It was a beautiful full lit day of sun and breeze Sunday May 3rd. The Unitarian Universalist Church in Housatonic, MA held the gathering for the rescheduled event: The Permission to Write, Berkshire Festival of Women Writers (BFWW) Keynote Speaker Dani Shapiro.
Due to inclement weather, the event which original was to take place in March to open the festival came to fruition yesterday. The timing was in so many ways right as the author shared on recent reflections on herself as a writer, the act of writing and the community she shares with fellow authors.
Ms. Shapiro is a published author many times over, most recently appearing on Oprah Winfrey. 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. She shared how many times in social gatherings she is asked, “Do you still write?” to which replies and cleverly used as the subject of her latest book Still Writing, The Perils and Pleasures of a Creative Life.
Every writer she says need to “give permission” to themselves to write every day. The importance of this dedication is a practice in affirmation. It is a practice that when set in motion allows for balance.
This affirmation as I see it my fellow readers is an example of how she practices a daily ritual to maintaining health. For Ms. Shapiro daily writing is essential to her well-being. It is what makes her feel complete in and of herself. I too share in this need for writing.
As you become more in tune to what it is you need to be in this world with confidence and rooted in your daily life to a comfortable rhythm, you rise to greater understandings about how to be more conscious; and this my friends is a healthy way to be. Lets look at other parallels to health and well-being we can draw from how she practices giving herself permission to write.
Ms. Shapiro describes the painful process that every writer goes through to meet the page each day. For her opening a day with writing sets in motion her best chance of getting something down on paper, and when she does she feels all the more better. 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.
Much in the same way we may struggle to show up each day and honor our well-being to perform a healthy act. Obstacles find their way to preventing us to do so be they our own will power or the tasks and duties of our daily life. We honor ourselves with health when we create a space and time specific to our nourishment. In the process of performing this act, it is good to acknowledge our efforts as we receive with gratitude.
Ms. Shapiro demystified the acclaim and fame of being a successful writer. She encourages us to presume that any writer who sits down at a blank page is a beginner. 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.
When we begin to incorporate exercise or modify our eating habits we do so with the best of intentions. We do ourselves good to not dwell on efforts we may have made in the past. 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.
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. Without such we dwell on what we haven’t done instead of focusing on the good choices we are making in the present. Giving ourselves the opportunity as Ms. Shapiro describes to be a “bad writer” frees us to be the “best writer” we can be. In this same way, we do our best work when we approach our health with such loving kindness.
Take time to consider how you approach your chosen healthy change for spring. 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.
In health,
Safara
