Gosh, wouldn’t that be nice? A writing space as beautiful as this?

My writing space is my desk, crammed into the corner of my living room, covered with piles of my kid’s school papers, bills to pay, and books I am reading or intend to read.

Great, eh?

Which means I actually write while sitting at my kitchen table. Which isn’t bad. It is a beautiful, over 100 year old wooden table which could write novels based upon its own history. Maybe that should be my next book, Stories from my Kitchen Table.

More than anything, the challenge with writing is finding the time, just like it is for everyone who wants to _________; exercise, diet, complete XYZ, participate in ABC hobby, practice their instrument, paint, research…I could go on and on.

Raising two children, especially in the summer, when your spouse lives/works overseas and you have no family nearby is challenging. I’m not saying it cannot be done but everyday is full. Our house is small and messes grow like bamboo, fast and furious. When my surroundings are chaos, my brain is chaos.
So I clean and pick-up throughout the entire day.And prepare three meals for three people, do laundry, wash dishes, clean the house, entertain, pick up some more, run errands, do odd jobs for the hubby, water plants, weed, and try to find 20-30 minutes somewhere in the day for myself.
Somedays just to sit.
Others to read.
Sometimes I find an hour or two and somedays, like today, finding 2 minutes is like looking for your contact which just fell off out of your eye and into the ocean. Damn near impossible. You just stand there and watch the waves carry it away…

For anyone who is artistic and needs to find more time in their life (notice I don’t even mention in your day because sometimes, completing things we want  just ‘ain’t gonna happen daily) I offer this:  After you wake up in the morning – before breakfast, or right after you wake up, or before your kids / spouse / pets vie for your time, and before you even get ready for the day – take 7 minutes, sit somewhere (outside is where I prefer) and just breathe.

I like to sit outside and listen to the birds and watch them flit among the trees. I watch my neighbors chickens clucking around the yard, eating breakfast. I watch the cows across the way stroll through the pasture and feed. I sip some coffee / tea.  I feel the breeze lift my hair.  I feel my heart rate slow and my blood pressure drop and I don’t think about anything. I just am. In those few minutes, I just sit.

Something about those 7 minutes makes my day easier. Better. I accomplish more. I’m happier.

And why not 5 minutes? Too short.

And why not 10 minutes? Perfect, but if you don’t even have 10, go for 7.  It’s a good number.

So, sometime tomorrow morning we’ll meet outside, you and me, with our cups, still in our pjs, and sit. And breathe.

It’ll be the best 7 minutes of your day because it will make all of the other minutes more powerful. And you’ll find you use your day with more clarity, more intention, AND how you need and want.

See you then.