At this week’s webinar, writers explored their inner writerliness through words, images, and stories that revealed where they are right now in their writing lives. Many writers feel disconnected from the very thing they love most amid busy schedules, a constant barrage of interruptions, and a persistent hum of uncertainty in a chaotic and dangerous world. It was important to acknowledge that writing is possible, but the old ways of scheduling and producing no longer work.
We warmed up with gentle stretching, deep breaths, and the Self-Acknowledgment Hug. I then asked everyone to think of an image that reflected their current relationship with writing. The images that surfaced were insightful and varied.
I’m sharing Beth’s story here, inspired by an image of the popular cartoon hero Elasti-Girl and the word flexibility.
I wake up, rise out of bed, and go through my morning routine. I pick up my day planner, and the list of meetings is long, and the to-do list is even longer. But suddenly I morph into the mom who can stretch: Elasti-Girl! I complete all tasks easily. I can stretch, grab my pen and notebook, and go with the flow!
But then I realize I should be flexible in more ways than one. My own story centered around two words: Rebellion and Freedom.
Freedom is what I want—but freedom from what, or freedom to what?Freedom to receive. I believe the universe is always sending me opportunities for help.
I was out walking on the street, dropped an earring in the snow, and someone came running after me saying, “Here’s your earring.” Amazing. And yet I block myself because of my inner guardian. My sentry wants me to be safe, and to do that, they keep me small.
Two stories, both very different, yet each sheds light on aspects that challenge a structured writing life: rigidity and self-protection. This awareness of our blocks is powerful. But it’s only the beginning.
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TheNext Webinar: Writing in the ‘New Normal’
In our next webinar, we’ll move from insight into practice. Together, we’ll explore practical, realistic ways to support your writing life, without forcing schedules that no longer fit or productivity rules that create pressure.
I hope each of you will join us on Tuesday, February 10. I look forward to continuing this conversation with you.
Here’s to your personal success, Professor Marilyn Horowitz
Listen Now! New Podcast Episode Just Released
I was honored to be the guest of Phoebe and Off the Shelf Podcast, where I was able to share about my latest novel, Bad Girl Pie, and my writing. Check it out here. *Other podcast selections on a variety of topics are available in the Resources tab on my website.
Check out what readers are saying on Substack!
I write for clarity and vision, and I hope my Substack installments offer the same to readers. Subscribing to my Substack is free, and I think you’ll find the articles insightful and thought-provoking. Occasionally, a reader’s response captures the heart of the work so precisely that it feels worth sharing:
“Brilliant framing of the crash dummy metaphor, really clarifies something I’ve felt but couldn’t name. The distinction between absorbing impact versus choosing direction is kinda huge, because most therapy just tries to fix the dummy rather than recognize it for what it is. I remember feeling this exact paralysis when trying to make big life decisions last year. Once the body learns bracing is identity, everything becomes threat mitigation instead of actual living.”
There’s an old idea in Eastern movement practices that the body has five gates. When these gates are gently moved and kept open, the body remains flexible, fluid, and responsive. When they close, the body stiffens, pain increases, and movement becomes restricted…Nothing dramatic happens when you do this work correctly.
You don’t feel pushed. You don’t feel stretched beyond your limits. You simply notice that movement returns where it had quietly disappeared.
What struck me recently is that the Beyond Happiness Method works in exactly the same way, but at a different level.
Offering a unique creativity-and-time-management technique, Word of the Day is a practice that assists writers to create at will, write as much as they want, and acquire accurate self-acknowledgement in the process. Order here.
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