The Unifying Lessons of Fiction

I feel blessed that I can do a variety of writing styles.  For a living, I write for business.  Marketing, technical, and content.  Which is, if I may say so myself, a nice range.

But I also really love writing from my heart for this Blog and some of my other projects like the book I’m working on called “Love Letters From Your Soul.”  I hope someday to publish a commercial personal/spiritual growth book.

Fiction probably brings me the most joy and delight.  I love to write rock fiction, or what I like to refer to as romance and passion in the exciting (and now relatively extinct) music business.  With, I always hope, a bit of growth mixed in.

I have to admit, more often than not, I am reading a spiritual/personal growth book.  I do get  into fiction now and again, though. I count myself as a Harry Potter devotee.  And I can gobble up books on Arthurian legend.  Not averse to a good cozy mystery either.  I have seen more than my share of movies and amazing films.  Soap operas have been my secret pleasure for years.  And am proud to count many fine story tellers among my close friends.  So I do know a thing or two about story.

For many years I held the notion that nonfiction expands and fiction is merely an escape.  But I am changing my mind about that.  I’m coming to see that fiction plays an important role in our growth as human beings.

Fiction, when done right, gives an intimate views into the minds and hearts of others.  We feel a connection with well crafted characters.  We see parts of ourselves acting through the story. And parts of others we know.  We may not like them all, but we can come to understand a little more about why they do the things they do. Good fiction makes clear the character’s motivation.  If you don’t buy that you’re unlikely to enjoy the story.  It’s like Science Fiction:  If they give you a good basis for belief, you will follow a good writer just about anywhere out there.

It is a study in understanding.  In the best cases, it can open us up to the experience of being the same. Seeing how we all share the same DNA and our motivated by many of the same things.  Even someone who appears to lead a live very different from ours.  It creates bridges into other worlds.  And has done so long before the Internet.

Story is a very powerful tool for learning, history, growth and motivation.  At the heart of all stories is a person, an entity, a living, breathing creature.  Relationship and struggle are the playthings of story, reflecting life as we know it.

At its best good fiction gives us a view of oneness. It talks of unity and how we are all the same.  The more we can feel that the better for all of us (for the one of us.)

Just One Good Reason

Sometimes it’s all you need.   One good reason can give just the motivation you need to get things done.  Especially things that are a stretch.  One good reason can help you get over some obstacles.  It can set you up with a strong intention which will pull you through.  That reason can make obstacles seem scalable.

One Good Reason can also come in handy when you come up against resistance.  Before you say no, see if you can devise one good reason why you shouldn’t do it.  Often you will find you don’t have even one that’s enough to skip it.  So maybe you can move ahead and do it anyway.

Or you might find a good reason to say no thanks or not right now.  This can not only buy you some time, but give you useful information as well.  What is that reason?  Can you fix it?  Do something about it?

One Good Reason can help you do things you never dreamed possible.  One reason at a time.

Dancing This Way or That

I know this ~

The Universe will bring me all that I need
Guidance
Re-Direction
Pause
Or Motivation

So I can just Keep Making Choices for
Following My Dream
        Taking Good Care of Myself
            Connecting with Inspiring People

Don’t Give Up.            Stay.

I can refocus, change my position, turn another way, try something new or  continue on the same path.

I Know What I Choose
I Know What I Need
I Know How to Visualize, Plan and Take Action Steps

All I have to do is just keep putting one foot in front of the other
 Shift my weight
        Dance this way or that
            Sit and Meditate on it
                Dream it again, Write it over
That’s fine!

Just keep

Picking up my foot in the present moment

And putting it on the ground in the next.

Repeat – 1, 2, 1,2, 1,2

What’s In It For Me?

I’ve been reading Neale Donald Walsch’s “Conversations with God for Teens.” Teens are my latest passion since I’m writing a book for teenage girls. 

In Neale’s book, the teens get to ask God questions. One of them wondered why he had to do things like watch his younger sibling.  “Yuck,” the teen said. “Who wants to do that?”  God asked the teen to figure out what’s in it for him.

What an amazing concept!  What’s in it for me?  You’d think that’s a recipe for disaster. Especially with a teenager.  But God played it out so it made sense.

God asked if there was something the kid wanted to do, like go on a trip or be able to participate in something special.  If he was to babysit for the younger brother, he would show his parents how responsible he could be.  This would come in handy when he needed to negotiate for what he wanted later.

 Wow!  All of a sudden the teen had a compelling reason to do what’s asked of him. Old school might say he needs to do it simply because he was asked to.  My mother would say I needed to do it because she “said so.”  That doesn’t put me in a very receptive mood.  “Okay, I’ll babysit my younger brother,” I say, “but only because I have to.”  The whole time I’m likely to be resenting it and getting angry at my little brother and my mother for forcing me into it.  I might even be distracted and let my brother get into trouble.

But the boy in the book found a Reason to do it, a spot in his heart where he was willing. He could see what was in it for him. He’ll probably have a much nicer time babysitting and do a far better job.

What’s in it for me does not preclude what’s in it for you. It only gives me that juicy center which offers energy and motivation. Rather than getting bogged down with resentment and anger, I can move forward with joy, excitement and a willing heart.

Motivation Shake

There are several ingredients you can use for a Motivation Shake.  Have-to certainly gets one going.  Money can be a tasty ingredient, in moderation.  A compelling reason like children might well motivate as well.  Pressure or nagging have been known to get  a body going.

There are a lot more interesting ingredients you can use.  Choosing any two or more of these can make for a powerful cocktail that will not only get you going, but keep you on the path, long after some of the previously mentioned motivations have burned out.

Being inspired is a wonderful mother dough if you’ve got one.  Add a little excitement and curiosity and you are cooking on all cylinders. Joy and delight can produce a good steady flavor.

Overflowing passion – doing it for love – can carry most of us a long way.

Collaboration and Community can keep you moving steadily forward.  Purpose and Commitment can take you to the finish line.

Look around for these ingredients.  See where you can create more.  Pick them up like a perfectly colored leaf, a shiny stone or a fallen blossom.  As you come upon them.  As you find them around you.  Mix up your own shake using these warm and wonderful choices.