Writers, the Time is Now to Go DEEPER

 

Irene Latham

Back in 2011 I selected "Deeper" as my One Little Word. Here's what I wrote in my introductory blog post:

"This year I want something different. This year I want to go...DEEPER.

Deeper in my writing, in my relationships, in my spiritual life. I don't want to get all lazy and stop. I don't want to cave to the multitude of excuses that come with a life that chock-full.

This year I want to keep going, keep pushing, even when it gets itchy and tight and my stomach starts to lurch.

This year I will embrace the itch, create the burn, take more risks. This year I'm going deeper."

Now, nearly 14 years later, I am still committed to going deeper, especially in my writing. These days I am mining my memories and dreams. I'm not attaching myself to the surface idea. I am a lanternfish exploring the depths: the whys and what fors and what does it really mean? 

We only have so much time on this planet. Our lives are short! Which means we need to be mindful of where and how we are investing our energy. I don't want to waste a moment of my writing time. I want to pursue the projects that really matter to me, the ones that are most in line with my personal mission. 

Before I say yes to an opportunity, I ask myself: does this move me toward my mission? It makes the no's so much easier because I don't have to feel bad about them when I'm confident those opportunities weren't meant for me in the first place. 

Of course one must actually have a mission in order to use the mission as a tool for decision making!

Do YOU have a mission statement, a.k.a. "Artist's Declaration?"

If yes, great! I find I need to take a new look every year or two and tweak accordingly.

And if you don't yet have an Artist's Declaration, well...today is a great day to remedy that! Here's a free worksheet I made to help you create your own.

It boils down to the following question, posed so beautifully in Mary Oliver's poem "The Summer Day":

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do

with your one wild and precious life?”

I can't wait to find out where "deeper" takes you!