Sunday, April 11, 2010

What Choices Will You Make This Week?

"We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action." ~Frank Tibolt

“If Not Now, When?”~ Hillel, 1st century Jewish sage

A member of my RWA Online Forum posted a message awhile back where she puzzled over the resistance experienced every time she sat down to write. I can pull up page after page in my own journal where I shook my own mental fist at the universe and asked the same thing.

A friend phoned several months ago, puzzling over her own resistance, this in relation to working out at the gym. She thrives on exercising, so why does she procrastinate and avoid an activity she loves? She hoped I would provide some magic answer and all I could tell her was this. Don’t think about it. Just do it.

It sounds too simple. Too flippant. Yet, another friend summed it up with an illuminating insight: “What made me slip into considering the activity rather than doing it?”

“A warrior lives by acting, not by thinking about acting, nor by thinking about what he will think when he has finished acting.”Carlos Castaneda

What I realized as I began this essay is this. For all the tasks we face, whether they be pleasurable or onerous, there’s always one distinction. Do we have a choice? When we don’t, we can’t allow ourselves the luxury to think about it. We know we have to just do it. Now, this doesn’t stop the cycle of resistance! If it were that easy, there would be no missed deadlines. No scrambling to catch up on tasks long ignored.

It does, however, provide a clue about the process of procrastination. Since we can choose, we often stop and ponder our choices. People who perform heroic acts would probably all agree, had they stopped to think about it, they probably wouldn’t have had the courage, or the strength, or the extra push needed to succeed.

Just Do It.

“You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do.”Henry Ford

Years ago, a good friend of mine told me why he loved to ski. “When you’re up on that snowy mountain, you can’t stop and think about everything. You just do it.

Huh.

There it is again.

The post I referenced at the beginning of this essay prompted much thought on my part. A contemplation about both resistance and the choice to resist. In all areas of my life. Even in the mental phrasing of what I’m doing.

Do I say to myself, “Today I HAVE to write. Today I HAVE to edit this many pages.”

Or do I just say, “Today I write. Today I edit this many pages.”

Hmm… Food for thought.

“It is always your next move.” --Napoleon Hill

Just Do It.

How can it still be winter? Despite the calendar, we're still seeing rain, chilly nights and even an occasional smattering of snowflakes drifting down. Yet I know that spring is peeking through the clouds. Buds are beginning to burst into radiant color. The Chinese Maple tree on my back deck is revealing delicate leaves and here we are, once again, at the crux of change. It is up to us to choose which direction to take each day. Should we consider whether or not to write or should we simply write? What is our choice?

Consider this…

Whatever we want to accomplish, we can. Whatever we choose to accomplish, we will. Whatever we want to be, we are.

Hmm... Well then, We Are Writers. And what do writers do? We Write!

So… Let's Just Do It! *wink*

Here's to embracing our gift of choice. What choices will you be making this week?

--Chiron O'Keefe

Also featured at Pop Culture Divas

4 comments:

Ishwara said...

Brilliant and Inspiring Chiron! You are such a wise provoker of thought that rallies inner capacity to consider and I can not help but birth this contemplation! :-)

The wisdom of staying in ones center called Tao, there, the River of Knowledge that the Ancient Mystics and New Age Sages speak about that we 'Are' in that River of Universal Mind at all times, that it's a matter of 'Awareness' that that 'Greatness' is alive and flourishing inside us will remind us and open us to a deep eternal universal wellspring of continuous inspiration to draw from.

Trying...is an attribute of the ego mind wrestling in possible doubt, not trusting the Self or possibly not allowing a breakthrough to develop a strong pure habit of playing called writing and of course, it is not about forcing.

The Higher benevolent mind that just wants us to enjoy what we love, separated from trying, for some, it is just to become aware of a 'Universe' inside us waiting to be heard beyond sound, received and written.

It is opening to this Awareness, staying centered, (it is so easy to allow distractions that are eager to throw us out of this Eternal Flow within), and bathing in that Light that unveils the inspirations that are loving and wanting to freely enter as vibrant words, as amazing thoughts and powerful stories! Writing, is really a meditation!

Maybe it is about 'getting out of the way' within this, Tao of Writing, to allow this. When frustration,trying, comes up, maybe, to stop the minds wrestling, relax...let go...and gratefully, open up to receive...and joyfully, begin again....

Approach to writing can be hard work or, approaching to write to play! With the approach of Fun in writing, maybe the Joy of this frolic and delight of writing will take flight in more ease...ahhhhhh....ॐ

Chiron said...

Thanks, Ish! I agree that it's good to approach writing with a playful spirit. Although it can be challenging when you're on the second, third or fourth draft. *laughs* I guess the key is to generate genuine pleasure during the crafting process, as well as the spontaneous joy within the creative process.

I appreciate you stopping by!

Gillian Layne said...

I experienced such joy writing last night, it was scary. The "flow" was perfect. I am paying for it this morning, and will yawn through work today, but boy when it all comes together...magic. :)

Chiron said...

Oh, Gillian, how I love the Magic!! Thanks for sharing this. Hope your weekend has even more magic in store.
:-D

Happy Friday!

--Chiron