This is me being busy busy busy

I was supposed to do a post yesterday, you know, “Fridays with Jenn”. Only I forgot, got busy writing (revising), working on DimeStories projects, web projects for clients, more revising, cleaning the kitchen.  I was in workhorse mode, not create mode.  And I didn’t feel inspired.

And then Sam did a post and I was off the hook.

This morning Sam told me that she didn’t feel like doing anything.  She was having a case of the I-Don’t-Wannas:  I don’t wanna do laundry, I don’t wanna clean my room, I don’t wanna write…  She asked if I would write a blog post for Writers’ March.    I said “Sure,” but mostly out of guilt since I hadn’t done my duty yesterday.  I still wasn’t feeling inspired.  Because isn’t that what we need to write?  Inspiration?

With Sam’s case of the I-Don’t-Wannas I could see clearly what her problem was.  She needed a break. And it’s fine to take breaks.  Just like our bodies must sleep, sometimes we need a day (or two or more) where we don’t “have to” DO anything.

Jill Badonsky addresses this need (and many others) in her book about optimizing our creative selves THE NINE MODERN DAY MUSES AND A BODY GUARD.  The nine muses represent a different aspect of our creative process, and Lull is the muse that Sam was summoning without realizing it.

Sometimes in the creative process, the next right step is to let go, pause, and give time for our vast resources to connect and spring into new ideas.  Surrender to the natural cycle of creativity. Fill with new sensations. Meditate. Turn your attention to mind-stimulating activities. Let go of trying to control things. Trust in the process. Celebrate the creative rejuvenation of rest and pause. Say thanks.  ~Jill Badonsky

Finding inspiration, however, was a little harder. Until I started looking at some TED talks this morning and ran across a video my friend Cynthia posted on her blog by Gavin Pretor-Pinney who runs the Cloud Appreciation Society

“Cloud spotting” he says, “legitimizes doing nothing.” He reminds us (well me at least) that inspiration can be found in the every day, that looking up at the clouds is about being present and letting your imagination wander.

May you find inspiration in your every day life!  and if you need a break, need time for your ideas to percolate and need to quiet the stimulation caused by our busy busy lives,  well then call upon Lull.