Have you ever had one of those days where you just didn’t wake up feeling great? Last week I got up and my shoulders were stiff and achy and I felt “blah.” However, it was a beautiful day and I had promised my husband and daughter that we’d do a big day hike, so immediately a voice in my head started in. Get over it, the voice said. You’ll never enjoy a day hiking in this mood. Pep up! Get with the program!

And the more the voice continued, the more tired I got. In fact, I had just woken up an hour earlier and a nap already sounded good! Instead, I decided to do a few minutes of journaling and see what came up. About three minutes into writing, I recognized the voice that was ruining my peace. It was the one that says I need to be “up” all the time, part of the team, ready to go. I’ve never been a cheerleader, but it had that peppy “let’s go” attitude… only with a sharp tone.

As soon as I recognized it, I realized that what I really needed was compassion, not marching orders. I gave myself permission to feel tired and grumpy. Permission to go on a hike not being my “best” self. As soon as I did that, my energy began to rise… and it stayed high the rest of the day.

This is where journaling can be so powerful. So often we power through signals we’re getting that something needs to shift. Journaling is a way of slowing us down long enough to listen. We get to process what’s going on and extract the wisdom, rather than hurtling forward without gathering the gifts along the way.

These are a few of my favorite journaling techniques…

• Question technique. I ask a question, such as “Why am I feeling so tired?” then breathe deeply and wait for answers to float up.
• Fear splat. I quickly write everything that I’m currently worried about, from the small to the large. This includes everything from health concerns to my pants not fitting. Nothing is too trivial…
• Dialoging. I have a conversation with some issue that’s “hot” for me at the time. Perhaps I’ll dialog with my perfectionist side on why she’s not wanting me to begin a book. Or I’ll dialog with my writer’s block or with a part of my body that is aching for mysterious reasons. You can dialog with anything, even your big toe!

So next time something is awry, consider taking to the page rather than immediately moving forward. Watch things shift as you take the time to be with your perfectly imperfect self…

As founder of Backyard Pearls, LLC, Carolyn Scarborough helps people tap into their inner wisdom, then share it with the world through books, blogs and articles. As a Writing Wisdom Coach, she supports you through the journey from inspiring idea to published piece in a way that’s joyful, effortless and profitable.

She’s done almost every kind of writing imaginable, including magazine features, newspaper columns, books, journaling — even ghostwriting for Donald Trump! Her favorite sort of writing is the kind where she has to be really present to find the story, so her life and writing are both a constant awakening to a deeper, richer way to live in the world.

To subscribe to Backyard Pearls Newsletter, visit the site here.

Request your complimentary “Getting to Know You” session to start turning your inner whisperings into a published book, blog or article.

You may reprint the featured article, in its entirety, by including a byline and the following information: “Carolyn Scarborough, The Book Whisperer, helps people tap into their inner wisdom, then share it with the world through books, blogs and articles. You can get a free audio on overcoming writers block by clicking HERE.”

I had been badgering my daughter all morning to do her homework. Don’t forget, I reminded as she got in the shower. You leave in two hours, I admonished as she picked up her cell phone to answer a text.

Finally, an hour before it was time to leave to meet her friends, she sat down to do some homework. She looked at the paper, she scrunched up her face, she twiddled with her pencil. Nothing. What’s wrong I said, highly annoyed by this time. I can’t concentrate, she said. This homework thing has been looming over my head all morning and I just don’t feel great. Fine, I huffed, and left the room.

Then it dawned on me. I was doing to her exactly what I told my clients NOT to do to themselves.

I tell them all the time that before they move into action, whether writing or any other creative project, it’s important to get into the present moment and to access a “good feeling” place. Why? When we’re truly in the moment, we can source more creative thought versus conditioned thought. Also, when we are feeling good, we’re more productive and can savor what we’re doing more (yes, even homework or cleaning the garage!)

Yet, I had spent an entire morning getting my daughter out of the moment by reminding her of something she had to do later, and had also effectively gotten her in a bad mood. The combination resulted in the same thing it does with my clients – she finally sat down to work and nothing happened.

Even worse, the more I looked, the more I realized that, imperceptibly, my days had shifted. I had – horrors – become task oriented. The very thing that for me leads to a mechanical way of being. I had been moving on the level of “push,” whether for me or those around me. If there’s just enough push, it will all get done, I had unconsciously rationalized. And yes, things did get done – but not as creatively, efficiently or happily.

So this morning I began shifting back into the way of being that serves me. Rather than starting the day jumping into my tasks, I relaxed with my tea and then took a long walk. During the walk, I released thoughts. I left some in the neighbors yard, some floated up into the blue sky, some attached to the leaves on the trees. I let them fly from my brain, leaving it more spacious and open. As I did this, great writing ideas (what I had planned to “push” myself to find at my desk at home) just flowed in.

