The Home of Steven Barnes
Author, Teacher, Screenwriter


Wednesday, May 09, 2012

Back from Cali



Hi! I'm back from California, where it was a fabulous pleasure to see friends, relatives, and business connections, as well as AVENGERS and get lots of work done on about five different projects. Let's look at the way I nurtured body, mind, and heart on the road:
1) Body. Practiced Intermittent Fasting on the road. Plenty of fluids (driving across a desert is dehydrating!) and was careful to seek out salads on my eating days. Cheated a few times: I admit that I love Jack In the Box, and can't get it in Georgia. Sue me. Got plenty of rest--napped whenever possible. Used my parallettes, which are light and very portable. Did multiple sets of joint mobility during the day to counteract the effects of driving hundreds of miles.

2) Mind. Didn't get much "writing" done, but lots of planning for writing using stacks of 3x5 cards, simply pulling out a stack relating to one of several different projects, and combing through them, filling out cards, editing cards, replacing or adding cards. A nice way to combine linear and non-linear thinking. Met with about seven different people connected with various projects, set time-lines and goals, brain-stormed, master-minded and both offered and recieved assistance. Listened to about ten hours of Dean Koontz' "Mr. Murder"--which is a driving, straight-forward suspense novel that really kicks #$%@, perfect light listening when on the road and wanting to remind myself how it's done.

3) Emotions. Got lots of hugs. Friends, family, the connections I miss in Georgia. Saw my aunt and uncle in Phoenix, my sister and daughter in Los Angeles. And saw The Avengers, which was, while not perfect, possibly the best comic-book superhero movie ever made. That was enormously emotionally satisfying, and I can't overstate how important it is to "feed" that little kid inside me regularly. And of course, I meditated daily.

Even...or ESPECIALLY on the road, there is no reason not to feed every aspect of your existence.

1) What are you doing TODAY to nurture your body at a deeper and more focused level?
2) What was the last thing you did specifically to nurture your inner child, something extravagant and utterly absurd and wonderful?
3) When was the last time you told the five most important people in your life that you love them?
4) When was the last time you brainstormed your route to higher performance in your career, or a project which could lift you to the next level in your life?
5) When was the last time you checked in with your Mastermind partners to plan your next joint project, or brainstorm current ones?



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