Thursday, January 22, 2009

The Next Chapter – Secret #3 Following Your Fascinations

I’m taking part in an online book blogging club called The Next Chapter.  This post is part of our discussion about The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women.  Feel free to jump in to the conversation here or with some of the other posts about Secret #3.

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.

-Helen Keller, Activist

My Crazy Little Fascinations

This week is all about taking that leap of faith and following the little tugging sensation in your heart.  I think I sometimes find it difficult to separate my own fascinations from my surroundings.  When people are passionately engaged in something, I tend to get caught up in their energy and enthusiasm about it.  I have to really watch myself after interacting with a particularly passionate person because I might jump on board with what they were doing before I realize that it isn’t something that was truly in my own heart in the first place.

But, when it comes to creativity and fascinations, here are some things that do actually have staying power for me . . .

  • literature, both writing and reading
  • teaching and helping people
  • Asian culture and aesthetics
  • spirituality and self-evolution
  • geekery

My Crazy Encouragement Toolkit

The prompting post this week encourages us to build our encouragement toolkit – what makes us brave and ready to take risks and follow our fascinations?  Hopefully sharing these will help give others ideas on how to build their toolkits.  So here goes . . .

  • My biggest one is my husband.  Good news for me, he’s wonderful!  Bad news for you, I won’t share!  :D
  • Having a plan or a list or instructions or something to follow.  It’s essential for me.  Even having a rough template that I can examine and deconstruct is great.  It doesn’t make it feel as risky for me.
  • Being part of a community – Hello Wiffers!  Hello NaNoWriMo Vancouverites!  Hello bloggers!
  • Writing my thoughts out.  Even if the writing doesn’t make sense, it’s like the confusion transfers to the page instead of being stuck in my head.  I at least find peacefulness if not sensibleness. 
  • Having some affirmations.  A couple are original, but most come from somewhere.  The first that really resonated with me said in a Lipgloss and Laptops podcast.  It went something like “sometimes you just have to fly your geek flag.”  Can’t remember the episode or which host actually said it.  But repeating “fly my geek flag”* to myself really affirmed accepting myself.  I suppose now I’m working on “flying my creative flag.”

My Crazy Step

The next part of this Jamie’s challenge to us is to take one brave step towards our dreams.  For me, I think that this is going to involve blocking off an entire day for writing.  I’ve been trying to finish plotting the book that I started during NaNoWriMo this year.  I’d originally intended to get this done in January, but haven’t made much progress yet and time is running out.  So, Monday, I’m going to spend the day writing and working on the plot.  It’s a big step for me to devote an entire day to something like that.  I’m shrugging off all the other responsibilities like laundry and cleaning and I’m just going to write. 

*As an example of flying my geek flag, I actually have all my affirmations embedded on my computer desktop so that they are in front of me in my office.  I love the idea of having some affirmations in my emerging creative space downstairs, something more like Kathryn Antyr has done.

24 comments:

Kara Chipoletti Jones of GriefAndCreativity dot com said...

Here's to your dedication of a day for writing! Brilliant! Lately, I've been breaking my writing desires into smaller pieces, listed on a sheet of paper. I go up to the coffee shop with my laptop and knock out one of the small pieces each day. It feels soooooooooooo good! :) It is amazing to make an appointment yourself and keep it as high a priority as you would an appointment with anyone else :)
miracles to you!
k-

patti said...

Hey, I must be a geek too, I leave quotes & affirmations everywhere. Making an appointment with yourself is a great idea!

Anonymous said...

Making a date with yourself to write, NOW thats honouring yourself in all the ways that count... go well.

Kathryn Costa said...

What an observation - it is easy to get swept away by the enthusiasm of others. You are wise to recognize this and stay true to you.

Have a wonderful day writing. Congratulations for making *YOU* a priority.

Genie Sea said...

May your brave day of writing prove fruitful and delightful and may your geek flag fly proudly in the refreshing wind. :)

Suzie Ridler said...

I love that you have embraced your inner Geek with loving arms! And wow, a whole day dedicated to writing? You are so brave! What a great choice for a challenge.

Lisa said...

Congratulations on the writing day! Way to honor yourself and kickstart the novel into overdrive.

Between the references to "getting on board" and "flying the geek flag" I have an image of you on your own passion-boat flying your geek-flag - it's like a pirate ship, but instead of loot you're on the high seas looking for creativity.

Anonymous said...

I love that image that Kavindra shared! Wonderful.

I, too, have had to learn to embrace my inner geek, to allow my excitement and passion about deep intellectual inquiry to be visible to others. A funny thing to feel that we have to hide that!

Remember...most of writing is staring, so be patient with yourself, first and foremost, on that writing day.

claireylove said...

Good luck with your next crazy step ~ the cleaning and laundry will wait ;-)

esk said...

The hardest step is getting started. Kudos to you for carving out the time - a whole day woo-hoo - to write. All the best.

Anonymous said...

Yay for you! A writing day! What a great way to honour your creativity.
* I am a word geek that way too. Little quotes, affirmations and words of inspiration stuck all over my walls!

Anonymous said...

One thing I've been loving so much about the book group is finding such inspiring and creative bloggers. Your post really resonated with me, and I loved your list of the things that have staying power for you.

And taking a day off to write - yes, that's something I want very much to do, too!

Her Speak said...

Isn't it swell to make a date with yourself? The best kind. :) I love your tool kit! You are sure to make that book materialize! I can't wait to read...

Much Joy, Merry Making!~*
Molly

Snap said...

A whole day to writing ... well done!

Tanaya said...

"he confusion transfers to the page instead of being stuck in my head"

Oh, ME TOO!!!

I hope that you schedule your whole day soon and that it is filled with inspiring words.

Anonymous said...

I really love your idea of posting your affirmations on your desktop on your computer! As artists, so many of us sit in front of the monitor and work, and feel guilty about the laundry, and dream . . .
--Suz

Anonymous said...

Love the affirmations on your desktop! Love your toolkit! Fly that geek flag high!

Serena Lewis said...

What a wonderful idea...to dedicate a day to writing. I LOVE affirmations too ~ :)

Anonymous said...

Yay, Jenn!!! I loved reading this. I have a lot in common with you. I too need lists of things to do. I too love being part of a community. I too did NaNoWriMo!! And part of my next project will be finishing up the 50k that I started this last November. It's so nice to meet you! :)

I'll be rooting for you! :)

lisa said...

what a fabulous idea: a whole day of writing.

Gail said...

This is wonderful. We all need to make creativity a priority, and there is no better way that to schedule time for it.

gma said...

Having a wonderful husband cheering for you on the sidelines
is a valuable asset.

Lisa said...

I love the affirmations idea! It's great that you'll be setting apart time to write! Sacred time for your fascinations. Yay!

Jenn said...

Wow! I feel like I've been neglecting all you fabulous fellow bloggers lately who have been so kind to leave comments. They have definitely not gone unnoticed. It's just that my week-ends are a lot busier than my week-beginnings. To everyone who cheered me on before my writing date . . . THANK YOU! It meant a lot to hear all the words of encouragement! Knowing everyone else was out there cheering for me made me feel like I was back in NaNoWriMo again. It was such a good feeling!