Just Enjoy The Ride

How often do you allow yourself to just sit back and enjoy the ride?

I find many times I get so caught up in the business aspect of what it means to be a writer today, that I completely miss some of the enjoyment that comes with simply just being a writer, and enjoying the art of writing. 

Which is why I find it sad that sometimes something so fantastic can get so muddied by the expectations of what others tell us it means to be not just a writer, but a successful writer.  There’s a pressure to strive to be a huge success right at the start and sometimes we tend to want to cater to that expectation instead of just feeding the creative part of us that simply wants to be expressed.  For me, the writing process can either be a completely hellish and almost unbearable process or it can be the most releasing and freeing thing I can experience for myself.  But which writing experience I draw to myself really depends on my mentality when I sit down to write.  Am I writing simply for the pleasure of writing and giving our imagination freedom to explore and create? Or am I writing simply to please others?   

Now I’m not saying it's wrong to write to please others, because as writers we want to write stories that others enjoy want to read.  But I think we need to always be honest with ourselves and remain as true as we can to the art we practice, because I really do believe that there is something special and enlightening in embracing an art simply for the purpose of enjoying it.  Painting simply because you take pleasure in painting, or maybe singing, or playing an instrument, or any form of artistic expression that can bring joy to our lives if we choose to experience them in that way. 

So I’d really like to know, what are some things that YOU enjoy doing or pursuing simply because it makes you happy?

Happy Writing & Happy Reading!