Your Creative Intentions: The Monday Post ~ November 19, 2012
“Thanks for this day, for all birds safe in their nests, for whatever this is, for life.” ~Barbara Kingsolver
This is the moment to deepen, or commit to, your regular creativity practice. Regularity — a daily practice, if at all possible — is one of the best ways to stay in touch with how you make meaning.
What are your plans for creative practice this week? Given the specifics of your schedule, decide on a realistic intention or practice plan — and ink that time in your calendar. The scheduling part is important, because as you know, if you try to “fit it in” around the edges, it generally won’t happen. An intention as simple as “I will write for 20 minutes every morning after breakfast” or “I will sketch a new still life on Wednesday evening” is what it’s all about.
Share your intentions or goals as a comment to this post, and let us know how things went with your creative plans for last week, if you posted to last week’s Monday Post. We use a broad brush in defining creativity, so don’t be shy. We also often include well-being practices that support creativity, such as exercise and journaling.
Putting your intentions on “paper” helps you get clear on what you want to do — and sharing those intentions with this community is a great way to leverage the motivation of an accountability group. Join us!
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Studio Mothers: Life & Art 
I fell into a manic vortex with my current WIP. I spent ten hours working on it yesterday. Yes, ten hours. Nearly 3K words. My husband earned a gold star. And I finished a solid draft of the next short story in my collection. Freaking PUMPED.
And this despite my second-grader being home all week, sick. Literally all week. Do not ask me how many hours of Madden football I let him play.
This week: who knows? We’re having a highly nontraditional Thanksgiving this year, so I’ll get some bonus writing time. My oldest son is home on break and I’ll get to spend some time with him too.
Last week’s creative/well-being intentions:
* Daily morning centering practice w/Morning Pages and intention journaling [yes, but not solid]
* Daily writing practice [yes]
* Complete installment of short story for “5PM Friday” weekly accountability group [yes, but didn’t send until Sunday evening]
* Blog post [yes]
* Yoga/walk/run x3 [only x2]
* Reading [yes]
This week’s creative/well-being intentions:
* Daily morning centering practice w/Morning Pages and intention journaling
* Daily writing practice
* Complete installment of short story for “5PM Friday” weekly accountability group
* Yoga/walk/run x4 [M/W/Fri/Sat]
* Reading
I have yet to begin writing this week. Sometimes it’s there (time that is), sometimes it’s not. This week, not yet.
It’s really hard for me to wrap my mind around the efficacy of daily writing; I’d rather let it fester, fester, fester, until I’m bursting at the seams. That is because I use it as a therapy. I want to move beyond this. I believe there is something waiting on the other side of the therapeutic and self-centered drive to write, instead see it as a medium to express, communicate, interpret, perhaps.
The bridge to get to the other side is unreliable, however; my life simply does not offer the fertile soil on which to nurture a daily creative process. It’s going to take some work, some toil. That is where I am, seeing what can be rearranged, manipulated, let go.
Thank you for the reminder to adhere to this.
You’re absolutely right. Writing is there when you need it — and thankfully, you’re able to recognize that and take advantage of its therapeutic value. But then there is a fork in the road, a choice to use your talent and experience to touch the lives of others. You can. I happen to know that you have a book in you, whether it comes out now or 15 years from now. Does that make me sound like a creepy fortune teller? Let’s just say I’m making that proclamation based on more evidence than just my crystal ball 😉