Planting Seeds
Growing the Habit, Growing the Craft
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been thinking about my writing habit. I’ve come to enjoy my morning ritual and look forward to the time I spend with the pen, paper, and computer. My daily goal is simple. Show up and keep showing up. Put words on the page. Make daily progress. Enjoy the process. I don’t wait for inspiration. I simply write on a schedule. I don’t write to get things perfect, I write to get things written. I enjoy developing my identity as a writer, and I enjoy growing the craft of writing. Especially over the past few weeks.
Refining the Purpose, Refining the Message
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been reflecting on my purpose. I enjoy sharing words of encouragement and inspiration, and I enjoy reaching out to touch the lives around me. As a writer, I enjoy sharing ideas and thoughts that hopefully bring a moment of personal reflection, a message of hope, and a call to action. And of course the occasional smile. I've enjoyed this reflection and refining over the past few weeks.
Planting the Thoughts, Planting the Seeds
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been experimenting. I’ve tried writing more systematically and organically. Here’s the current system. I sit at my desk with a blank paper and blank computer screen. I close my eyes. I sit in silence. I breathe. I smile. Then I write a gratitude, start my free write “warm up,” then I move to one of my writing projects. This is where the current experiment lives. I don’t try to force my writing. I get my thoughts out and move on. When I hit a snag, I move on to the next project. I usually have about four of five pieces that I’m working on, and I feel comfortable moving from one piece to another when I hit some resistance. What I’ve found is that when I return to the piece later, my thoughts have more fully developed. It’s like I've planted a seed and returned later to find growth. By giving myself permission to step back, I’m allowing myself to process some organic growth. It’s the “think like a gardener, work like a carpenter” mindset. And over the past few weeks, it's been working.
Exponential Process, Exponential Progress
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been teaching about exponential growth and decay in my math classes. I’ve found that this also relates to my writing experiment. My writing projects tend to have a “lag.” There is a period of time when I don’t see much growth or progress. But then as I give more attention to the projects over time, they tend to slowly grow and take shape. Once growth begins, the projects accelerate. Only after the lag do I find focus and clarity. The seeds of my thoughts and ideas have taken root and the branches of the writing project have begun filling out. By giving myself permission to allow a natural growth, I can enjoy the process more fully as I watch it unfold. And over the past few weeks, I have definitely enjoyed the process.
Break Some Ground, Break Some Ground
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been preparing soil, breaking some ground, and planting some ideas. Why don’t you give it a try? After you do, all that’s left is to water the soil, be patient, and see what happens. See what ideas break through the surface. Experiment. Plant. Grow. Refine. And just so you know, I’m aware that this writing is more of a bean bush than mighty oak. But that’s okay. There are some acorns in the ground. I’m just doing a little gardening on the side while I wait. Break some ground today. You never know what may grow from your work in the next few weeks.
Have an awesome day!
