One day as I was venting to a friend about a job I despised, she interrupted and grandly proclaimed, “I hereby give you permission to quit your job and do what you truly want ”

I had to laugh. Her words made me realize that the only thing keeping me stuck was that I hadn’t given myself permission to do otherwise. So now, whenever one of us is hesitant about the next step in our lives, the other will say, “Would you like a permission slip?” It’s our playful way to remind each other that the only real limitations come from within.

Since then I have made it a habit to write up a “Cosmic Permission Slip” for myself from time to time. Here’s what I do:

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In “What is Free-writing & How to do it” I explained the simple steps you can take to make free-writing part of your daily routine. Now it’s time to talk about why you should even bother!

Here are five ways free-writing can help you:

1. Makes you a better writer - There’s no need to publish every scrap of paper you write, just as there’s no need to record every note a diva sings in rehearsal. Even so, practice and warm-ups are as necessary to writers as warm-ups and rehearsals are necessary to singers, athletes and professionals in any field. Simply put, you won’t get better if you don’t practice, and free-writing is a great way to get that practice.

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What is Free-Writing?
One of my favorite creativity techniques is so simple that its value is easy to underestimate:

• The surrealists of Paris in the 1920’s called it “automatic writing.”

• Renowned author and writing teacher, Natalie Goldberg, calls it “writing practice.”

• Best-selling author of The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron, calls it “morning pages.”

Whatever you want to call it, free-writing (as I learned to call it) can be a very powerful tool. It’s one of those habits, like flossing your teeth, that is incredibly simple and effective. And yet, perhaps because of its sheer simplicity, people often resist it - at first.

Like other beneficial habits, if you stick with it for a few weeks, you will eventually find yourself looking forward to your daily free-writes. You may even, like me, feel cranky and unfocused on the days you skip this habit.

How to Free-write

If you’re curious about the benefits of free-writing, check out next week’s article, ” 5 Ways Free-Writing Can Benefit You” otherwise, read on to learn this simple technique for yourself:

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“We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospection” - Anais Nin

I’m launching my blog with a quote from Anais Nin, whose journals have inspired so many. Read more »