 | I set aside an hour to write this morning. And do you know what I did with that hour? Wordle and Quordle, school-related signups and email. Why do I do that? I like writing! I look forward to it. I enjoy tapping away and having music on. I like blurting out whatever is going on in my head. I feel good when I’ve written something and when I’ve shared it. It’s all the good things. |
And still I found other tasks to take up my writing time.
Why do I do that?
If a client were asking me that question, I would suggest not focusing on the “why.” Okay, so I’ll start there. Instead, perhaps I can ask what does avoiding the writing take care of?
Well, there’s a sense of accomplishment with completing small tasks that have been floating around in my head (like scheduling a dental cleaning for my kid while she’s home from school - which I just interrupted myself to do).
There’s also a sense of decompression from distracting myself from what feels pressing or hard. I can sit in front of rows of yellow and green squares thinking about five letter words. Using my brain without using a lot of bandwidth.
When I’m present with writing, I can feel the weight of things. Decisions waiting to be made, hoops ready to be jumped through, expectations skipping to the front of the line.
[Sigh]
What I realize with that sigh - is that when I am truly present (whether with my writing or simply being in the moment), those things waiting at my door stop knocking. No hoops, no expectations, no decisions need to be attended to in that moment. And isn’t that a beautiful moment?
In this moment, I am aware of the sounds of my keyboard, the quiet piano music playing in the background and a hum coming from the kitchen. I notice the rise and fall of my breathing and the secure feeling of my legs crossed one over the other.
My eyes suddenly take in the dried flowers on the desk and the old green bottle that holds them.
Isn’t this moment a beautiful moment?
What happens if you hit pause in this moment. What do you notice? What falls away? What makes this a beautiful moment?
Why do I do that?
If a client were asking me that question, I would suggest not focusing on the “why.” Okay, so I’ll start there. Instead, perhaps I can ask what does avoiding the writing take care of?
Well, there’s a sense of accomplishment with completing small tasks that have been floating around in my head (like scheduling a dental cleaning for my kid while she’s home from school - which I just interrupted myself to do).
There’s also a sense of decompression from distracting myself from what feels pressing or hard. I can sit in front of rows of yellow and green squares thinking about five letter words. Using my brain without using a lot of bandwidth.
When I’m present with writing, I can feel the weight of things. Decisions waiting to be made, hoops ready to be jumped through, expectations skipping to the front of the line.
[Sigh]
What I realize with that sigh - is that when I am truly present (whether with my writing or simply being in the moment), those things waiting at my door stop knocking. No hoops, no expectations, no decisions need to be attended to in that moment. And isn’t that a beautiful moment?
In this moment, I am aware of the sounds of my keyboard, the quiet piano music playing in the background and a hum coming from the kitchen. I notice the rise and fall of my breathing and the secure feeling of my legs crossed one over the other.
My eyes suddenly take in the dried flowers on the desk and the old green bottle that holds them.
Isn’t this moment a beautiful moment?
What happens if you hit pause in this moment. What do you notice? What falls away? What makes this a beautiful moment?
 | Jessica Curtis is a professional life coach who helps people cultivate intention and live from a place of meaning and authenticity. If you think you could benefit from working with Jessica or want to invite her to work with your group, reach out to start a conversation. |
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