About writing
Perhaps you noticed that last week, I did not post anything. It was the first time in months that a week has slipped passed me. I found that this in itself was a little distressing; normally the story ideas flow through my mind and I simply have to wait for the next one to come along. Last week however, they never came.
To give you an idea of what this feels like for me, imagine you are waiting at a bus stop. It’s cold, raining, windy and you didn’t bring a jumper. You have to catch the bus to meet someone at a particular time and, in spite of the blizzard conditions, it never shows. At first you are worried the person will be kept waiting. Then you doubt whether there was going to be a bus at all. Then you get angry.
The common thread here is that none of those emotions help when you are waiting for a bus, and neither do they work when I am hoping for a story idea to present itself.
So, I spent the weekend doing a large amount of not very much. The result has been that I have been smiling more this week and yesterday, the stories returned. It is a blissful feeling when my imagination kicks in. It’s not the first time it has taken a break and it (sadly) is unlikely to be the last.
But the absence of my creative mind made me think; exactly what role do happy thoughts, or positive emotions play on the wellbeing of my writing? And if it is a lot, which I highly suspect, then can holidays be a tax deduction for any future earnings I might receive from the written word?
What are your experiences of the not-so-good times? And any tax advice in this matter would also be appreciated.
jennicurry 
In my not so good times I put on yoga pants and a tank top and camp out snuggled in my bad with some fur babies until I finally feel better.
Yoga definitely features in my life when things get tough. Why do we need reminders to breathe and stretch?
Because we have WAY too much on our minds. Breathing and stretching usually don’t make it to the top as often as we’d like.
Hi Jenni! I think being kind to yourself and accepting the off days is a skill developed over time – just as turning up and doing the work is. It’s great when you have even a little trust that the creative thoughts will return.
Hi Jenni – great insight. It’s only through experience have I gotten better at understanding the ebb and flow of my emotions and how these will impact my writing and desire to be creative. Life has taught me to put action to thought and if I can at least commit to that – for writing and being creative it’s about getting my ideas out of my head and onto paper – I feel a high degree of personal integrity and confidence that while today might not be such a productive day, I’ve had productive days and know how to get the most from them.
The general consensus seems to be that we have to be kind to ourselves and not expect every day to be the same. On the positive side, if every day was the same we would probably get bored!