No Expectations Challenge: Days 14 &15

Children don’t have the need to make things perfect. They create magic on the spot and if something doesn’t work the way they like, they change it. They don’t sit there dwelling on why their game of make believe isn’t working. Instead, they act on impulse and make adjustments as they go along. Games of imagination happen without meticulous planning or worry that someone isn’t going to like what has been produced.

Why is it then that adults hem and haw over the tiniest detail in their creative work? Children create these elaborate stories and plot lines that may never culminate into anything without a care. Within a short period of time they abandon the idea completely and move onto something new. The act of creating is what they love the most.

As I was sitting in my bedroom trying to figure out what to write today, I was intrigued by listening to my children play. They weren’t worried about the way they sounded or if they said the right thing. Instead, they played effortlessly and everything was all good.

This is how I should write everyday with reckless abandon merely getting the words onto paper no matter what. To write the way my children play and laugh about it each step of the process. We can always edit later if need be but at first the thoughts need somewhere to go. If I don’t like it, I don’t have to hit the publish button on my website or even share it at all.

I am able to pick and choose what I want to let others read but the first draft should come out with no worry. In this manner, I could share the deepest darkest secrets I hold with a care in the world. This doesn’t mean it gets to the end product or even a second draft. What it is allowing me to do is to create.

As an adult, I am able to discern what is appropriate and what we should keep to ourselves. But at first, we should hold no expectations towards our creativity. The way we get better is by doing it everyday.

Children have no filter which in both respects can be good or bad depending on the situation. It is amazing how the ideas continuously flow out of their little heads. Watching and listening to my children gives me permission to write for myself with no filter.

This is what happens when I go to sit and journal. The words come to me easily and no one is concerned about grammar. The difference with writing a book is that I am only looking at the big picture and not all the baby steps along the way. Because I want others to read it, I am a little more reserved as to what comes out. The key is to not sugar coat that first draft.

There is no way to offend anyone because it is for your eyes only so let the freak flag fly! You are writing for your own enjoyment. So enjoy and let someone else edit your second or third drafts later.

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