Getting in the Headspace
I’ve had two major goals or habits I’ve been building since the start of the year: making major strides on my rewrites and book edits and bringing back strength training into my exercise routine. With my work schedule and childcare responsibilities, these two endeavors often compete for the same small windows of my time.
Despite that inner battle of which to choose when, I’ve established a solid plan for finishing writing all the needed stories and I’m dedicated to utilizing specific hours for writing a couple days a week. So far I’ve been hitting all my marks. I worked ahead a bit as well when I found myself with an open weekend and some inspiration.
And where did that inspiration come from? My workout!
I had hit my writing goals for the weekend by Saturday evening. After recording the latest podcast episode with Stephanie on Sunday morning, I knew I needed to get my butt out the chair and into the gym. I honestly didn’t know if I’d write anymore that weekend. I focused at the gym, put my head down and worked through my reps.
As I drove the short seven minutes home, my mind started to swirl around the next story on my list to write. I had to commit to paper the feelings I had around receiving the feedback from my editor of an early version of the manuscript and why my thoughts and reactions to her words caused me to pause on my writing progress for several months. This wasn’t a task I asked my brain to focus on, just where it went naturally as I made my way down the major road that connects my house to the gym.
By the time I walked through the door, I knew I needed to sit back down at the computer and get my thoughts down. While I often convince myself that I’ll remember what I want to write, the truth is I forget. So I opened up Scrivener, my writing program, quickly typed the highlights and key points into the notes tab of the scene, and then began to write the story.
It flowed so effortlessly. As I wrapped up the writing session, I started to think back about how inspired the writing had felt, how effortlessly the thoughts had formed in my mind, and how easily they transferred to the computer screen. What was different about this writing time? I moved my body first. I was embodied. And I had the scheduling flexibility to lean into the inspiration as it arose.
Not long ago, we featured a yoga instructor and published author on our podcast, Adrien, and she talked about her own experience with incorporating movement or breathing rituals to her writing practice. And here I had experienced the phenomenon for myself.
