V is for Values

val·ue
1. the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something.
“your support is of great value”
synonyms: worth, usefulness, advantage, benefit, gain, profit, good, help, merit, helpfulness, avail; More
2. a person’s principles or standards of behavior; one’s judgment of what is important in life.
“they internalize their parents’ rules and values”

My values haven’t changed a lot since I knew I was a writer. I committed myself to creativity even when I didn’t know I did, I just knew that I loved stories, and I wanted to write stories. All I wanted to do was to commit to the story, to the ideas that showed up to me, to be written, to be shared. When I first took on this creative life I knew that the journey might be lonely and being an only child, I didn’t mind being alone. I had my imagination to keep me company. My imagination was and is my best friend. Sure, there were times in my life where I was distracted by guys, friends, alcohol, parties, working and well, life in general. But creativity was always with me, it never left.

There were moments of clarity, moments where creativity showed up to say “hello, I’m still here, don’t forget about me.” These were moments where I’d go to a book store and stumble upon the book that I was meant to see, that needed to be read, that knew I needed to read its reminder or message of what I needed to be doing. Writing.  Creativity doesn’t fool around, it wants to create and it wants to work with you. Now, it’s up to me to make sure that I am paying attention, to ensure that my values are in-line with the creativity. It’s a victory when the clocks says hours have gone by while creating and it only fees like a minute has gone by. Don’t you just love those ‘in-the-zone moments’?

I just returned from a writing retreat on the beautiful Gabriola Island, a thirty minute ferry ride from Nanaimo, BC and as I have reminded myself, ‘Everything happens for a reason.’ This little getaway was needed to reconnect with myself, creativity and the writing. I had to take a look at my values and even though I thought I had my values straight, I knew there could be some fine tuning. I can drink less wine, walk more after dinner, write more after the after dinner walk and not even turn on Netflix. The little things that create a bad habit routine can take over if you don’t pay attention.

I have to pay more attention to my morning pages:

The morning pages perform spiritual chiropractic. They realign our values. If we are left or the right of our personal truth, the pages will point out the need for a course adjustment. We will come aware of our drift and correct it  – if only to hush the pages up. ~ Julia Cameron

My morning pages have set me straight from time to time and I am grateful for that. I write and when I write I am more aware of how creativity and I are working together.

Until next time, keep on typing….