This week went pretty well with the core practices.
Still on the alert for synchronicity.
The tasks didn’t resonate for me this week so I skipped them. However, I have been thinking a lot about fear, doubt, competition, and interaction with people and how everything relates and influences my work, life and decisions. Between all the opinions of others (real or imagined) and feelings they evoke, it is often hard to find your true self and make the decisions and take the path that feels right for you. Being aware of it, think and write about it helps. It helps me also to be more gentle with myself, not immediately judge myself or others when I make a decision based on fear, and it helps to recognize the moments I am brave.
I wrote affirmations in the past but it felt a bit like fooling myself; there was a loud protest from my inner critics going on then. However, I am looking into it again and read some more about it. I like the idea of training yourself to look at something in a more positive way and I could see how affirmations can help with that.
And thank you Amy for mentioning The Tim Ferris Podcast and the Scott Adams episode. I read the transcript but now I want to hear it. This podcast is around for a long time but new to me. It is always great to add a new podcast to the list to try out.
Here is the comment I thought I'd lost.... and didn't see open up when I replied before. So, yes! I'm glad that was helpful. I linked it in the Sunday newsletter (where I talked more about affirmations in general..... just in case you didn't see that.) This podcast episode has the "manifestation" outcome from affirmations. It isn't how I use them.... but I remember finding the podcast fascinating. I should listen again. It's been a few years. And, as for The Tim Ferris Podcast.... yes.... it's been around and is hugely successful. You might enjoy it!
I'm glad to see your comments, Marianne. I really understand the issues you are thinking about here and how hard it can be to tune all of that out. I think it's great that you are finding the writing process a good way to help work things out on paper. It can be clarifying, for sure, and can help break the larger feelings down into concrete elements. I do love this: "and it helps to recognize the moments I am brave." As for affirmations (and I thought somewhere I saw another comment but now don't see it), I hope you find your way into them. I think many people use them differently, but for me, I try to think of them as that shift in perspective and a positivity counter to other lines of thought!
My core practices went well, and I still enjoy the routine of morning pages. Still no promotion or raise. I think my handwriting is too messy and the universe can't read it? 😀
I struggled to get through this chapter - the doubt, fear, competition, felt like a rehash of the inner critic. I wasn't able to really find anything here that felt helpful to me personally. Crazy-makers and external negativity is very important to recognize and weed out of your life, but this was a big part of The Artist's Way so this wasn't new to me. I'm a huge believer in affirmations, though. I think they can be a really great tool for changing the way we talk to ourselves. I want a fan of her specific affirmations, but in general, I love them and use them regularly in my journal and just in my daily life.
I hit send too soon! I also wanted to say that I am finding that the morning pages DO give me insight into things I want to change or improve that I'm not sure would have come to the surface otherwise, and I'm grateful for that.
As always, thank you so much, Amy, for leading this and for your really wonderful insights. ❤️
I think getting to see how everyone has felt over the six weeks will be part of the benefit of having done this (for me). I like your comments about affirmations..... a tool for "changing the way we talk to ourselves".... yes! That's the angle I take and need to do more of. I love knowing it is a part of your process. (Her examples bothered me, too.)
It’s helpful to think through the impact of mood and competition on writing/creating (or using mood as an excuse to avoid creativity). This is a good reminder to press on with creative practices in spite of moods and/or being fueled by a current mood.
I regret my negative comments about chapter 3. This chapter had plenty of great material. It took me awhile to understand what Cameron meant about a U-turn. Ah! Quilting. Writing. Writing. Quilting. I gave up writing in about 2017 to quilt. I gave up quilting last November to write. I want to do some quilting… working on how to do that.
Amy, your suggestions for additional work are great! I wish I had more time to pursue them. As it is, I’m having trouble keeping up with the reading.
I still do a MP a day, but I’m going back to how I did them years ago. Instead of downloading my experiences and emotions, I do some word association, and an entire story pops out in 20 minutes. I have a bunch of these stories ready to post to my other Substack, Fables and Legends. But ….I'm afraid. Afraid they are not good enough, that they are too offbeat, that someone will appropriate them, that they will somehow not be mine once they are out there.
Thank you again for leading this effort and for being so forthright with your own issues. I appreciate all the comments!
I’m not getting notices anymore of new postings and comments. Is there somewhere I can sign up for those again?
Fran - I am glad that the reading was thought provoking. I think your pattern of morning writing sounds great. I hope you are able to get beyond your fears about sharing the stories. Thinking about our writing and how and why we do or don’t share - and what stops or blocks us - is important (and reading Write for Life brings many of those issues into the spotlight). I think the hope is that the extra reflection on the issues will help us own them, recognize and acknowledge them, and move beyond.
I apologize about the lack of notifications. With only a small number of people showing up to read and comment, I decided not to have these posts go out by email. The posts have gone up each week by Thursday morning. So the chapter 5 post is there from this past week. The final post for chapter 6 will be this coming week. (I link to each set of weekly notes in my Sunday email.)
This week went pretty well with the core practices.
Still on the alert for synchronicity.
