Project WritingIs…Grounding

Life is a little crazier than it’s normal brand of crazy this week, and this morning I got that itchy need-to-write feeling creep up in my chest which made me remember my #WRITINGIS project that, as promised, I have left hanging in the wind, forgotten in only one short week. But it’s nice to have it out there to come back to, so here I am with my ruminations on the page and my desire to write defining my morning while I let some tasks go unfinished for a little while longer.

And why? Why do I need to hastily untangle my ear buds to shove them in my ears and get typing? Why do I need to write right now? Why am I ignoring my phone and my email? And anyone trying to talk to me?

Because WRITING IS grounding.

In this moment, I need to remember who I am and what I am doing. I need to feel the careful pressure of the keys beneath my fingers while I breathe in deeply and remind myself that life swirls all around us and has a way of getting piled up and messy and as unmanageable as a toddlers curls are apt to be, and I need time to sit with it.

Sometimes in the crazy-busy, breathing is a healthy act of resistance, and writing reminds me to breathe.

It makes me stop.

It creates space.

You can only type so fast. You can only think so fast.

And when you write, you have to write something.

For me that something is sometimes

A word-laced root from my heart to the ground beneath my feet.

I watch the words emerge on the page, my breath fueling their creation, my mind settling into the rhythm of creating, my body feeling itself in this moment.

All the distractions and requests and lists pinging into my tired body are held at bay in this brief moment that I have carved out with the practice of putting words on the page.

It is a tiny reprieve, but it is a necessary one that reminds me about the rhythm of life and the need to be intentional about creating space and time and a connection to who I am and to what matters.

Writing does that for me. It lets me own my moment. It lets me use words to remember to feel my feet on the earth underneath me and to breath because #WRITINGIS so much, but for today WRITING IS grounding.

 

What is writing for you today?  Do you find writing to be grounding?  Follow along and let me know here and on instagram and twitter @bawriting with #writingis.

 

8 Essentials for A Day of Writing

Coffee, Coffee, Coffee

Or tea masquerading as coffee

@chromeyellowtradingco in the ATL

Technology (with a side of coffee)

Sometimes I want to write on my computer, but there are certainly days when I really need paper and an awesome pencil to get my ideas down.  And then there are those days, where an iPad is perfect for jotting notes and creating images.  It also helps to have a sturdy bag to carry it all, and my Patagonia backpack is comfy with the right organization inside.  And the charging cords, never forget the charging cords.

 

Earbuds

These little guys get their own category.  You can always write on a random napkin with a borrowed pen if you forget everything else, but your earbuds, they are a lifesaver when your chatty coffee shop partners feel the urge to utilize speaker phone or the music is not your jam or you need to drown out the world to hear yourself think.

Writing Space

Where I write can make all the difference in the world.  This is why I can often be found traipsing around the greater Los Angeles area in search of the perfect coffee shop or writing space.  And then there are the spaces that we create in our homes.  Comfy chairs are always nice, and it never hurts to have a trendy giraffe looking over your shoulder.

 

A Nice View

This might be superfluous, but I do think that having nice views and nature and beauty help the creative juices flow.  Some days my nice views are spectacular, and sometimes they are just a little flower outside a window in the city.  They don’t have to be grand to be beautiful.

Inspiration

Writing is a creative process, and in that process, inspiration is always welcome.  Wether it be art or going for a bike ride or the perfect quote to remind you of your dreams, find inspiration that speaks to you and fuels your creative drive.

 

found @shophemingway in Silver Lake

Tunes

There are times that silence is golden for life and writing, but plenty of times, tunes focus me and help me feel my words.  I have different playlists for different types of writing.  Some are for deadlines. Others are for dreams.

Snacks

There is no doubt when I write that I can get lost in the words, but it’s important to remember to feed that brain and those fingers.  Snacks and meals can be a source of healthy nutrients, and if they are tasty and beautiful, they can also be inspiration.

@bellesbagels@urthcaffe

@donutfriend

What do you need when you write?  How do you stay focused and inspired?  Where do you enjoy letting the words flow?  Tell us in the comments what makes your writing day perfect.  

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