Can you believe it’s almost Spring? Winter never really came to Southern Mississippi this year. I hope this doesn’t mean another scorching summer because my muse wants to hide from the sun and stay out of the heat! Do you have a favorite writing season? I’d love to hear about your preferences, or if weather has any effect on your writing?
A lot of you know I went to Big Sur, California earlier this month. It’s been my favorite place for a long time. I always feel inspired by the beauty of the landscape and coastline, but most of all, the Pacific Ocean. There’s something here that means “freedom” to me. Most of all, I feel relaxed. Even if I bring work with me, I get it done without the sighs I hear myself making when I’m feeling stressed.
Maybe like you, when I relax, I let myself remember my desires and goals in life. I feel aligned. You may wonder what alignment has to do with anything besides getting tires balanced.
For me, alignment has other names. Perhaps you will resonate with one of these simple phrases: feeling good, in the zone, all is right with the world, positive things flow into our writing and our lives, including money.
When we are out of alignment, we feel it. Nothing seems to go right, we feel frustrated, stressed, stuck and our creativity well has dried up. Our Muse has gone into hiding. Judgment is impaired. When we have the least energy, we push ourselves to do more. But, you know what happens. More of the same.
Like tires, we need balancing to get into alignment. Everyone has an idea of what they need to do. Really. Some things, like my trip to Big Sur, cost time and money, but I relax and feel free from stress. I feel at home without all the chores of home, if that makes any sense.
But, other things, just as relaxing, do not cost money. Getting out of the house to take a drive or take a walk to clear your mind are mostly free. Some people get back on track by taking a meditation break, perhaps with incense to clear the senses. Hum a song, eat and enjoy something you love. You get the idea. I crave the sight of water. I don’t want to get in the water. Just the sight or sound of water tips me more toward alignment.
How about you? Why not make a list of things to do that entice you to feel happy? Once you are in alignment, you are ready to remember how to write what your Muse told you. You didn’t forget how to tap into the Muse. You were sidetracked. As you learn how to relax, you’ll remember more and more.
So, take time daily to align your energy with your Muse.
Want to know more about getting aligned with your Muse? I’ll be letting you know about a complimentary teleclass called, “Attracting Your Muse: How to tap into creative energy and write from your heart.”
When you get my email with this information, please feel free to invite your friends. It’s free!
Dr. Patricia Brawley maintains a therapy and consulting practice and is a university professor. She has always been deeply interested in mind-body interaction, health psychology, creativity, consciousness and dreams. She is strongly influenced by mindfulness meditation practice, Buddhist philosophy, yoga, and humanistic values and beliefs.
Dr. Brawley is an independent scholar and researcher with an interest in phenomenological thought and methodology. She has presented professional papers at national and international conferences across the United States, Canada, Japan, Italy, Finland, and Russia.
She is a member of the American Psychological Association, the American Counseling Association, the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals, American Mental Health Counselors Association, the Mississippi Licensed Professional Counselors Association, the Mississippi Counselors Association, the Mississippi Psychological Association and the International Human Science Research organization.
Dr. Brawley, a published author, enjoys writing and leading writing groups. She lives in McComb, Mississippi with her husband and three cats, Kwan Yin, Nightmare, and Goldilocks.