Mindful Monday Checkpoint #2: The Call to Write

A chance to stop, breathe, and reflect

Don’t let your creative fire go out. Image: Curated Lifestyles via Unsplash+

Hello, and welcome back to my new Mindful Monday series! Each Monday, I’ll post a quote here and offer my interpretation of it. I’ll then invite you to meditate on the quote as well and share your thoughts on the week’s topic in the comments!

Take this post as a sign that you should rest. If you’re like me, you spend your Monday’s on the move. We’re not made to be “on” a hundred percent of the time. We need rest. We deserve it. So, please, join me for today’s Mindful Moment.

This Week’s Quote

For this week, I’ve selected a quote that speaks to the part of my soul that knew I was a writer before I did. For many of us, writing is not a hobby. It’s not a side gig. It’s a part of who we are as human beings.

So, consider this quote:

“A writer or any artist can’t expect to be embraced by the people. I’ve done records where it seemed like no one listened to them. You write poetry books that maybe 50 people read. And you just keep doing your work because you have to, because it’s your calling.”

- Patti Smith

There’s no guarantee that any of us are ever going to be famous. We all dream of making it big, of having fans that rush to read our latest work, but these things are not (and should not) be the reason you write.

Is it amazing when these things happen? Of course, I can’t tell you how much I love it when I see comments on my stories or poems, but at the end of the day, I’m going to post them regardless of whether or not anybody reads them. Why?

Because being creative is a fundamental part of me, and writing is how I manifest it.

With that in mind, let’s move on to today’s discussion topic.

Mindful Monday Checkpoint #2: The Call to Write

Will you answer the call? Image: Alex Shuper via Unsplash+

As you meditate on this quote and on your relationship with your work, consider this question: Why do you write?

Is it because you enjoy it? Or, perhaps it’s because you want to hone your craft? Or, if you’re like me, it’s because you only feel like yourself when your fingertips are tapping away on a keyboard.

When you lose your spark, you feel your soul ache.

When you stop writing, it’s like you stopped breathing.

When you can’t be creative, you feel like an empty husk.

It may sound melodramatic, but I have a sinking suspicion that more than a few of you would agree with me on those last couple lines. And hey, there’s no shame in that! It just means you need to keep going. You need to keep writing.

Don’t do it for the fame. Don’t do it for the potential book and movie deals. Chase those things, enjoy them with they happen, but don’t make that the reason you write.

Write. Because it’s a part of who you are.

That’s my advice, anyway, but what do you think? What compels you to write? Why do you do it? Share your thoughts in the comments, and remember to take a second to breathe today.

You’re doing your best, and that’s enough.

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Thanks for Reading! Here’s Your Musical Pairing

Something calm and soothing to help untangle your nerves.