Reader,
The other day, I woke up with this weird feeling like my body and mind were being pulled in two separate directions. It felt terrible. I couldn't even do my typical morning workout or journaling with coffee, which was a sign something was definitely off. So, I sat with this feeling and realized something HUGE: I had intentionally separated who I am as a writer from who Breathing Space Creative is.
Earlier this year, I decided to create a clear separation between my writing work and the writers I serve. I moved all my writing services to my author website and kept the coaching on the Breathing Space Creative site. At first, I felt bad about this, but then it hit me – this separation was necessary.
By separating everything, I had to spend intimate time with each aspect (like car parts) to fully understand how they work on their own before putting them back together in a unique way. It was like taking apart a car and examining each piece closely to see how they fit with my unique skill set. I needed to understand who I am as a coach, mentor, editor, writer, and business owner, and how they could all align with my superpower (deep listening & empathy) and philosophy (that craft alone won't save us). With that clarity, I put it all back together. The "bad feeling" lifted immediately. I slowed down, investigated, and moved into action.
Breathing Space Creative is a place for creatives where we prioritize mindset work, self-discovery, and creativity all at once. This is what sets us apart from any other writing or creative program. So why was I resisting that?
Initially, I was annoyed at myself for flip-flopping, but really, this was just another form of self-discovery – something that ties everything I do together. I've spent the last 11 years honing who I am as a writer, mentor, and editor. I spent four years creating and revamping the Forever Writers Club and just wrapped up an intensive coaching certification program to understand who I am as a coach.
It's only natural that after all that work, I can have clarity around how all the pieces fit. This was one helluva emotional revelation. I've FINALLY put the pieces back together in a way that's never been done before.
Why am I telling you this? Because looking at things this way can transform not only who you are but who you are becoming.
Next week, I want to share what I JUST discovered about how writing an insular hybrid memoir led me to craft fictional characters with ease. Stay tuned for that!
Reflective Question: When you fall off from routines, what can you do to instigate the data? What message is trying to get through?
Chelene