As for my daughter, she went out that afternoon with her friends, and when she came home, in a good mood, she started in on her homework and it flowed easily for her. She was happy, I was happy, and we both learned a lot more than what was due in class on Monday morning.

* * * *

You may reprint the featured article, in its entirety, by including a byline and the following information: “Carolyn Scarborough, The Book Whisperer, helps people tap into their inner wisdom, then share it with the world through books, blogs and articles. You can get a free audio on overcoming writers block by clicking HERE.”

As founder of Backyard Pearls, LLC, Carolyn Scarborough helps people tap into their inner wisdom, then share it with the world through books, blogs and articles. As a Writing Wisdom Coach, she supports you through the journey from inspiring idea to published piece in a way that’s joyful, effortless and profitable. Request your complimentary “Tapping into your Inner Writing Wisdom” session to start turning your inner whisperings into a published book, blog or article.

Like many writers, I love to read. The walls lined with books in my house are testament to this (and yes, I still prefer the rough feel of paper to the slickness of a screen for reading). When looking for books to improve my writing, I usually either turn to beautifully written novels, or more practical “how-to” books about writing. The book I’d like to look at here, however, doesn’t fall into either of these categories.

First, a little back-story. The clients I work with aren’t writing vanity books meant to simply make a lot of money. They have a deeper message to share, and one that takes accessing a deeper part of themselves to connect with this message. One place to find tools to help you do this is in “How to Channel Your Higher Self” by Celeste Hamman. In this book, Celeste looks at ways to access and communicate with your “higher self.”

I often advise writers to build a “bridge” between their busy, thinking-oriented lives and their more reflective writing time. This takes us deeper into what we really want to say. In this book, several exercises are ideal for this. One of my favorites is Celeste’s “Opening to Appreciation” exercise. I start by breathing deeply, and then drop down into my heart space. I feel into the warmth and love there (if it’s not immediately accessible, she suggests thinking of puppies or whatever will help you get to that feeling), and then expand it to my whole body and even the environment around me. Then, I note what I appreciate in my life, and after a few more luxurious breaths, I begin writing from a much more heart-based, centered place.

If this book sounds like something you’d like to check out and you’re reading this the week of May 17, you’re in luck! This week, Celeste is also offering a number of bonuses to everyone who orders her book (including a writing ecourse from me!). Go to  Channel Your Higher Self and check it out. Oh yeah, for those who prefer getting information in other ways, along with the book you get fre*e access to an experiential online environment with audio recordings, video presentations and a resource link library.

Meantime, try the appreciation exercise before you write and watch what flows onto your page…

Do you ever have so many great ideas swirling around that it’s hard to keep track of what, or where, they all are? Perhaps there’s a partially written book manuscript in your drawer, a painting languishing on a shelf and great business ideas scattered in your computer files?

Or, on the opposite end of the spectrum, are you very good at staying focused on one thing – so focused, in fact, that you dogmatically stick with it and the process is, well, slightly dry and joyless?

If you’re in either of these camps, you’re not alone. As a writing coach, I’ve seen people in both of these spaces (and been in both myself!). The former are frustrated that they just can’t seem to finish what they start, the latter are frustrated that it’s just not fun. There are, however, insights to guide your way.

In HeatherAsh Amara’s’s new book “Sacred Time Management,” she says, “When we have too much intent (focused purpose) running, we get narrow-minded and dogmatic. There is no room for discovery or learning through our mistakes. When we live solely from our creativity, we become ungrounded and scattered. We have lots of ideas, but not the force to manifest them in a concrete manner. It is only when we balance play and focus, discipline and experimentation, intent and creativity, that we possess the ingredients to fully catalyze our blossoming.”

I love this. It so beautifully describes the relationship between the two styles, and what direction will move us towards more balance. In upcoming posts, I’ll explore ways to find this balance. Meantime, awareness is a huge leap – so enjoy flying!

When I read a client’s writing, it’s usually obvious where they were writing it. I don’t mean if they were on a black rock beach in Hawaii or having tea at their daughter’s house. I mean, it’s clear if it was written from the very logical, detail oriented section of the brain that is afraid to make a mistake and gets all rigid when facing the empty page… or if it’s written from a light, joyful space that’s whooshing through the page like bluebirds on a summer’s morning.

People don’t always get that the space they write from is just as important as the words that come out. That’s why I’m especially tickled with the title of Story Circle’s national memoir conference, Stories from the Heart V, held in Austin February 5-7 (http://www.storycircle.org/Conference/ ) I’m excited and honored to be one of the writing coaches selected this year to support conference attendees in “writing from their heart.” When we go deep, we find our authentic voices that we can then share with the world.
I hope you’ll join us – let’s find out what riches await when we loosen the rein on our logical brain and write from vaster spaces…