STUCK

The road seen, then not seen, the hillside hiding
then revealing the way you should take, the road
dropping away from you as if leaving you to walk
on thin air, then catching you, holding you up,
when you thought you would fall, and the way
forward always in the end the way that you followed,
the way that carried you into your future, that brought
you to this place, no matter that it sometimes took
your promise from you, no matter that it had to break
your heart along the way
...
excerpt from PILGRIM and DAVID WHYTE: ESSENTIALS

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Presently many of us are having a collective experience of feeling STUCK. Certainly there are many, many paths normally taken that are not available to us during COVID restrictions. Over the years too, as counselor and Writing Sherpa, many have come to me with the complaint that they felt stuck.

But what is this experience of feeling stuck?   (Write about that!)

Stuck is a place.  Stuck is a place that we have arrived into from another place. And Stuck is a place where there are inherent invitations to what is next. 

We can, if we pause in a compassionate way, long enough to be here (be in that zen moment of the here and now of stuckness), will recognize that there is life here. Movement. A calling or invitation. I have not met one person over these four decades of counseling who've come to me expressing feeling stuck in their life, who were actually stuck. 

(That includes you my dear writing friend). 

If you are feeling stuck as a writer here is all you have to do:  
(a little or a lot of tough love here, hey, I'm a Writing Sherpa! I don't want you dying on the mountain side.)

• Give your stuckness a story. Write about what it took to get here in your life,  what feels stuck and what heroic act needs to happen  (or if fictionalized, what hero needs to show up)? Write about the pause here and what part of your life asks for this stillpoint? What was the invitation that brought you here?  What invitation to "the next" whispers to you now?  Write about that.
• We feel stuck because there is something we want but are not experiencing it.  What is it you truly want? Write about that.
• Look around your life; what risk do you need to take right now? You know the one I mean. Write about this risk.  Then put feet on your words and take the risk. 
• and, Gather with other writers!!, join up for a live on-line retreat! Find a writing partner.  

Gather with talented and published writing instructors for a return to your inner writer and light at this years Write-by-the-Light Workshop and Retreat. 
​
Time to Write by the Light! June 16th through June 19th, 2021.
Join me and other writers for this year's Write-by-the-LIGHT Workshops and Retreats. 
Instructors from past Write-by-the-Lake retreats will offer our 1st summer Write-by-the-LIGHT workshops and retreat, LIVE and On-line.  You have 2 workshop venues to choose from:
One: Laure Scheer's    BACKPACKING BASICS - NATURE WRITING 101  
Two: Julie Tallard Johnson’s Write Meaningful Nonfiction: Turn Your Personal Experiences, Knowledge, and Journaling into an Inspiring Book, Blog, or other Writing

Laurie and Julie will offer consecutive workshops 9 – 11:00 every morning and 2 to 4:00 every afternoon. 

In addition! You can attend one-hour sessions with Christine DeSmet, Angela Rydell and Tim Storm. Molly Chanson, author and yoga instructor will offer an evening class of yoga for writers!  And!, Laurie and Julie will give personal one-to-one attention and consultation to 10 pages of your writing following the retreat.

Click here for more information and to REGISTER: Write-by-the-LIGHT workshops and Retreat