The concept of Conscious Living suggests that stress and tension are not created by the events we face in life, but when we avoid dealing with them. When you avoid choosing, tension increases. Stress reaches its peak when our avoidance of choice means we also avoid taking action.

Conscious Living focuses on our personal lives and relationships, but our relationship with our creative self can be just as complicated. Is there an aspect of your writing or creative practice that is creating tension or stress right now? Are you avoiding choices and actions?

We don’t usually think of our creative practice as a relationship, but our writing is a commitment. We devote time and mental energy to it. And it doesn’t always respond the way we’d like. When this happens, we have to compromise and adjust our approach.

What might some of our conflicts be?

Are you stubbornly holding on to writing time, even though other aspects of life need your attention right now? Perhaps you have the opposite problem, and you have outside distractions you’re not willing to give up in favor of more creative time. Are you tackling a big research project but don’t know where to start? Do you have a conflict with your writing group that you’re afraid to broach? Do you have a great idea for a story but are resisting working on it? Are you afraid to abandon a project that isn’t working?

If some element of your writing practice is causing you stress, take some time today to reflect on it and deal with it. As a first step, simply accept the situation as reality, just as it is, even if it’s not optimal. Practice saying, “This is how it is for now.”

When you accept reality, the choices and changes you need to make will become clearer.