#1000Speak for Compassion.

When I heard about this project, I wanted to be in it. Compassion is a powerful, powerful thing and so beautiful it almost always brings me to tears.

Then I thought, what on earth am I going to write about? And, just like that. I knew.

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I think I love seeing compassion because it’s in all of us. It has no race, no religion, only kindness and understanding.

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I remember being taught as a child that animals have no compassion. I forget who said it but today, I know that person had no idea. Animals are incredibly compassionate.

Check out this cow. She’s in her glory. I actually think she’s smiling. Who knew cows liked hugs?

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Monkeys like them too.

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So do humans…

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I saw a show on TV the other day about animals who adopted other baby animals. Turns out, this happens in nature more often than I thought.

That’s a baby owl. Not a puppy.

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This one adopted ducklings.

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This one is a pigeon and a baby squirrel.

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The examples go on and on.

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All of them are animals being compassionate.

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Humans can do it too.

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And when we do, it’s a beautiful thing.

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Outside my window

Sometimes, I’m in awe at Mother Nature.

This is literally outside my window. Aren’t the colours incredible?

If you could…

I read a fantastic post by Barbara O’Neal on Writer Unboxed. It’s a letter to her younger, writer self. It’s a beautiful letter (read it here), really well written but what inspired me was the concept.

I think the idea originally came from this post in So You’re a Writer. I thought it was a beautiful thought.

Once upon a time, you were a young reader who wrote for fun. Writing for publication was a distant, daring dream you had hidden deep in your soul. You didn’t think of yourself as a writer because you weren’t published. You wondered if you would make it, if you had what it took. You read like crazy and you wrote. Most of all, you loved to write.

What would you say to that young writer? If you could go back in time, what would you tell him or her?

Just keep writing…Keep writing…

I want to write, I do, but there are days when I don’t. I have a lot of excuses (We’re selling our house, the dogs (both) are shedding their coats and we have a fruit fly infestation) but the truth is I have trouble getting down to it.

I found these post particularly helpful to get my butt into the chair.

Claire Cook recommends breaking it down. She says she writes two pages a day. Just two but she does that come rain or shine and it keeps the story moving forward.

Annabel Candy wrote this one on her favourite motivation tips. Only six and they’re awesome.

This one is 31 ways to find Inspiration for your writing by Leo Babauta.

But since I’m writing this post, it’s pretty obvious that I’m not working on my WIP. Nuts.

What about you? Do you have favourite ways to make sure you keep writing?

Do you need to unplug?

The more time I spend at the computer…the more time I spend at the computer.  Part of me always thinks that more time at the keyboard means productivity (and I think some of that is true) but should I also try to step away and look around once in a while?

I was pondering this when I read this great post by SEAN D’SOUZA.

He says: “Sit back and think about all the ideas that changed the direction of your life. And think of where you were at the time. Nope, still not in the shower. You were somewhere on the road, somewhere deep in conversation with someone or lost in a book.”

He argues that computers are “output machines. When we deal with computers we’re rarely getting input.” In other words, we won’t get inspired seated at the computer.

What works for him is “take a trip to the cafe. I sit down and then I let two hours pass while I doodle my way through my plan. It’s not like I have a plan, but the plan unfolds. As I sit, the plan takes on a different dimension.” Even if he’s busy.

I too go to my favourite cafe. I do this often. And I get inspiration from life. But I have to add, that I also get inspired by the amazing posts I read online. There are some good posts out there (ahem, like this one by Sean D’Souza). 

Still, I think there’s something to be said about balance. Perhaps I should lift my head from the screen once in a while. Who knows what I will see.

Right. I forgot. I live in Canada.

Doubt your doubts

I loved this post by Steven Pressfield on Resistance and this one on Resistance and Self-Loathing. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.

He defines Resistance as:

“that nasty, brutal voice in our heads. “You’re a loser, you’re a bum, a worthless waste of oxygen. Look at you. Do you imagine that someone like you could produce something original, something of quality, something that anyone else would care about? What ideas do you have that haven’t been done a thousand times before—and better than you could every dream of doing them?” Does this sound familiar? It is, of course, the voice of Resistance.”

