Dear Love,
Hello Friendly Readers,
Today I’m sharing a practice with you that that comes from Elizabeth Gilbert. Back in 2017, I read Elizabeth Gilber’st book Big Magic and it guided me to joyfully finish my first book Take Me Away with You.
I graduated from Naropa University with my B.A. in Writing and Literature in 2006. With dedication I dove into writing a Novel Series for 10 years and then I had a panic attack. I couldn’t see a way to finish Book 1 of the series.
I fell into a depression.
Fell in love with the wrong guy.
Got out as fast as I could.
Then I found Elizabeth’s book, Big Magic. I finished my first romance book, self-published it, then went on to self-publish a poetry book, Sunshine by Design. Sunshine by Design is a book of poems I performed in Monterey & Santa Cruz while navigating one of the loneliest times of my life.
My point is, Elizabeth Gilbert’s connection to Love and Creation reminded me of the reason I started to write. It cast a magic spell over me and ushered me into the world of being a published author. For that I am forever grateful.
This is the reason I am dedicated to the practice she shares of writing Letters to Love. In this practice, you write Dear Love, What Would You Have Me Know Today?
Love responds.
And that’s the exercise.
Here is one of my vulnerable letter’s to love, and love’s response.
Dear Love,
What would you have me know today?
Your ADD & OCD are just a part of you and your creativity
You don’t need to have a straight path
You’ve never been linear
It’s okay to spiral your way through life
Not in a tornado sort of way
But in a slow spiraling dance
A child spinning playfully
Stopping to let the room slow down
Then getting up to do it again
What I’m saying is PLAY child
Play until you can play no more
Writing is your playground
Writing is your place to skip and hop and color and bounce and hang upside down
Writing is where you will find the joy
TikTok is anohter shinny distraction
There are so many discractions.
I know you won’t give it up
I know your inner achiever has goals and dreams that it thinks writing alone won’t lead to.
Who knows? Who really knows what will bring you the success you seek.
What even is the success you seek my little cucumber melon?
What even is the success you seek?
You are looking for someone else to acknowledge how clean your counters are
How organized you are
How together you are
How loving you are
How much you give to your babies
How much you do for others
You are looking for someone to pat you on the back and say you are amazing
You have done so much
You are so good
You are so loved
You are so accomplished
But this is an insatiable need.
One reader won’t fulfill it, no-one outside of you can fulfill this need.
100 readers won’t do
You need mass amounts recognition
and even then it won’t work
You dream of being like
Elizabeth Gilbert and Glennon Doyle.
You believe your voice matters and you have a purpose
You believe you can do good in this world
And baby you will
You are
Don’t you see
Don’t you see how dedicated you are
How loving you are
How hard you work
How creative you are
You are living the dream
You are doing it all
And all you need to do now is see that
See and acknowledge all that you do
Don’t slump into feeling unseen
Don’t slump into feeling worthless
You are worthy of help
You are worthy of creating everything your childlike wondrous heart has to offer this world
You are on your way to creating everything you’ve always dreamed of
Rest with me
Rest with love
Rest in your accomplishments and trust that readers will come
Readers will go
You will find your way marketing your books
You will re-create yourself again and again
You will re-discover your gifts again and again
You will spiral and twist and roll and surrender playfully in the all the ways that are possible because that is what you signed up for.
Joy,
Play,
and Service.
You’ve got this baby girl.
you’ve got this.
Now go play.
Love Always,
Danielle Mallett
*We’ve Got This!
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