Nourishing Your Creativity
Why do I make writing such a big deal? Maybe I can change my approach, treat it the same way I think about what I eat in a day. Some days, I shop and prepare and then eat something amazing—a hearty, delicious meal that leaves me feeling fulfilled and grateful. Other days, I grab a handful of sunflower seeds and an apple and move on with my life. I don’t beat myself up for not making and eating the perfect meal every single meal I eat. I just know I need to eat every day.
What if I treated writing the same way? Instead of putting pressure on myself to create something amazing every time I sit down to write, what if I approached it as something I need to do daily to sustain my dreams, to keep them alive? What if writing didn’t always have to be impressive or polished and served up perfectly to impress others whether it’s in person or on instagram? What if it could simply be a little something for me—a way to keep my creative muscles moving and the ideas flowing?
I’ve started to think of writing my book as fun, which has been a huge mindset shift. When I opened myself up to including the wild, crazy stories from my 20s—stories that lead up to where I am now—I felt something click. Those stories are fun to write, and I think they’ll be fun to read too. It’s been liberating to stop worrying about where I “should” start or how it “should” look. Writing for the joy of it, rather than for some imaginary approval, has made the process so much more enjoyable which means I’m actually doing it!
I find it hard to write for myself. I catch myself writing for a publisher or agent that I don’t even have. Or Googling questions like, “Successful memoirs that use present tense”—as if the answer to that will magically unlock my creative flow. It doesn’t. The best writing sessions I’ve ever had came when I didn’t allow myself to do anything else. No opening another tab to research a random thought, no scrolling, no grabbing a snack, no stretching—just sitting with the page for the time I set. I know myself too well; I’ll easily find an excuse to stop. The secret is to create boundaries with myself, to honor the time I’ve committed, and just write.
The thing is - this is what I want. I want to write this book. It’s not a “would be cool” or some far off dream I’ll get to someday—it’s the thing I’m doing with my life right now. It’s a powerful realization. No one else can write this book and no one else can stop me from writing this book. Only myself.
Writing doesn’t always have to be perfect or grand. It doesn’t have to look like what we think “successful” writing should look like. Some days, it’s a gourmet feast you’re going to share with others then post online and have people ooh and ahh over, and other days, it’s a block of cheese and stale crackers —and that’s okay. What matters is showing up, feeding the dream, and keeping it alive.
So here’s my reminder to myself and to anyone else who needs it: You don’t have to be perfect to be a writer. You just have to write. Create the habits, sit down at the page, and trust the process. Even if it’s ugly. Even if it’s not your best. The most important thing is to keep going.
We’re the only ones who can write our stories, and the world is waiting to read them. So let’s get in the kitchen, grab the ingredients we have that day, and start cooking—because even a simple meal can nourish the soul and lead us to where we want to be.
