people are finding themselves in this exact same spot and realizing we can no longer go forward along the same path we have been walking.
There is a great voice calling us all forward and saying, ‘Come forward and acknowledge yourself fully, honor your soul and your passion, share this with the world’
I just spent 10 days immersed with 50K people completely embracing themselves and throwing it all out there, truly amazing to witness and be part of.
We love you Cynthia and thanks for pushing yourself and us to the edge of self discovery over and over again!
“You are an inspiration” is what I feel (and what I read from others) when I read or see your work. BE THE INSPIRATION!!
All good wishes!!
Anne
Hoorah! Standing ovation from over here.
I’d been wondering why I wasn’t connecting with your writing as much lately — yeah, ditch the suit, lady!
I am wrestling with being authentic in my own writing to connect with clients. Trying to find a voice that feels natural and human and still business-savvy.
You stepping out like this is inspiring. It affirms that I’m on the right track in wanting to do business writing from the soul.
I love the idea of finding as much pleasure and self-expression in writing for my blog as in writing my novel.
Thanks for being real!
Wow! Thank you for this post Cynthia! For me it fits right into how I’m feeling about my “creating art”. Sometimes it’s so hard to be “real” and “honest” with oneself. Thank you! You made my day…lots to think about!
I love this article so much I retweeted..:)
I can’t tell you how much your comments mean to me. It’s so great when one’s authenticity is met by others with affirmative nods. Of course, those who don’t agree usually don’t say anything!
The good news is, now that I’ve shed the suit, ideas for future articles are flooding in and I can’t wait to share them with you!
It’s like I’m using the prompt I give to my clients:
What I really want to say is…
Happy writing!
Cynthia- First of all, your pictures of you are gorgeous. And the message is awesome and timely for me too. It is hard to keep on showing up with “the juicy stuff” as you call it, coming out of our pens. It is far too easy to be afraid of what people will think when they read it “Oh my God, what a pitiful woman” is what I imagine my blog readers saying when I write the truth. “Oh well”, I have to answer. Thanks for your inspiration. Your blog site is beautiful too, and you inspire SO many people!
Anne
Thanks, Anne! I’m so glad that this is spurring you on to your own creative boldness. I know it’s not easy, but let me tell you, that voice is the voice of societal control, trying to keep you safe. But you are safe. You are totally free to write whatever you want. Then you can decide whether you want to publish it or not.
You’ll find your own boundaries with how much you want to share. It’s probably more than you think. There are certain topics I keep private. My creative process is open for sharing, in hopes that it’s helpful to others.
So. Just write, and then see how you feel about posting it. Keep going – remember all the good feedback you’ve gotten!
Hi Cynthia,
as you know I come from a background in consultancy – so have been socialized for wearing suits… 🙂 You sure are right: Suits are of no big help for creative pursuits! What I just found out recently, that for me writing or reeeaally being creative indeed means some dress code – though a different one:
what works for me is a combination of “come as you are”, “hitchhiking” + “Yoga”. Your article made me ponder this once more: maybe it’s my soul who is invited by the “come as you are”, it’s the brave heroine in the hitchhiking part and it also needs a bit of the Yoga-flexible bones, too – so that thoughts may twist and bend and expand as well…
I’ll add another one: how about shedding that ‘sitting on a chair’ and ‘writing at a desk’-thing – my recent experiments included sofas, low tea tables, on the bed, on the carpet,….?
Kristin,
That’s great! I love your blend of heroine, yogini and artist. I like hearing that you’re getting comfortable away from the desk. I do write from various places (I’m in bed now, though that’s unusual).
Hope you are very well! Looks like some feng shui is happening over here, right!