Writing is a more dangerous career than one would think. Yes, it surely takes talent, imagination, perspiration, inspiration and a great deal of persistence, but in addition to these qualities, a writer needs pure old-fashioned gumption which expresses as both self-confidence and -- courage. Yes, it takes the willingness to put forth a vulnerable part of your secret self, making it available for scrutiny and perhaps rejection or criticism.
I have long enjoyed bringing ideas to the page that have been growing quietly in the fertile soil of my soul, while incubating through various stages of growth, development, birthing and unfolding. When they start to "sprout" beyond that quiet inner growth, I know they are ready to be shared in some way. That's where blogging is such a wonderfully attractive tool and resource for a writer. You have an unlimited blank page, and, hopefully, if what you have to say is of interest and value to others, a potentially unlimited audience, as well. How exhilarating...and terrifying!
I have been reading a book titled, "The Courage to Write", by Ralph Keyes, who seeks to help writers transcend fear. He notes, interestingly, that many famous writers have suffered a rather spectacular paralysis from fears of all kinds. And arguably, an even greater number of talented wanna-be writers are stifled before they make their debut, daunted by the lack of nerve this calling demands. It's a surprise to many aspiring writers that the blank page is so fearful a thing!
Actually, this deep anxiety that many people experience in regard to their writing is akin to fear of public speaking -- the #1 fear & anxiety producing task. In a way, I guess you could consider writing for public consumption to be public speaking without the sound. That makes a great deal of sense, and it puts writing squarely into the realm of "performance anxiety", which is a hazard of pretty much every creative endeavor.
As a professional soloist, I can certainly relate in those terms to the idea of being foiled by performance anxiety. Yet, over the years, I have learned how to focus and transmute the anxiety into a performance enhancing phenomenon, rather than a paralysing one. It takes some simple, easy to implement tools, such as creative visualization, meditation, deep breathing and getting clear about purpose. These are techniques valued by professional athletes for centuries, yet they can be applied to any performance anxiety issues. Here's a simple formula: take three slow, deep breaths inhaling through the nose, exhaling through the mouth. Close your eyes and imagine in as vivid detail as possible, the situation causing performance anxiety. See it unfolding in the very best possible way, with yourself happy and relaxed and in peak shape, your audience receptive and enthusiastic, your goals achieved and everything going smoothly in a totally positive way. Allow yourself to feel the positive feelings generated by this good experience. Stay with the vision for a few minutes. According to experts, this mental rehearsal framing the event in positive terms, has exactly the same impact on the body-mind as if you had done a real, physical run-through. So, it truly does have power!
Then, when you have completely explored this in a totally positive mental imagery experience, gently affirm it being so (out loud is better, unless you would scare someone into questioning your sanity). Then, release your desired outcome and wait in positive expectation that it will be just as you envisioned.
OK, I can see some of you skeptics out there, rolling your eyes in disbelief, but I can promise you this works. Try it and see. The next time you have to speak, sing, write, present your artwork, or any other anxiety-producing task, try this little exercise the night before, and the day of the event and see what happens. I've been amazed at the results. The more anxiety you have prior, the more this helps! It's like magic. It works. And it's free! So, get out there and have fun with your creative pursuits and lose the anxiety.
I have long enjoyed bringing ideas to the page that have been growing quietly in the fertile soil of my soul, while incubating through various stages of growth, development, birthing and unfolding. When they start to "sprout" beyond that quiet inner growth, I know they are ready to be shared in some way. That's where blogging is such a wonderfully attractive tool and resource for a writer. You have an unlimited blank page, and, hopefully, if what you have to say is of interest and value to others, a potentially unlimited audience, as well. How exhilarating...and terrifying!
I have been reading a book titled, "The Courage to Write", by Ralph Keyes, who seeks to help writers transcend fear. He notes, interestingly, that many famous writers have suffered a rather spectacular paralysis from fears of all kinds. And arguably, an even greater number of talented wanna-be writers are stifled before they make their debut, daunted by the lack of nerve this calling demands. It's a surprise to many aspiring writers that the blank page is so fearful a thing!
Actually, this deep anxiety that many people experience in regard to their writing is akin to fear of public speaking -- the #1 fear & anxiety producing task. In a way, I guess you could consider writing for public consumption to be public speaking without the sound. That makes a great deal of sense, and it puts writing squarely into the realm of "performance anxiety", which is a hazard of pretty much every creative endeavor.
As a professional soloist, I can certainly relate in those terms to the idea of being foiled by performance anxiety. Yet, over the years, I have learned how to focus and transmute the anxiety into a performance enhancing phenomenon, rather than a paralysing one. It takes some simple, easy to implement tools, such as creative visualization, meditation, deep breathing and getting clear about purpose. These are techniques valued by professional athletes for centuries, yet they can be applied to any performance anxiety issues. Here's a simple formula: take three slow, deep breaths inhaling through the nose, exhaling through the mouth. Close your eyes and imagine in as vivid detail as possible, the situation causing performance anxiety. See it unfolding in the very best possible way, with yourself happy and relaxed and in peak shape, your audience receptive and enthusiastic, your goals achieved and everything going smoothly in a totally positive way. Allow yourself to feel the positive feelings generated by this good experience. Stay with the vision for a few minutes. According to experts, this mental rehearsal framing the event in positive terms, has exactly the same impact on the body-mind as if you had done a real, physical run-through. So, it truly does have power!
Then, when you have completely explored this in a totally positive mental imagery experience, gently affirm it being so (out loud is better, unless you would scare someone into questioning your sanity). Then, release your desired outcome and wait in positive expectation that it will be just as you envisioned.
OK, I can see some of you skeptics out there, rolling your eyes in disbelief, but I can promise you this works. Try it and see. The next time you have to speak, sing, write, present your artwork, or any other anxiety-producing task, try this little exercise the night before, and the day of the event and see what happens. I've been amazed at the results. The more anxiety you have prior, the more this helps! It's like magic. It works. And it's free! So, get out there and have fun with your creative pursuits and lose the anxiety.