The tasks didn’t resonate for me this week so I skipped them. However, I have been thinking a lot about fear, doubt, competition, and interaction with people and how everything relates and influences my work, life and decisions. Between all the opinions of others (real or imagined) and feelings they evoke, it is often hard to find your true self and make the decisions and take the path that feels right for you. Being aware of it, think and write about it helps. It helps me also to be more gentle with myself, not immediately judge myself or others when I make a decision based on fear, and it helps to recognize the moments I am brave.
I wrote affirmations in the past but it felt a bit like fooling myself; there was a loud protest from my inner critics going on then. However, I am looking into it again and read some more about it. I like the idea of training yourself to look at something in a more positive way and I could see how affirmations can help with that.
And thank you Amy for mentioning The Tim Ferris Podcast and the Scott Adams episode. I read the transcript but now I want to hear it. This podcast is around for a long time but new to me. It is always great to add a new podcast to the list to try out.
Here is the comment I thought I'd lost.... and didn't see open up when I replied before. So, yes! I'm glad that was helpful. I linked it in the Sunday newsletter (where I talked more about affirmations in general..... just in case you didn't see that.) This podcast episode has the "manifestation" outcome from affirmations. It isn't how I use them.... but I remember finding the podcast fascinating. I should listen again. It's been a few years. And, as for The Tim Ferris Podcast.... yes.... it's been around and is hugely successful. You might enjoy it!
I'm glad to see your comments, Marianne. I really understand the issues you are thinking about here and how hard it can be to tune all of that out. I think it's great that you are finding the writing process a good way to help work things out on paper. It can be clarifying, for sure, and can help break the larger feelings down into concrete elements. I do love this: "and it helps to recognize the moments I am brave." As for affirmations (and I thought somewhere I saw another comment but now don't see it), I hope you find your way into them. I think many people use them differently, but for me, I try to think of them as that shift in perspective and a positivity counter to other lines of thought!
My core practices went well, and I still enjoy the routine of morning pages. Still no promotion or raise. I think my handwriting is too messy and the universe can't read it? 😀
I struggled to get through this chapter - the doubt, fear, competition, felt like a rehash of the inner critic. I wasn't able to really find anything here that felt helpful to me personally. Crazy-makers and external negativity is very important to recognize and weed out of your life, but this was a big part of The Artist's Way so this wasn't new to me. I'm a huge believer in affirmations, though. I think they can be a really great tool for changing the way we talk to ourselves. I want a fan of her specific affirmations, but in general, I love them and use them regularly in my journal and just in my daily life.
I hit send too soon! I also wanted to say that I am finding that the morning pages DO give me insight into things I want to change or improve that I'm not sure would have come to the surface otherwise, and I'm grateful for that.
As always, thank you so much, Amy, for leading this and for your really wonderful insights. ❤️
Yes.... this chapter.... and the next......
I think getting to see how everyone has felt over the six weeks will be part of the benefit of having done this (for me). I like your comments about affirmations..... a tool for "changing the way we talk to ourselves".... yes! That's the angle I take and need to do more of. I love knowing it is a part of your process. (Her examples bothered me, too.)
I hope you have a good week ahead.
It’s helpful to think through the impact of mood and competition on writing/creating (or using mood as an excuse to avoid creativity). This is a good reminder to press on with creative practices in spite of moods and/or being fueled by a current mood.
I regret my negative comments about chapter 3. This chapter had plenty of great material. It took me awhile to understand what Cameron meant about a U-turn. Ah! Quilting. Writing. Writing. Quilting. I gave up writing in about 2017 to quilt. I gave up quilting last November to write. I want to do some quilting… working on how to do that.
Amy, your suggestions for additional work are great! I wish I had more time to pursue them. As it is, I’m having trouble keeping up with the reading.
I still do a MP a day, but I’m going back to how I did them years ago. Instead of downloading my experiences and emotions, I do some word association, and an entire story pops out in 20 minutes. I have a bunch of these stories ready to post to my other Substack, Fables and Legends. But ….I'm afraid. Afraid they are not good enough, that they are too offbeat, that someone will appropriate them, that they will somehow not be mine once they are out there.
Thank you again for leading this effort and for being so forthright with your own issues. I appreciate all the comments!
I’m not getting notices anymore of new postings and comments. Is there somewhere I can sign up for those again?
Fran - I am glad that the reading was thought provoking. I think your pattern of morning writing sounds great. I hope you are able to get beyond your fears about sharing the stories. Thinking about our writing and how and why we do or don’t share - and what stops or blocks us - is important (and reading Write for Life brings many of those issues into the spotlight). I think the hope is that the extra reflection on the issues will help us own them, recognize and acknowledge them, and move beyond.
I apologize about the lack of notifications. With only a small number of people showing up to read and comment, I decided not to have these posts go out by email. The posts have gone up each week by Thursday morning. So the chapter 5 post is there from this past week. The final post for chapter 6 will be this coming week. (I link to each set of weekly notes in my Sunday email.)
Oh, I am behind. I’ll just try to catch up. Still wandering around in week 4.