The good news is “That voice in our heads is not us. It is Resistance. Those thoughts are not our thoughts. They are Resistance.”

We can say to that voice, thanks for showing up, but we’re not going to believe it. Give that voice a swift kick in the behind and go back to writing! Doubt your doubts.

Steven Pressfield put it yet another way just as amazing in his post, ‘Keep Gnawing’. I loved that post. Loved it. Like he says, it’s not about the odds or even about becoming incredibly successful and winning an award for writing, it’s about what happens if we don’t pursue our dreams.

Yes, I want fame and money but the truth is I write for me. I write because I can’t imagine what living would be like without it.

Steven says, “My great friend and mentor Norm Stahl, the godfather of the Foolscap Method, has a very earthy way of looking at this issue.

“Steve, a rat’s teeth grow in two directions—down from his mouth and up toward his brain. If the rat doesn’t keep gnawing on something all day every day, wearing down those teeth from the bottom, the top part will grow back up into his brain and kill him….You and I are like those rats, Steve. We gotta keep gnawing. The alternative is unthinkable.””

After reading three of his posts, I came to a life-changing conclusion.

I’m pretty sure I’m a rat.

 

33 inspirational quotes on love, purpose and peace by the amazing Gandhi–by Jeff Moore

A big, big thank you to Jeff Moore for this amazing post. I woke, read it and it cheered me up much more than my trusty cup of coffee. Now, that’s a good post!

I loved, loved so many of these quotes. Loved them.

Here are some of my favourites:

“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”

“First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, and then you win.”

“My imperfections and failures are as much a blessing from God as my successes and my talents and I lay them both at his feet.

“Poverty is the worst form of violence.”

“Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior. Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny.”

“There are people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread.”

Aren’t they incredible? But, don’t take my word for it, find your own! There are some truly amazing quotes from a truly amazing man.

http://everydaypowerblog.com/2014/03/09/33-inspirational-quotes-on-love-purpose-and-peace-by-the-amazing-gandhi/

A big thank you again to Jeff Moore for the inspiring post!

17 Amazing Inspirational and Motivational Picture Quotes!

What an awesome post! Loved the pictures! Thank you Jeff Moore!

On motivation to write

Should we push ourselves to write? Should we drag our behinds to the chair and sit there until we type something? Or do we wait? I think there are times when it’s okay to wait.

I got this opinion from working out. Years ago, I used to drag myself to the gym whether I was sick or well, whether I wanted to go or not. The result was that I did go…but I hated it. When I did go, my workouts were lame, barely-there attempts without any heart or drive in them.

Then, one day, I stopped going. I told myself I wouldn’t go again until I felt like going. I made a vow to myself and I kept it.

I stayed away from the gym for almost a year. And then, finally, one day, I wanted to go. I went for a little work out and I had fun. I liked it.

I’ve been working out ever since but my relationship with the gym is very different. I may notice when I don’t go that often but I don’t nag myself and I don’t force myself to go. I go when I want to go. The result is, when I’m there, I have delicious workouts. I love it.

I wonder if writing is like that. I certainly write because I love it. But do I wait for inspiration or do I put my behind in the chair?

I particularly like what Justine Musk says: “Reading is the inhale. Writing is the exhale.”

But, just for kicks, here is Kelly Leiter who says something completely different on motivation.

What about you? What do you think?

How to get writing

Writer’s block, drawing a blank, writer’s rut, call it what you like but most writers experience it at least once in their writing careers. Writing isn’t easy. Getting down and doing it is hard. I’m not alone thinking so. Here’s Nathan Bransford’s take on this same topic.

I have to say I have different ways of sitting on the chair and getting busy. Some days are better than others. Some places are definitely more conducive than others.

K.M. Weiland has a great section to inspire you into writing: http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/category/writing-inspiration

Kelley Leiter has some great quotes to get you writing: http://www.thebeginningwriter.com/2012/03/helpful-quotes-to-inspire-and-guide-you.html

Here’s Nathan Bransford’s take on this: http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2012/08/why-writing-is-so-hard.html

Finally, Live to write – Write to live has this category to help you find your inner muse. http://nhwn.wordpress.com/category/motivation/

How about you? What motivates you to write?