I am sitting in my creative chair early in the morning with a scented candle lit in the room I use as my office. My desk is tidy, creating a sense of calm which will stay with me for the rest of the day.
I finished the previous day with a plan for the next day, which is a great help, it only needs to be a note on my keyboard or phone to remind you of what is the priority(s) for the next day.
Prevents me from getting lost in the weeds of my email inbox and distracted by LinkedIn.
Do what is a priority first. Good leaders tackle their most difficult tasks first; they “eat the frog”. Later if time permits, they keep up to date with what’s happening on their preferred platforms.
What I have described above is the result of me taking the advice of Julia Cameron from her book “The Artist’s Way” and explained to me by Eve Earley on her “Artist’s Way Program” which she delivers here in Ireland. I first did the course three years ago here in Dublin and repeated it online just recently.
“I do not know what I think until I read what I write“.
Flannery O’Connor
Currently, this is my favourite quotation and also explains the power which Julia and Eve called morning pages (others may say journaling).
The requirement is to write three pages (A4) each morning first thing before listening to Radio or TV or checking out your phone.
With a clear head, capture your thoughts on paper; you will not only find out what you think, but will have your thoughts on paper.
Initially, it does not matter what you write; just write!
Over time, as morning pages becomes part of your routine; you will find the most amazing thoughts will appear on the page.
Below is the affirmation I start all my morning pages with;
‘Morning pages are meditation, a practice that leads to creativity and the creator‘.
This affirmation has worked for me for the last three years; please find one that works for you.
Now, as people in my community know, I write and publish an article every fortnight on LinkedIn, my Website and “Irish Tech News”and help in storytelling for business.
In my wildest dreams three years ago, this would not have been possible (for reasons I may tell you about some other time).
Now I sit in my creative chair and let my thoughts flow through my pen and onto the page each morning.
This article is an example as it appeared this morning (20/09/2020) with little prior planning other than the thought that I must at some point write an essay to support Eve, by way of thanks for her brilliant mentoring on the “Artist’s Way Program”.
Please give it a try; it may mean you need to get up before the rest of the house and find a quiet space to write before your day gets busy.
The sense of calm and control which you will achieve for the rest of the day will be payback.
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