“Hey!” you say.  “I’ve always wanted to write a book.”

“Hey!” I say.  “Me too!  Only this time, I actually did it.”

“How?” you ask.

And I could misunderstand the question, and tell you to read books and just start writing, like Anne Lamott says, Bird by Bird.  It’s advice I’ve heard time and again from numerous authors and it wasn’t very helpful to me either.  I’m not saying don’t read books, or don’t write.  Those are good things to do.  Read lots of books.  Write lots of pages, even if it isn’t pretty.

But if you’re like me, you’ll scrunch your brow in confusion.  You might even go further and get closer to the question you really want to ask and say, “Um, how did you find the time?”

And if I misunderstood you again, I would answer like a lot of other writers and say you have to make time, like it’s some stinking, chopped liver kind of thing.  “Make”, “should” and “have to” are loaded words, particularly when you’re talking about the creative spirit here.

But I know what you’re really getting at, even if you don’t.  Because it’s not really about the time.  I’ve been working on my current work of fiction in  5-10 hours a week because that’s what I could give it.  So if people can write books in 5-10 hours a week, it’s not really about the time because anyone can come up with that.

Some people would go on about writer’s block, or fear, or procrastination, or other existential stuff.  They might talk about discipline.  But what I’ve found, what you’re REALLY asking, is this:  How do I make the shift from my busy, to-do list day where my mind is trying to keep track of it all to a creative mindset where wonderful things can happen? 

We mistakenly think we need long stretches of time to really get that sense of flow going.  What I’ve found when I have long stretches of time is I get a lot of busy work done around the house but no more writing.  How can we, you and I, write in short bursts of time?

Enter My Peace Practice

For years, my coaching friend David Martin bugged me about having a regular “practice”.  Famous musicians run their scales, successful athletes practice their free throws and their putts.  I did have a writing practice but he suggested something else entirely, a practice that I have evolved over time.  I call it my peace practice.  When I do it I am able to readily shift from my to-do list mindset to one where I am able to focus on creating.

What is a Peace Practice?

Mine consists of a combination of yoga, meditation and some visualization.  But it’s any regular practice that allows you to slow down, lets your to-do list go for now and be present to the moment at hand without a million competing thoughts fighting for attention.

Why does a Peace Practice work?

It’s hard for our creative thoughts to penetrate the busy chatter that goes on in our heads all the time, making sure we don’t miss a deadline, or forget to pick up the kids.  When we use a regular practice to allow our minds to clear, creative thoughts begin to bubble up.

How does a Peace Practice work?

A practice is a regular routine performed without thought of immediate gain.  The practice of it over time is what allows it to become a tool that shifts our thinking.  As it becomes a habit you’ll find your mind is able to make the shift much faster, because it knows what’s coming.  Just as we don workout clothes and our mind prepares for physical activity, so too does our mind prepare when we go to our regular place for our practice.

So if you are a creative sort, wishing to move from great ideas to finished work, think about what you’d want to include in your peace practice that would help you quiet your to-do list brain for a spell.  Experiment.  It took me a while to figure out the pieces that make up my practice.  And even now I may only do parts of it if I feel like I can go straight to meditation or I’ll change it up a bit, say by adding a walking meditation around a labyrinth.

                                                                                    Enjoy!