Leaning into Inspiration

Have you ever been so excited about a project you're waking up thinking about it? I've been waking up at 6am for over a week now. As soon as I wake up (and sometimes in my dreams like today) I'm thinking about a story.

I sit at the kitchen table now looking out at a dark blue sky, just starting to light up on the eastern horizon. It's quiet in the house, except for the little pawsteps of my cat and him meowing at my feet, until he jumps up and settles on the table next to me. 

I wonder if this is my seasonal burst of creativity and motivation – in January and February. A burst of energy after the dormant months of rest. Two years ago this was the time of year I started on my writing journey, with the goal of publishing, and my fever for thinking about lines in any free moment was the same as it is now. 

It’s wonderful, this inspiration and enthusiasm to write and perfect each line of a story that’s been brewing in my head for two years. But it can also make me feel a bit weary. When will it be done? When you’re self teaching yourself to do something, even with the internet and lots of resources, it’s hard to know if you’re making progress or just spinning the same wheels. 

This week I found old results from a Strengths Finder test I did many years ago. It was intriguing and fun to look at my strengths now through this new lens of writing for children. The Developer noted my gift for helping, teaching and playing with children as something that sets me apart from many adults. Empathy said that I'm naturally aware of how kids think and feel and how that allows me to experience the world with fresh eyes. I wasn’t looking at this document to give me the reassurance for continuing to write, but that’s exactly what it did. In the coming months when my energy usually wanes a bit, I look forward to keeping the balance a bit better so I don’t drop it completely this year. 

And if you’re curious, Connectedness and Maximizer are my other strengths :)