Hello cohort members of NAIWE,
Oh, decisions, decisions. April reached out to me with her gracious, encouraging, and wonderful leadership as our Executive Director of NAIWE with a gentle nudge add a blog to your home page. What do write for a first blog? Hmmmm…decisions, decisions. (smile)
Among my contributions with the power of words, I teach and coach others how to frame and reframe their life stories, when I am not the one providing a written life story framed or reframed for another. Finding an answer to my “decisions, decisions” pondering, below is an edited version of ten tips for writing intentions I shared with a group of writers late last year as we were nearing 2023.
May at least one intention inspire you and the work you bring to the world.
10.) There is no wrong way. There is only the way that feels right for you. If you are writing from your heart, you can never “do it wrong.” Sure, there are sentence structures, proper grammar formats, and publishing requirements. Yet, if you are following your inner truth when it calls you to grab a pen or sit at a keyboard, your words will be the “right” ones to write.
9.) Allow left turns, sudden right turns, and turn back arounds. I assure storytellers don’t worry about me and I will keep up if they suddenly remember something else and the story takes a different direction and then another direction. What matters most is that they tell the story as it wants to flow. The gifts of drafts and editing is being able to be present with the story as it unfolds. Which leads to.
8.) People start to heal the moment they feel heard. In my book Hope Has a Cold Nose, I share this quote from Cheryl Richardson. Even if your only listener is currently your piece of paper or the blank screen on your computer, there is healing power in writing a sentence, chapter, pages, or book of your story.
7.) Think Lassie as you write. One of the themes in HHCN is the unconditional listening service dogs provide. There is no judgment. Only acceptance. Unconditionally. You ARE extraordinary. So is your story. No matter the story. Do not let judgment enter your writing space!
6) If you are one of the students I have had the honor of teaching in a class, you won’t be surprised at this next one. Be kind to YOU! Not only in non-judgment. Be kind in your writing goals. If you set a goal to write five hundred words on a Sunday morning and you only feel like writing ten words, THAT IS OK!
5) To time or not to time. If you are someone who does best giving yourself timelines and due dates for your writing goals, then do that. Otherwise, remember you have as much time as you wish to give yourself. (Yes, exactly. Be kind to YOU!)
4) To see and see again. There is power in reframing our stories. Not to sugar coat or to withhold transparency. But to make sure that if we have known unworthiness, for example, we look and look again for the dignity and worth that IS also our stories.
3) Cannot not is mightier than uncertainty. Sometimes you might feel discouraged, overwhelmed, or unsure. Uncertainty is strong. But strongest of all is that inner voice that says I no longer cannot not. i.e., I MUST write.
2) Community. Thank goodness we are all blessed to know belonging with NAIWE. In community we find the ways to move through uncertainty and keep going with MUST.
1) If you feel like you are paddling up stream in trying to determine what to write, set the oars down, go for a solo walk in nature and let nature turn your kayak back with the current of inspiration. Nature does wonders for grounding, centering, and creativity.
If you ever need a reminder, you’ve got this! feel free to email me (Christine@hopewhispers.net or ckhred30@gmail.com). May you always sit at a desk, or wherever your soul most loves to be when with pen -paper or a keyboard, with overflowing joy, contentedness, and self-compassion with your writing.
-Christine
