Writing isn’t hard. Writing is easy.  I’m doing it right now for this blog post.

It’s idea-generation that’s the challenge.

How do you take our over-committed, multi-tasking brains and clear the deluge of thoughts in order to open up creativity?

How many times have you sat down to write, and instead wound up with a grocery list, a plan for cleaning your closet, and a to-do list that included calling an old friend and vacuuming the couch (do people in normal houses really vacuum the couch)?  Technically, you did write something, but chances are you were hoping for something a step above list-making.

Creativity can’t be forced.  It’s a piece of your soul you need to tap in to on a regular basis.

Maurice Sendak knew creativity.

While others were going through the motions of life, he was observing and creating.  The rest of the world was checking another thing off their lists, and he was thinking.  It’s been said that the characters in Where The Wild Things Are were based on his relatives. (I once mentioned that to my aunt, and she laughingly said “What are you trying to tell me?”)

 Are you too busy trying to check off your list to allow yourself to take in the world right in front of you?  It’s not about dedicating time to creativity.  It’s setting aside the task-oriented world and allowing yourself to see things with new eyes.  Try it.

And don’t worry about the crusty gym socks under the recliner…they just may be the trigger to your next creative idea.

 

 Kathy Sell is a soon-to-be published author and CEO of BooksAndBananas. 

\”I LOVE reading to my adorable toddler. Sometimes bedtime can be rushed, and we only get in a short calming type of story. But come weekend mornings, and we have all the time in the world! For the past year, when he wakes up on a weekend morning he crawls into bed with me and says \”momma…let\’s have books and \’nanas!\” And we do.
My wish is for you to do the same. Pause the craziness. Ignore the electronics temptation. Ground your weekend by starting the morning with a cuddle and a story or ten.\”