You're not alone
We all have a "Monkey Mind"
Hello everyone! I am back at my home in Bir after 10 days of hectic travel across Bir - Delhi - Jaipur - Dehradun - Delhi and now back to Bir.
While writing this, I realised that I travelled via bus everywhere in the past few days of being on the road. Yesterday upon reaching home, I collapsed out of fatigue and woke up mid-noon. To say that the past few days were hectic would be an understatement.
Well, stressing about this is important since travel is often seen through a lens of glamour. To those who might not have travelled enough, this might feel like a dream life but I can confidently say that it’s tiring, exhausting and hallucinating, to say the least. I tell this to myself too as I feel envious of people who get to fly internationally for work.
Anyway, continuing what I left midway in the last newsletter:
“The conclusion is when you’re creating, keep your mind aside. How to do it? Well, let's explore it in the next newsletter.”
There’s a fair chance that most of you wouldn’t have remembered this but well, I am a man of my word (mostly) so here it goes.
To keep your mind aside while you sit to create -
Remind yourself that it’s not unusual for your mind to act that way. It’s literally its only job - to think!
Also, know that you’re not alone. Everyone’s mind is like that. Everyone faces trouble before they start to create. Very few reach the desk battling the thoughts in their head.
So if you’re already next to your notebook, instrument, easel, crochet set, stage, blank paper etc know that you are already through half the struggle.
Now, I suggest you do 5-10 minutes of morning pages. Morning Pages is basically journalling but without introspection and thinking. We all know what thinking leads to! Write for 5-10 minutes by setting a timer on your phone and don’t stop until the time is up. Write anything and everything and don’t try to make sense. Just write and get it out of your system.
Then, after morning pages what I like to do is observe a minute of silence to just give my mind and body a small break. It really helps to feel grounded and arrived.
Lastly, put on a Pomodoro playlist if your work allows for that. As a writer, I have benefitted a lot from these playlists.
I hope that these tips will help you get started on your creative journey. If you face trouble even after doing these steps, please write back to me and we will together think of a solution! I would love to be of use :)
I arrived home yesterday and I realised that even though my body was in Bir, my mind was all over the place. Even today, I found myself feeling lost, tired and a bit anxious throughout the day.
Reason? I couldn’t think of any. However, I realised that after travelling so much and now coming back to so much work, it was only natural for my mind to feel everything I was feeling.
It was a funny day today, very sunny till noon, then it started to rain heavily and again just around sunset, it got sunny again. Well, the weather outside reflected the weather within. If the weather can dance so much, it is only fair for my emotions to do the same!
In the evening, I went for a walk. Initially, I had gone to the terrace where I usually go during sunset but then I felt like walking away a bit from home so I stepped down to walk around the neighbourhood.
There is an uphill trail right next to my house which I have ignored since I moved here. I always thought that since it’s right here, I would explore it some other day. When ‘Some other day’ didn’t come in the past 100 days of living in Bir, I realised it was time to explore it.
It becomes narrow and lonely as one climbs. Later, it opens up to 2-3 narrower trails. I took the one leading towards the setting sunrays and I landed up here.
My feelings were put to ease partly because of the view and partly because of the excitement of finding something so beautiful so close to my home. I will surely hang around here more often!
Last week, I couldn’t conduct the weekly writing space so as promised this week, I am holding two spaces!
Weekly writing space - 6th Week
To know more about the space and if it’s for you, check out the link above or email me. You may even comment on this post. Hope to see some of you there!
Personal Branding Mastery - 5th May - Read more about it here. It’s my first time conducting a workshop. I am half nervous, half excited. If this topic calls out to you, do join! Again, comment or email me if there are any doubts.
As a feature of all my newsletters, I will be sharing one song, one book, one plant-based meal, one film/video that inspired me, and some photographic updates from my life.
I started reading ‘ठीक तुम्हारे पीछे’ by Manav Kaul. I am still reading Quiet, Bird by Bird and Masala Lab on the side!
Since I wasn’t at home the past week, I couldn’t cook much. Still, I managed to make 3 meals! The highlight however was a plate of Sev Batata Puri (my fav snack) that my mother made for me.
I re-watched this amazing TED talk by my hero and creativity guru Austin Kleon.
I have been listening to Khoya by Rovalio & Akshath.
Lastly, here’s a photograph I took of a very beautiful tree I came across in Delhi.
Thank you for your time! If you like what I share, do share it with your friends and family. Hope to see you in one of the spaces I am facilitating this week.
Hope your week was fine too! Wishing good health and lots of love to everyone. Have a lovely week ahead :)