WritingSpirit Resources

What Can You Do Today?

Every moment is a new opportunity to do and be our best. What are three things that you can do today to improve your writing skills and deepen your connection to spirit? 

• Is there an element of craft that you’re particularly weak in that you could study or practice more?

• Do you need more “butt in the chair” writing time?

• Or could you use more spiritual study and meditation time in order to better hear the still small voice that inspires and guides?

May every day be your best.

What's Right With You - Journal Prompt

We spend a lot of time and attention on what's wrong with our lives, on what we want to change--improve, fix, let go of. We often approach self-improvement with the intention of finding what's broken, so that we can fix it. Unfortunately, this keeps us focused on looking for what's broken. And since what we focus on expands...

An alternative approach is to look for what's good, what's working, what's right with us. And since what we focus on expands...

Make a list of 100 wonderful things about you. What do you like about you? What are your strengths? Your accomplishments? Your gifts? What do other people complement you on? What are you great at? What's good about you? Also list the attributes of your sacredness, of your true self, of your unlimited beingness. Let this list capture what's best and most true about you.

Then read your list every morning and night for a week.
    And then another week.
        And then another...

The first time I made this list, it was a revelation. After about 20 or 30 good things, I found myself at a loss. But I kept at it, and finally the flow of good began again--until I hit the next dead end. This happened several times. Each time I thought I couldn't come up with one more good thing, then some new wonderful aspect of me would break through and I'd be on a roll again. I actually ended up with more than 100 good things on my list.

The next day, when I went to read my list, every item on that list, even the ones I struggled with, seemed so obvious. Of course that's true about me. I was amazed that coming up with a list that seemed so obvious, had been so hard. I find it sad to admit that until I read that list, I doubt I'd ever had that many consecutive good thoughts about myself.

This is a powerful practice.

Variations On a Theme:

• Write a new list every week.

• In your gratitude journal, along with writing about what you're grateful for, make it a daily practice to acknowledge what's right with you.

• Spend 5 minutes every morning and evening looking at yourself in the mirror, and, in both "I am" and "you are" statements, list all that's wonderful about you. Be sure to include what you like about your face and body, even if you have to start small.

Julie Isaac

Corey's Legacy

In support of my writing life, I’m learning the ins and outs of internet marketing.  It’s both a tool that I’m using to give my writing and my web sites more exposure, as well as a means of creating a “day job” that will allow me to live and write more freely.

Of the many internet “gurus” online today, I chose to study with Corey Rudl. His products are well organized, extraordinarily detailed, and reasonably priced. He doesn’t seem to hold anything back. On every page of Corey's “Insider Secrets” there’s a treasure trove of information, as well as an abundance of “aha” moments that have me completely changing the way I do things on a regular basis.

Although I’ve never met Corey personally, and have just begun to study this way of doing business, I consider him my mentor and have been attempting to follow in his footsteps.

So when I heard the news that he had been killed in a high-speed car crash at the California Speedway in Fontana, I was deeply shocked and saddened.

He was only 34. 

Since then, many have commented that he died doing what he loved--racing. They found some small comfort in that. But one man disagreed. He said that while Corey must have been aware that he could die in a racing accident, had he known that he absolutely would die, he undoubtedly would have chosen the thrill of living over the thrill of racing.

Of course, our next moment is always a mystery. Life seems predictable, but we never truly know what will happen next. At times, taking risks can stretch our boundaries and help us grow, while at others, it can end a life. And at times, playing it safe can protect us from unnecessary pain, while at others, it can box us in and cause our life to stagnate. There are no easy answers to the question, how shall I live my life?

But all this did get me thinking about how invincible we think we are. We do things that we know are risky or bad for us, because we assume we'll get away with it. And we often don’t do things that we know are good for us, for the same reason.

"I'm invincible. Nothing can harm me. I can do anything I want."

What if we absolutely knew that the consequences of what we did, for good or ill, would inevitably catch up to us?

• What habits would you change if you absolutely knew that the problems that they could cause--they would cause?
  • Would you stop smoking?
  • Would you lose weight?
  • Would you exercise more?
  • Would you let go of your anger?
  • What would you do differently?

• What would you do more of, even if it scared you, if you absolutely knew that it would be successful and bring you great joy?
  • Would you finish that novel?
  • Would you ask the person you have a crush on out on a date?
  • Would you spend less time working and more time with your family?
  • Would you be kinder to yourself and to others?
  • What would you do more of?
  • What fears would you face?
  • What dreams would you pursue?

• If you absolutely knew that you would die tomorrow, what would you do today?
  • What would you say to the people that you love?
  • How would you feel about the people you believe have wronged you?
  • Would you be forgiving, or want to exact vengeance?
  • Would you be less judgmental, or more opinionated than ever?
  • How would your inner dialogue change?
  • Would you spend the day writing?
  • What would you write?
  • If you’re not working on that project right now, would you be willing to start writing it today?

• Are you living the life of your dreams?
  • If so, spend some time in gratitude and appreciation.
  • If not, why aren’t you?
  • What do you believe is stopping you?
  • Would you be willing to face your fears and do it anyway?
  • What will it take for you to believe in yourself, and your dreams, even more than you do right now?
  • What small practical action steps can you take today, this moment, to move towards your dreams?

• What do you long to say, to write, to do, to be?

• What task, goal, or dream are you postponing that you could do, or begin, today?

• What are you holding on to that no longer serves you?

• What are you willing to risk, or let go of, in order to reach for true happiness?

• What will your legacy be?

When something like this happens, we are reminded of our own mortality. And yet, living in fear of dying is counterproductive. What we focus on expands, so focus on life, on living, on your family, on your dreams. But as you go about your day, if you could take just a bit better care of yourself, say “I love you” a little more often, face one of your fears every now and then, and make sure to work towards your dreams, even in the midst of life’s practical realities, then Corey’s legacy will be you.

Namaste,
Julie Isaac

Corey Rudl's "Insider Secrets" to Marketing Your Business on the Internet
This is fabulous. It's 1300 hundred pages of detailed, step-by-step instructions on everything you need to know about Internet Marketing. I haven't tried to read it all at once. I just read the section that covers whatever I'm working on at the moment. This has been the #1 bestselling Internet Marketing course online for seven years running and now I understand why.

Spiritual/Consciousness Experience Survey

Integrative Spirituality is a web site dedicated to Spiritual Creatives. Although they are not looking for article submissions, they do have several questionnaires and polls online, so that people can share their spiritual wisdom and experiences with one another.

I found one questionnaire there particularly interesting and thought it might be a good jumping-off point for journaling. Their questions help you focus on what led up to a specific spiritual experience, what the experience itself was like, what you learned from it, and how it changed you.

The site is set to officially lauch very soon.

Integrative Spirituality
Spiritual Experience Questionnaire