Do you believe in signs? I do.
Last week I listened to a Q and A with Steven Pressfield (The War of Art, The Legend of Bagger Vance) hosted by London Writers’ Salon. Among the many eye-opening topics discussed, one that stood out was resistance when pursuing creative endeavors, and how that resistance manifests. I wanted to learn more, so as soon as the talk ended, I went online and purchased Mr. Pressfield’s The War of Art.
An aside: One thing you should know about me is that, when it comes to non-fiction, I always check to see if the author has narrated the book online. If so, that is how I will take it in. Rather than hearing my own voice in my head, I prefer to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth. (Bonus: I can listen in the shower.) Happily, Pressfield has read his book online, so…
Very early on in the book, Pressfield brings up an example of a woman who finds out she is terminally ill and has very little time left. Suddenly, she is doing those things that she has always dreamed of doing, things she would not have done otherwise. The kicker: once she is fully immersed in doing all of these wonderful things, she finds out that her illness has taken a turn, and she is going to live. Pressfield poses the question, and I’m paraphrasing, here, “What would you do with your life if you knew you were dying?”
We’ve all heard that question, and maybe have even answered it in our minds. And then we let it go. And we didn’t do the things.
Well, on the heels of listening to The War of Art, I received an email from the lovely Kathryn Koromilas at The Stoic Salon stating that time was running out to sign up for 28 Days of Joyful Death Writing, the goal being to learn how to value each moment of your day. In the email Kathryn wrote that “the thought of imminent death…transforms our way of acting in a radical way, forcing us to become aware of the infinite value of each instant.”
Okay…the Universe doesn’t need to hit me over the head. It all ties in, doesn’t it? I mean, you can see it too, right? So, I responded to the email, and I’m in.
My hope for joyful death writing is to find even more clarity on what is important. Moreover, I need a little encouragement to let go of what isn’t of the utmost importance.
This endeavor has been brewing within me for a while. At the beginning of this year, I pinned one of my favorite quotes to my vision/mood board:
“It is not the daily increase, but the daily decrease, hack away at the unessential. The closer to the source, the less wastage there is.” – Bruce Lee
I even have a pouch by my desk that collects the daily decrease:
I do feel like I’ve gotten clearer and more focused in these past months, but there is always more to learn, and more of the unessential to hack away at. Joyful Death Writing starts tomorrow, so, this note is to be continued…
Happy weekend!
That pouch is beautiful and genius!
Also, I did Joyful Death Writing last year and it was transformative to say the least. I let the practice slide after the 28 days, so am thrilled to be taking it again, and getting back to that state of mind. I am delighted it will be alongside you. Happy writing and reflecting xx
You can never go wrong with a Bruce Lee quote. He was such a wise human. I cherish his books. And more in more in life, I am recognizing what is important to my life and what should be released.