Something cool has happened over the last year for me. I've maintained a great writing practice while incorporating new hobbies and habits in my life.
I started running this year in addition to strength training and it has changed a lot for me. Running has helped me reach my health and physical fitness goals. But it has also helped me fortify and strengthen my writing life.
Moving my body and challenging myself physically has taught me so many things that directly apply to writing.
- Do What You Can - Some days my body/mind aren't with the program. When this happens I simply tell myself 'Do what you can' today. Move your body in the ways that feel right. A little challenge is better than not showing up. Write a couple of sentences instead of forcing a paragraph, rock with the vibes instead of letting the anxiety of "getting it right" take over.
- Be Present - When I'm running I take in how my body feels, what's going on around me, the privilege and joy of being able to do what I'm doing. I bring that to my writing now. It's a privilege to be able to pen thoughts for characters or infuse a place with feeling.
- It's Practice Not a Performance - I'm seriously conditioning my body when I run. I'm practicing so being perfect isn't the goal. The same applies to writing. I'm exploring how to express an idea, how to relay humor, how to convey a message. It doesn't have to be perfect. I can revise it later.
- Failure is Part of the Process - Training for my recent 10k there were days on the treadmill that felt so unbelievably hard. I didn't always reach my time or distance goals, but the day of my race I completed everything I set out to do. Without the failure I wouldn't have been able to gauge where to adjust. In writing failures can be not finishing a chapter when you want, needing to change the POV or re-evaluate character's motivation. Well, it might feel like a failure, but it is the part of refining and making the story the best it can be.
Getting physically stronger and better able to handle endurance training has shifted my perspective in so many ways. I love how much stronger my writing has become because of it. What non-writing hobbies/activities have helped you grow your writing? And how? Leave a comment and let me know.
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