Creativity and Milestones

I think I write about this time of year…every year. It means so many different things to me, I work in so many different ways during these Fall months.

I remember first and foremost, that time in my life when I left. I left my horrible, alcoholic double life that was my first marriage, and the next weekend moved away to begin a new life. I met friends that I carry with me today, I lived in places, saw weather, saw roadside attractions, and grew as a human in ways that I perhaps never would had I not taken that leap.

Every fall breeze, every carmel apple or candy corn, every beautiful colored leaf, every sound of a football game brings me back to the time in Goshen, Indiana, or Saginaw Michigan or Cincinnati, Ohio. And I smile.

There is power in these months for me. Call it what you will, creative juices, nesting, Scorpio magic, any or all of the above. I am recharged this time of year. I am on point. I am focused. Things are happy and the energy is flowing and I love life.

Since putting the final bow on our LTYM Retirement with the blog post, and closing that lid, I’ve been awaiting the next thing. What will it be? Will I audition for a show and try to get back onstage? Will I take a class, or join in the coloring craze that seems to be sweeping my newsfeed? I’ve been asking myself the big questions about life, career, location. I’ve been opening my heart in prayer, in silence, looking for that meaning that I so desperately want my life and my work to have.

I’ve been really still and quiet and tried not to force the ideas, just let them flow.

Yesterday, things clicked.

I was listening to the podcast Magic Lessons by Elizabeth Gilbert that is concurrent with her new book Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear. I’ve pre-ordered the book but just started listening to the podcast on my commute home last night. The first two episodes spoke to me so clearly about getting out of our own way, creatively. I related to several pieces and found myself nodding my head.

“yes. hmmmhmmmm. that’s so true.”

I’m sure I looked like an escapee of some sort to my fellow commuters.

As I got home, my routine to get into comfy clothes, organize dinner for humans and livestock, check my real life Facebook (as opposed to my work page that I manage) and a post from a friend caught my eye.

Life Writing Class. Flash Sale. 6 Weeks. Online.

And without knowing much of anything I clicked the button and signed up.

Things just sometimes fall into place, and that has happened enough in my life that I can see it when it happens and just say YES.

I don’t know what will come out of it. I have yet to have an urgency to tell my personal story, whatever it is. I look at this as a practice, that will perhaps peel back some layers and reveal an urgency, a need. I will be writing.

I’m excited at the potential.

It’s not an accident that this comes as my 2000th post here at Misti Ridiculous.Com

It’s kind of crazy to think I’ve written here for that long. Most of the time, not much more than life diary entries, or grocery lists, but the practice remains. After such a long absence, that 2000th post was waiting for this one.

It feels right, as one story telling door closes, another opens. The one cornerstone of LTYM that I believe with my whole being, is that we all have a story. All of our stories are valid, and worthy of being heard. When we tell our stories, we give power to ourselves, we give permission to heal, we put those words out into the world where they cannot be erased.

Because the story is, so are we.

Cheers to that.