JanFishler

Author ~ Happiness Coach

Writing Prompt: Write From the Heart

By Janfishler 1 Comment

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

The sense of wishing to be known only for what one really is is like putting on an old, easy, comfortable garment. You are no longer afraid of anybody or anything. You say to yourself, ‘Here I am — just so ugly, dull, poor, beautiful, rich, interesting, amusing, ridiculous — take me or leave me.’ And how absolutely beautiful it is to be doing only what lies within your own capabilities and is part of your own nature. It is like a great burden rolled off a man’s back when he comes to want to appear nothing that he is not, to take out of life only what is truly his own. -David Grayson, journalist and author (1870-1946)

I was wondering what to write about this morning and I saw this quote, which made me realize how important it is to write from the heart. I spent much of my writing career doing exactly the opposite. I wrote technical and training manuals, white papers, and scripts for corporate videos. It’s not as if this was a bad thing. It paid the bills and served me and my family for a significant period of time.  It was safe in the way writing about things rather than feelings can be.

To write about feelings or to write  from the heart, takes courage. It means not  being afraid of anybody or anything, and in many cases, telling your inner critic to pay attention to something else. Some of us are able to do this right out of the gate.  Anne Lamott, for example, did this in Operating Instructions, published in the late 80’s.  I remember reading about her experience of being a new parent and the loss of her best friend, and wishing I could put myself out there like that, something that took me another two decades to accomplish.

When some people read my memoir, they are astonished at how much I reveal about myself. I understand that this is something many people are unable to do. They are afraid to speak their truth, and I understand how that happens.  Years of conditioning by parents and peers about how we should or shouldn’t behave, stop us from speaking out or writing it down.

Often our truth is tied to our shadow side, and we are afraid that if people knew who we really were in all of our raw vulnerability, they wouldn’t love us anymore. In my experience, the opposite is true. The more you write from the heart, the more you speak and live your truth, the more love you receive.

Just for today, you might want to give it a try:  Write something from the heart.  See how it feels.

Filed Under: Commentary on Writing and Life, Writing Prompts, Writing Tips Tagged With: How to write a book, Write from the heart, writing coach, Writing Process, writing tips

Anyone Can Write – Just Tell Judgement to Take a Hike

By Janfishler Leave a Comment

Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to spend time with a few very interesting women–three of them prolific local artists. These were women I didn’t know well, but they felt very familiar. We were all about the same age, and the energy in the room was lively and fun. The conversation meandered to  several topics of interest — from home decorating, painting, and drawing, to managing clients–eventually,  landing on a women who said she didn’t paint because a teacher in high school told her she didn’t have talent. This launched a discussion about how harmful and long-lasting judgements can be.

Judgement is a topic that I discuss in my Write YOUR Story workshop. Before we can free the artist or writer within, we have to address, forgive, and banish the judge.  As one of the artists said, “Anyone can paint. They just need to do it.”

I feel the same about writing. Anyone can write, they just need to tell judgement to take a hike. So often we forget that we have a choice about how we live our lives. We fall victim to circumstances and believe we are stuck in patterns that no longer serve us, or worse, never served us! We may have had dreams and aspirations that came from our authentic selves, but external and internal judgements about our abilities and capabilities dashed our dreams or made us feel we don’t deserve to live them.

How many of us have the courage to follow our hearts and take a leap of faith into the void, to push judgement  aside? Can you imagine how your life would be if you chose to live this way? As Robert Schuller, pastor, motivational speaker and author, asked, “What would you attempt to do if you knew you would not fail?

Take a moment and picture yourself doing that very thing. Would you write a novel? Hike Mount Everest? Get in touch with an old friend? Leave your marriage? Write about it as if it actually happened.  How does it make you feel?  Remember: anyone can write — even YOU.

Filed Under: Writing Tips Tagged With: how to write, How to write a book, writing coach, Writing Process, writing tips

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