I’m reading The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron with a smart and heart-warming group. The book is a platform to make you think. And the group is a platform for great discussions! It’s a cool combo.

Last week, one of the “tasks” in Chapter 5 was to not read for the week. Cameron believes that most writers stall on writing by reading. We have rebelled as a group against many of the tasks Cameron prescribes, but this one took the cake. To most of us, the very concept of not reading was repellant. And for a whole week? No way! Besides, I am working on a class at Boston University and I had to finish the reading for that. And I had a library book, nearly done, that was due back. So of course, I finished that.

But then I paused. Could I take a hot bath without reading? Could I go to bed without reading? Could I eat breakfast without a book open in front of me? I took on the challenge and here’s what happened.

• I meditated before bed and in the hot bath.
• I wrote a song, music and lyrics for a songwriting workshop I’m in, at night and in the morning.
• I saw two movies with my hubby.
• I took walks (until it got down to 12 degrees in the morning :).

I cheated, of course, by listening to an audiobook in the car. But I actually enjoyed the challenge because it was more than a reading challenge. We make choices every day even though we mostly run on auto-pilot and flow like water down the easiest path.

And the big questions are:

• What are we doing that takes time?
• Are we deciding how to use our time – or just running on habit?
• Are we making our best work a priority?

Cats and dogs are so Zen. Cleo has made a new nesting spot in some stuffies on a chair. And Grace balances her manic time chilling by the fire with her favorite fox. No hard life choices for these two. 🙂

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