{"id":1457,"date":"2015-05-04T09:00:47","date_gmt":"2015-05-04T13:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/safaraf.com\/?p=1457"},"modified":"2015-05-04T18:36:16","modified_gmt":"2015-05-04T22:36:16","slug":"a-page-of-healthy-practices-found-in-dani-shapiro-author-presentation-bwwf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/safaraf.com\/?p=1457","title":{"rendered":"A Page of Healthy Practices found in Dani Shapiro- Author- presentation BWWF"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>It was a beautiful full lit day of sun and breeze Sunday May 3rd.\u00a0 The Unitarian Universalist Church in Housatonic, MA held the gathering for the rescheduled event: The Permission to Write,\u00a0 Berkshire Festival of Women Writers (BFWW) Keynote Speaker Dani Shapiro<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Due to inclement weather, the event which original was to take place in March to open the festival\u00a0came to fruition yesterday.\u00a0 The timing was in so many ways right as the author shared\u00a0on recent reflections\u00a0on herself as a writer, the act of writing and the community she shares with fellow authors.<\/p>\n

Ms. Shapiro is a published author many times over, most recently appearing on Oprah Winfrey.\u00a0 She has many accolades to her success but what stood out the most to me was that despite of all this she remains grounded in herself as simply a writer doing what she loves.\u00a0 She shared how many times in social gatherings she is asked, “Do you still write?” to which\u00a0replies and cleverly used\u00a0as the subject of\u00a0her latest book Still Writing<\/span><\/a>, The Perils and Pleasures of a Creative Life<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Every writer\u00a0she says\u00a0need to “give permission” to themselves to write every day.\u00a0 The importance of this dedication is a practice in affirmation.\u00a0\u00a0 It is a practice that when set in motion allows for balance.<\/p>\n

This affirmation\u00a0as I see it my fellow readers\u00a0is an example of how she practices\u00a0a daily ritual to\u00a0maintaining health.\u00a0 For\u00a0Ms. Shapiro\u00a0daily writing is essential to her well-being.\u00a0 It is what makes her feel complete in and of herself.\u00a0\u00a0 I too share in this need for writing.<\/p>\n

As you become more in tune to what it is you need to be in this world with confidence and rooted in\u00a0your daily life to a comfortable rhythm,\u00a0you rise to greater\u00a0understandings about\u00a0how\u00a0to be more\u00a0conscious; and this my friends is a healthy way to be.\u00a0 Lets look at other parallels to health and well-being\u00a0we can draw from how she practices giving herself permission to write.<\/p>\n

Ms. Shapiro describes the painful process that every writer goes through to meet the page each day.\u00a0\u00a0 For\u00a0her opening\u00a0a day with\u00a0writing\u00a0sets in motion her best chance of getting something down on paper, and when she does she feels all the more better.\u00a0 She allows herself time in the beginning of the day before the “mess” of life; walking the dog, food shopping, distracted calls, emails and “other” miscellaneous details to busy oneself set in.<\/p>\n

Much in the same way\u00a0we may struggle to show up each day and honor\u00a0our well-being\u00a0to perform a healthy act.\u00a0\u00a0Obstacles find their way to preventing us to do so be they our own will power or the tasks and duties of our daily life.\u00a0 We honor ourselves with health when we create a space and time specific to our nourishment.\u00a0 In the process of performing this act, it is good to acknowledge our efforts as we receive with gratitude.<\/p>\n

Ms.\u00a0Shapiro demystified the acclaim and fame of being a successful writer.\u00a0 She encourages us to presume that any writer who sits down at a blank page is a beginner.\u00a0 The process of writing a piece each time is different and requires us to approach the task with openness and acceptance that we don’t know what will unfold.<\/p>\n

When we begin to incorporate exercise or modify our eating habits we do so with the best of intentions.\u00a0 We do ourselves good to not dwell on efforts we may have made in the past.\u00a0 Instead, we are better to greet ourselves with compassion and acknowledge the acts we perform to improve our health with less pressure on intended outcomes.<\/p>\n

This act of “permission” to be just as you are without the expectations that laden us and distract us from our tasks is an important first step.\u00a0 Without such we dwell on what we haven’t done instead of focusing on the good choices we are making in the present.\u00a0 Giving ourselves the opportunity as Ms. Shapiro describes to be a “bad writer” frees us to be the “best writer” we can be.\u00a0 In this same way, we do our best work when we approach our health with such loving kindness.<\/p>\n

Take time to consider how you approach your chosen healthy change for spring.\u00a0 Ask yourself what it is that you are seeking and if you are creating the best environment for yourself to meet the new season with this energy.<\/p>\n

In health,<\/p>\n

Safara<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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