So You Think You're a Writer? (I couldn't agree more)

You are creative.

I’ll take that one step further and deem you a writer…if you want to be, that is. Sure, some of us live out of that space more than others, but we’re all born with this glorious capacity to make up stories. It’s what sets us apart from animals.

Creativity, namely writing, has been a huge part of my healing journey along the way. It’s helped me step into my truest self, slowly chipping away bits of the imposter that tends to hold me back from wholehearted living.

I stole that phrase, “wholehearted living,” from Brené Brown. She defines it this way:

“Wholehearted living is about engaging in our lives from a place of worthiness. It means cultivating the courage, compassion, and connection to wake up in the morning and think, no matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough. It’s going to bed at night thinking, Yes, I am imperfect and vulnerable and sometimes afraid but that doesn’t change the truth that I am worthy of love and belonging.” (p. 10, Daring Greatly).

Technicalities aside, let’s look at this invitation to live from a place of worthiness and how it ties into your destiny as a writer. (Yes, I just dropped the “d” word”).

If we are called to live beyond fear—beyond scarcity—and truly thrive, guess what? We’ve got to get creative! We get to wake up to our desires and intentionally cultivate them each day out of a place of worthiness and courage. How do we do this? I believe we do this through writing.

There is a mysterious and powerful exchange—a contract if you will—that happens between having a desire or thought and writing it down on paper that is inexplicable, yet necessary. By writing down your desires and all that surrounds them, you send a message to the universe that you are, indeed, awake and paying attention. Perhaps you are even ready to receive.

Don’t worry, there’s no pressure to get published or share it with another eyeball. This is about you and your process…not a hunt for approval.

In fact, go ahead and forget about any preconceived notions you have about being a writer. Moody, quirky, good at grammar, hangs out with deep thinkers who wear black all day at coffee shops, drinks more whiskey than Hemingway, is unstable, and makes very little money but doesn’t care.

Hogwash.

Instead, qualify the writing process two ways: imperfect and vulnerable.

Courage requires both.

Living your life fully alive does too.

I believe we actually must write. Why? Because our life and deep joy depend on it. You and I have the agency to change and write a new story about who we are and what the world is all about. We don’t have to stay in victimhood. We are called to write a new chapter constantly. This, my dear friend, is very good news.

Need a stronger nudge? Check out The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield. It’s the Holy Grail of all the books I’ve read on the creative process. I discovered this book on a visit to NYC back in 2005. Despite being a slow reader and met by all the zippy distractions of the city, I managed to devour the bulk of this book on a park bench somewhere in the West Village one highly-caffeinated afternoon. Thank me later…

Okay, I’ll leave you with a journaling prompt:

If failure was not an option, one thing I’d love to do is .


Love & Gratitude,

Katie

P.S. Stay tuned for a very special Writing, Enneagram, and Yoga event coming in Feb. 2020! Details on that dropping any day now.