This week I have been in Cornwall in a little house on a headland, just me and my dog, only concrete between us and a lot of bunnies who use our garden as their toilet. I have been working on my book, INTO BEING: the radical craft of memoir and its power to transform. It’s been, ahem, transformative, to have this time to myself away from work and the demands of home and two teenagers, an old cat, my gorgeous man, and laundry. Here I can leave my knickers in the bathroom and my torn fingernails beside the bed, my used teabags in the… and my…
I can also breathe, and I can dream. I really can dream and the dreams have been insane here. The result of a good cocktail mix of no alcohol and sea air. But here are my ten important things. Those things I want to hold onto from the week. That I don’t want to lose.
The power of positive thinking
I don’t want to sound like some kind of new ager, but I reminded myself this week of a time when I had no choice but to trust. My life was on an axis and I was so determined to make good, to hold onto what I knew was right, to not fuck it up, that I made a pact with myself to think positively about it. To not let the gremlins take over my head. I’ve been practicing that again this week. I used to be scared to think positively because I was frightened that something terrible would happen if I wasn’t looking, but I don’t believe that anymore. Now I believe you’re more likely to bring bad luck if you’re always prepared for the worst.
Every writer needs space
Yup. Actually, no. Every artist needs space. Our lives, too often, are cut into segments, and our concentration shot. How can you hold a project in your mind? How can you think expansively? You can of course, but it’s a lot harder when there are so many things tugging on your time.
Trust is a beautiful thing
If my dog runs towards two people sitting on the coastal path talking quietly and taking in the view, white sun-hats, strange walking sticks resting at their feet, lunch packs, don’t start frantically calling her name in panic. Be calm, greet them, call after her as if she is a sweet polite thing and praise her profusely for not jumping up at them, or throwing herself into play bow and barking manically.