Start as You Mean to Go On

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I love the energy of new beginnings and feel deeply inspired by the alpha source out of which everything arises. It draws me ever more deeply into presence where the unknown becomes known and confusion melts into clarity.

Whether it’s a new blog, chapter or course, each time I start a new creative project it’s like the joy of opening a brand new journal and writing the date neatly on the very first page.

It doesn’t matter that the writing becomes increasingly wild as I subsequently immerse myself in the freedom of creative flow. The clear starting point sets the scene for all that is to come and the sense of unlimited potential is almost tangible.

The Blank Page

Like many writers I usually take several deep breaths – literally and metaphorically – when facing the blank page.

Yet the impulse to create courses through my veins as the magic and mystery of creating something worthwhile from the apparent nothing inspires me to feel the stretch and do the work anyway.

After endless repetitions of showing up to face the emptiness, I’ve discovered that how you’re feeling and specifically what state of consciousness you’re in when you start anything new determines your experience as well as the outcome.

Expansion and Contraction

When you’re in a positive mood, for example, you’re naturally in an open-hearted and expansive state which research has shown to boost your creative potential.

When you’re feeling down, your body, mind and emotions tend to contract so it becomes harder for creativity to flow through you.

It’s not that you can’t write or create anything when your mood is low.  Of course you can. Yet there’s a different quality to what comes from this kind of emotional state.

Cultivate Awareness

One of the defining features of Conscious Writing is to cultivate awareness of where you’re coming from when you do your creative work. Who you are (and who you become in the process) is just as important as what you write!

Making it a priority to start with some kind of inner preparation ensures that you’re in the most aligned, present and connected state possible for authentic expression to pour through you onto the page.

This is how to harness the true power and potential of the first phase of the creative cycle, even if you simply pause to take three conscious breaths before you begin.

Start as You Mean to Go On

The ‘start as you mean to go on’ principle can be applied at many different levels.

Each breath you take can be an opportunity for a fresh start when you’re awake and alert.

Certainly each time you sit down to write, pausing for a few minutes or more to release your everyday fears and drop into a deep space of authentic truth is an ideal way to begin.

I’ve also discovered that starting most days with a conscious and creative practice of some kind has an enormously beneficial effect not just on my creative work but on my whole experience of life.

Find Your Own Rhythm

This has become a principle I teach to all Conscious Writers with the recommendation for everyone to find their own rhythm.

For example, I expand or contract the time and details depending on how I’m feeling in the moment. Yet even a short, simple practice leaves me feeling aligned with the infinite and creatively alive.

So I’d love to take this opportunity to inspire you to create or recommit to your own version of starting your day the way you mean to go on.

Here are three things I do to start my day as examples to inspire you to explore what works best for you:

1. Refresh: I started drinking a cup of hot water with a big squeeze of fresh lemon first thing in the morning when I did my first proper detox years ago. I’ve consciously chosen to continue ever since because it’s such a great way to wake up fully and feel refreshed. If hot water and lemon doesn’t appeal, experiment with a fresh juice or a smoothie to benefit from the same effect.
2. Move: conscious movement is another cornerstone of my regular practice to stretch, energize and inhabit my body fully. Research shows a direct connection between physical movement and increased creativity, and I teach this as an integral part of Conscious Writing. My personal favourites include yoga, dancing and walking but any movement done mindfully works well.
3. Meditate: meditation is the anchor that supports me to be awake, aware and avoid becoming lost in the story of everyday life. Whether or not meditation feels right for you at this time, even a few minutes of mindful breathing done regularly will shift your perspective and clear the way for you to express yourself creatively and authentically in the world.

I’d love to hear your reaction to the ‘start as you mean to go on’ principle. What’s your favourite way to start the day? How do you begin your creative work? Please share your comments below.