Write The Story Only You Can Write

I truly believe we all have important stories living inside us that only we can write. Each of us experience this thing called life in a wholly unique way, and unless we take the time to examine and express it, it goes unknown and unacknowledged, sometimes even to our own selves.

To me, that is a travesty because I believe our stories are our most valuable resource. Our stories hold the key to our growth and ultimate satisfaction in life. In fact, sometimes our stories hold the key to other people's growth and satisfaction. So what stops us from writing/sharing them?

For some, it's that they are literally drowning in their own depth and desire to express. They feel overwhelmed by their own thoughts/ideas and have trouble knowing where to even start. They are all passion and no process, and any kind of deadlines or structure, even self imposed ones, send them into a mental tail spin. They've never been able to effectively and concisely express what's in their heart, and deep down aren't convinced they will ever be able to, and so they give up before they start. Decide it's impossible. Not in the cards for them.

For others, deep down they are actually scared of their own stories, and unsure about their ability and/or willingness to express them. They censor even their own thoughts, so words on a page never stand a chance. And they may have fear that if they allow themselves to dive into the process of writing their story that it would throw their whole world out of whack. That they'll become too isolated. Too emotional. Too weird. Too exposed. They'll hurt other people or themselves. And so they settle for the perpetual excuse that now is just not "the right time". Maybe some day. But too often, "some day" never comes.

For others, they already know full well the power of expressing their stories. They're brilliant at it, but only in fits and starts. They just can't seem to create the day to day self discipline needed to make finishing, and then sharing with others, a reality. Their writing is wholly unpredictable and mood oriented. And if they're honest, they spend more time beating themselves up about not writing, than they actually do writing. They live in a perpetual state of arrested development, with many projects started, but unfinished. And any aspirations of being a professional writer, lack the courage of their own convictions, because of a very real fear they'd never be able to deliver consistently under the pressure of a publisher or producer's timelines and scrutiny.

I have experienced every last one of these fears/saboteurs, in large doses, and can tell you now, with certainty, that it doesn't have to be that way.

It's true that writing is an incredibly challenging art form that can take years and years to develop mastery over, and that the mental chatter that gets in the way can feel like an impossible mountain to climb. But that doesn't mean it is impossible or that the process has to be painful. This whole "doomed to be a tortured artist" thing is a bunch of bull.

The pain doesn't come from trying to write our stories, the pain comes from our ridiculous expectations about how it's all supposed to go, the need to be perfect right out of the gates, and this idea that we have to do everything on our own.

I'll tell you right now, from stubborn-headed experience, you can't do it on your own, so don't waste time trying. The creative process is messier and requires more meandering, risk-taking mistakes than our super-charged, results-obsessed world prepares us to tolerate. Which is why it often takes a lot of training, coaching and community to learn how to fight against the natural instinct to prematurely lock our stories down. And to get practiced at getting comfortable with the uncomfortableness inherent when trying to bring forth your originality.

It's for all these reasons that I created Loving The Process. Loving The Process is an online (and sometimes in person) writing community that understands the writer's mind. It knows the unique fears and struggles of writers (of all levels) and helps them transcend their saboteurs by offering a structure and a process that feels more like highly organized, and intentional, play time with friends.

Loving The Process gives writers the chance/permission to experience, potentially for the first time, what slowing down and settling deep into the process feels like. All that is required of LTP writers is to keep showing up, and opening up, to their trainings and group coaching calls and they will progress in both their abilities and their final product.

The ultimate goal being that once writers discover this brand of balance, yet forward progression, they will forever be able to duplicate it on their own. They will learn to genuinely love the process (and therefore their creative life). And those richer and more layered books/scripts they can now consistently deliver, will feel like the gravy.

Last but certainly not least, being a part of the Loving the Process community ensures writers are not alone. Not creating in a vacuum. It ensures that by the time they are ready to bring their creative babies out into the larger world, that they have built an incredible network of fellow creatives who know and love them, and whom they can lean into as they spread their wings to fly into the, often times, vulnerable land of self-promotion and sharing with others.

If you know its past time to write that story only you can write, and want to give yourself the gift of full support while you do it, get on Holly's calendar by clicking HERE and together you can chat about which, if any, program might be the best fit for you.

We've already got an incredible community forming. All you have to do is come JOIN IT.