My Favorite B Words

      I love words as does any writer. However, I have some words that are my absolute favorites, either because of how they sound when I say them, the feeling or picture they produce, or what they intuitively mean to me. 

     Today I thought I would share my three most favorite B words. These three words pretty much govern my philosophy of life. They provide a paradigm that I live by. Interestingly, I think they also apply to the writing life.

      Believe  A belief in yourself, a belief in the benevolence of others, and a belief that there is something larger than all of us. I'm not sure the specifics of what that is is as important as the belief that we are part of something greater, part of a power that governs the universe in which all living things play a vital role.

      Balance  Living and growing is a chaotic process. When we are in balance we see things clearer and make better choices. Our daily choices of how we spend our time are rarely between good and bad. They are about balancing our precious time between our families, our work and ourselves.

     Be     This is the hardest of the three. This is the word that tells us to slow down, stop and listen. To be is about learning to accept ourselves. Being allows us to stop the treadmill in order to hear our better self and appreciate who we are. It is about enjoying the moment. Being present in our lives.  

What are your favorite words?

On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!

     There is a sophisticated difference between sprinters and long distance runners. Their minds and bodies work differently together. While distance runners have a timed release of their energy, sprinters are able to bring all their energy into play in one great explosion on the track. Is one more valuable than the other? Of course not, when they finish successfully they are equally admired and rewarded. As writers, we also have different ways of getting our minds out onto the page.

     At the beginning, we start at the very same point. We get an idea and the sparks light up our brain, audio characters speak to us, visuals flood our mind and we are forced to spill it out onto the page. This is where we split into the pantsers and the plotters, the quick speed spiller or the slow thoughtful plodder. There are probably several degrees in between. Does it matter? Probably not. I believe however, we can learn a lot from one another and that is why blogging is such a valuable tool for us as writers.

     The valuable information, support and creative problem solving is incredible. What an exceptional resource we have as a writing community. For me, as I write alone in my office or in a cafe, I never feel alone. I feel that I have a group of cheerleaders urging me on and helping me to the finish!

Have you found that blogging has contributed to your success as a writer?