The Power of Commitment and Practice

Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness concerning all acts of initiative and creation. There is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans; that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen events, meetings and material assistance which no one could have dreamed would have come their way. I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe's couplets: "Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now!" - W.H. Murray The Scottish Himalayan Expedition

Whether its for writing, meditation, exercise, or anything you want to do but feel resistance to, establishing a practice can help you move forward in magical ways. It signals to the universe that you are committed. Having a practice means that you show up every day, no matter what. You are going to want to release all expectations of outcome or where you think you want things to go. It doesn't matter how good you are or what you accomplish or what happens with the practice. You sit down to meditate and your mind goes wild with chatter the entire time, that's fine. You show up to write and find yourself whining on the page, that's okay. The point is to show up and practice.

A lot of things are happening when you show up consistently to something. You begin to forge the neural nets in your brain needed for the task and strengthen them so that whatever you are committed to actually becomes easier to do and you are able to increase our level of skill. In writing your subconscious mind is working 24/7 on whatever you give it to focus on, so showing up everyday allows you to access new insights and ideas arising from your expanded mind.

You commit and take the action. The universe responds in kind, to the power of your willingness and the force your commitment. Free from expecting that you need to accomplish something, you relax and open up to allowing. In this receptive state, the your subconscious mind aligns with the workings of the Universe and you find support, synchronicities and inspired ideas coming to you.

Establishing a practice helps you move beyond any resistance that has been in the way. When you release the need for instant gratification you slip into a sense of satisfaction from the simple act of showing up for yourself. You learn to find joy in the practice itself and this allows you to expand your creative capacity.

To begin, start small. When I coach writers who are having a hard time showing up, I ask them at first to commit to writing ten minutes a day. This helps you cross the threshold of resistance and move past the associated voice that tells you that you don't have enough time. Once you have established the habit of showing up you will find things flowing with greater ease.

Engaging the Arts Helps Us to Thrive

by Suzanne Murray

I’ve long known that being creative has increased my sense of well being and satisfaction with my life dramatically. I have also seen this in the people I’ve worked with in my writing classes and creativity coaching over the years. Now I am reading fascinating book titled Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross that documents research showing how much this can be true for everyone.

Out this year, the book draws on cutting edge neuroscience and medical research to provide a wealth of information and insights on how engaging with the arts offers tremendous benefits to our physical, mental and emotional well being. This includes our appreciation of the arts, like visiting a museum or attending a concert, as well as our personal creation of art.

This relationship to the arts doesn’t have to be complicated or take a lot of time for us to feel the affects. You don’t have to be “good” at it. The authors site that “just twenty minutes of doodling or humming” reduces stress and improves our physical and mental state. Using a very broad definition of the arts there are countless ways for us to reap the rewards including music, singing, dance, movement, theater, poetry, writing, pottery, gardening, cooking, mask making, painting, collage and drawing.

Neuroscience shows that we are actually wired for the arts. We now know that our brains have the capacity to physically rewire and create new pathways in response to environmental stimulation throughout the whole of our lives. Being creative, as well as appreciating the arts, provide new experiences and an enriched environment that are good for the brain.

I’m only a third of the way through the book but wanted to share just how much evidence they show for the importance of engaging the arts in our lives. Creativity offers tools that can help us in these challenging times. A few examples of the research results include: In working with the arts our physical health improves including increased longevity; there are successes in dealing with pain; teens who read, even comic books, are less likely to get involved with drugs; the arts help mental health professionals get to the core of trauma to facilitate healing. It appears the arts are every bit as important to our well being as a good diet and exercise.

I think one of the reason engaging with the arts is so effective is that it brings us into the moment and satisfies some deeper part of our self. Like meditation, this relieves stress in the body and helps quiet the mind allowing us to feel connected to something larger than our everyday self. In this relaxation we can find a place to thrive.