Monday, August 6, 2012

The First Time

You know the thrill, the surprise, and sometimes, the anticipation.

Every experience takes on a "Land of Oz" quality.

Wonder can often be seen, especially in the face of a child.

Colors seem brighter.
Names can take on an odd, fun or silly quality.
Sounds and how they are made make for absolute fascination.

Textures, no matter the founding source, such as fabrics, plastics, and even metals based items, are handled with pleasure, fingered for their unique design or purpose.

Mastering new tasks can often be met with dazzling delight.

But do you feel that "Oz" like sensation or quality when you experience something in life for the first time?

If not, it may be due to the questions in your mind:
Will I do this "right"?
What if I make a mistake?
What if I end up humiliated because of what I don't know?

Trying something for the first time can seem risky, especially if you're unfamiliar with the source.

Plus, the Inner Critic has a loud, cacophonous, belittling voice that can intimidate us and cause us to pull back, second guessing ourselves from trying something new.

But if you pay very close attention to what that voice is really saying, you'll notice its vagueness, its fuzzy indiscriminate message that has no true foundation for such a protest.

Instead, listen even more closely to that sweet, courageous, intuitive sound of flow, fun, and the fantastic.

When you watch a child learning something new, when they hit on success (which is usually something very small they've accomplished), they will let out a shriek of delight, a laugh of "A-ha!"

They revel in the sensation, the mystery of discovery of every day life. All is novel to them. They follow their instincts and intuition naturally.

It's when we begin to stop listening to the right voice that we lose our sense of wonder, glee, and delight in our life experiences.

But you can get it back.

Listen carefully to that sweet, inner voice that gets your curiosity aroused, your creativity sparked, your intuition humming, and your heart inspired.

And then actually do it--whatever it is that it leads you to--as if for the first time. Even if you've done it a million times before.

Then watch your life experience take on a whole new glow.

Welcome to your Land of Oz where you'll find there's no place like the home in your heart.

© 2012 by Dawn Herring

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Three Steps Toward Accountability...to Yourself (as published in SFC Newsletter, Dec 08 edition)

Accountability: to give a reckoning or explanation for one’s actions, responsible.

When most people think of accountability, they often negatively associate it with answering to others, such as a spouse, a friend, a mentor, or, in most cases, a boss. As a writer, you are your own boss, which is one of the reasons that you need to be accountable to yourself. And it can be a positive experience rather than a negative one.

The first step in being accountable to yourself as a writer is setting goals for your writing and keeping track of projects you want to finish. Incurring a deadline for yourself can help
motivate you in this area. This step can also include daily writing goals. Some authors plan how many words or pages per day they will write.
I’ve set goals for myself as a writer by making them reachable and attainable. This year I have set a goal to write at least one scene for my novel per week and at least one other piece,
whether it be memoir or essay, per week. That can mean just making notes, writing a first draft, or revising a draft.
As long as your goals keep you moving forward and you’re making progress, then you know you’re headed in the right direction.

Once you have your goals set, the next step in accountability to yourself is writing down what you accomplish each day. You can use a daily calendar just for writing or keep track of your
daily accomplishments on your computer. I designed a custom monthly writing calendar. It helps me track what I write daily, whether or not I’ve met my goal for the week, and it has
space for ideas for future writing pieces. I also have a spot to keep track of books I’m reading for that month. I use abbreviations to keep the daily writing easier and to save space. As I review each completed month, I can go back to see what I’ve accomplished and keep track of when I wrote each piece.
Whether you use something pre-made or customize something for yourself, use whatever works for you and helps you stay accountable to yourself.

A third, and perhaps most important, aspect in accountability in your writing is taking care of yourself as a writer. Than can mean giving yourself space and not being hard on yourself if
you don’t reach your goals each day or each week.
Flexibility and refreshment are paramount to your health as a writer. It also frees up your creativity and can actually help you produce more quality writing in the long run.
I enjoy writing in my journal, reading fiction or memoir, and watching a good movie with my family. Taking a walk, listening to music, talking with your family members, and just taking time to sit and enjoy life are all ways you can be good to
yourself—and ultimately accountable—as a writer.

Learn to celebrate your accomplishments and your uniqueness as a writer. That’s one of the best ways to be accountable—to yourself!