This morning, Michael, my favorite yoga teacher, started class with a prompt.

Fill in this blank, he said: “I should be ______________.

The first word that popped into my mind was “writing.” 

I don’t think that’s what he had in mind, since he followed up with this: “Take the ‘er’ off the end: I should be stronger … thinner … more patient … and use the word that’s left as your intention for today’s practice.” On the other hand, I can see how “I should be writing” is just as judgmental as any other “should.” That is, unless I take it as a reminder, and not a criticism.

The theme continued when, a few minutes ago, my friend Amy texted me:

What are your favorite writing prompts for one whose mind is full and who is overwhelmed by a blank piece of paper but wants to write?

I responded with the first thing that came to mind: Set a timer for 15 minutes. Start with one of these and keep returning to it when you get stuck…

• I would never…
• I always…
• I wish…
• I am…
• I love when…
• I hate when…
• I was surprised that…

I’m embarking on a big writing project, and I’m kind of scared of it. I assume I’ll get stuck a lot. I’ll keep these prompts front and center so I can get back on track.

How about you? Are you ready to write? Ready to try something new? Ready to return to something you’ve left behind? To move forward, just keep going back to the beginning. Start again. And then again.