Without this, creating will be a battle

February somehow became my month of anniversaries. This month I am celebrating:

• 22 years of dedicated writing
• 20 years of practicing yoga (holy moly! Immmmmm)
• 15 years completely self-employed at Original Impulse
• 15 years of publishing Impulses (Have you been on this list since February 2001? Contact me with your postal address and I will send you a treat in the mail!)
• 3 years of non-drinking (alcohol, that is. I still drink a lot of liquids!)

When I thought about writing to tell you about this, I asked myself, So what? What’s the point of sharing all this? How does trumpeting my anniversaries serve you?

This forced me to look at what fuels my consistency. These are some pretty long-term investments. These commitments completely govern my days.

Why am I able to sustain these practices and this business of serving creative people? Because I’m so disciplined?

No. I hate the concept of discipline. The stern nuns at Catholic school only fueled my rebellious streak with their disciplinary tactics.

Because I’m from Ohio and we relish the value of good hard work? That’s true, but I also love loafing around reading and watching movies.

Finally, last week during a yoga class, it came to me. I am able to sustain these practices because my life purpose fuels me. My life purpose is this:

Love.
Love what I love.
Show that love.
Inspire you to love what you love.

I love these commitments. I love writing. I love how yoga makes me feel strong and open. I love being my own boss and serving your creative dreams. I love the clarity and energy I feel without alcohol in my life.

This love imbues the deepest essence of my work. While I know that a certain amount of discipline is necessary to make our creative work, I also know that we tend to respond more consistently to things we are devoted to.

Here’s how I experience it:

Discipline pushes us from behind to do the work.
Devotion pulls us from the heart to do what we love.

Without love, creating will be a battle you fight against yourself. In my writing class and year-long mastermind group, I train people to look for their love. I ask questions like:

• What do you love about writing?
• What time of day feels like a natural flow for doing your creative projects?
• What do you love in the world and what materials help you show that love in your journal?

On our group call last week, I shared my theory about why we get creatively blocked:

Our ability to create is directly proportionate to our ability to love, respect and honor ourselves.

No amount of time management, classes or discipline will work if you don’t feel you are worthy of taking time to write, doodle or dance. I hate to say it, but without love, it’s going to be very, very hard to make your creative dreams real.

Take that in and see if it’s true for you. If you feel stuck, could it be that you could use a bit more self-honoring?

Listen. There is nothing wrong with you. Seeking solutions to ‘fix’ or ‘force’ you to do the work never last. Instead, look for love. Look at your creative impulses as an invitation to love yourself, to love your life and to let what you love lead you to creative expression.

join me for more love

Join us to love writing in The Devoted Writer.