Happy morning...
I just started reading Julia Cameron's book: The Writing Diet (Write Yourself Right Size). Her key message is that food stifles creativity; that if we're eating too much *crap*, our creative spirit is likely to follow suit. In other words, what you put in, you get out. She recommends a "clean eating" lifestyle: to eat whole and healthy foods and to drink plenty of water. And to write every single day.
So, I've been thinking about my own eating habits, which vary from reasonably good to an occasional stop at the Chix-fil-a drive through for a large diet coke. And I've been thinking about my own exercise habits, which, since my move to Phoenix in August, have been almost non-existent. I don't want to be too hard on myself, though. Adjusting to a new environment when one moves half-way across the country takes a little time.
My training in counseling psychology and psychotherapy tells me that people use food, the internet, MySpace, Facebook, as ways to quell the creative spirit. I belive that the desire to stop the creative flow comes from a fear of being overwhelmed by the spiritual process of creating. We wonder, am I going to be swept away by the words or the paint or the music? Or our heads get in the way: what if I sit to write and there's nothing there? We allow our ego minds to sit in judgment of our creativity, as though the ego knows best. Rest assured, there is always something there.
Here's what I think: I tend to use food as an excuse. Instead of picking up my pen or sitting to my keyboard when my creative spirit wells up, I reach for snack or a cup of coffee first. And by the time I'm finished, my urge to write, to create, has subsided. This week I'm trying something different: instead of reaching for food, I'm going to reach for my pen. I'm going to pay attention to the creative feeling that wells up inside of me and follow that. And I'm going to drink more water. I'm also going to move more. Yoga. Walking (Julia's recommendation is a 20-min walk/day). Stretching.
We are creative beings. The question is: will we allow ourselves to create?
My intention is to ramp up and honor my creative spirit. There is so much to write, and even more to experience in the world. I'm ready to try something a little different - how about you?
love,
Robyn
