When you write what you know, you stay in control. One of the first things I encourage my writing students to do is to lose control - say what they want to say, break structure. Natalie Goldberg More Quotes by Natalie Goldberg More Quotes From Natalie Goldberg Stress is an ignorant state. It believes that everything is an emergency. Natalie Goldberg letting-go inspirational funny Trust in what you love, continue to do it, and it will take you where you need to go. Natalie Goldberg trust acting love I used to think freedom meant doing whatever you want. It means knowing who you are, what you are supposed to be doing on this earth, and then simply doing it. Natalie Goldberg knowing-who-you-are mean thinking This is your life. You are responsible for it. You will not live forever. Don't wait. Natalie Goldberg responsibility waiting forever We are important and our lives are important, magnificent really, and their details are worthy to be recorded. Natalie Goldberg details worthy important Sometimes when you think you are done, it is just the edge of beginning. Probably that's why we decide we're done. It's getting too scary. We are touching down onto something real. It is beyond the point when you think you are done that often something strong comes out. Natalie Goldberg recovery strong real We must remember that everything is ordinary and extraordinary. It is our minds that either open or close. Natalie Goldberg mind ordinary remember Life is not orderly. No matter how we try to make life so, right in the middle of it we die, lose a leg, fall in love, drop a jar of applesauce. In summer, we work hard to make a tidy garden, bordered by pansies with rows or clumps of columbine, petunias, bleeding hearts. Then we find ourselves longing for the forest, where everything has the appearance of disorder; yet we feel peaceful there. Natalie Goldberg falling-in-love summer fun It is odd that we never question the feasibility of a football team practicing long hours for one game; yet in writing we rarely give ourselves the space for practice. Natalie Goldberg team writing football Actually, every time we begin, we wonder how we did it before, Each time is a new journey with no maps. Natalie Goldberg maps journey inspirational Be tough in the way a blade of grass is: rooted, willing to lean, and at peace with what is around it. Natalie Goldberg blades tough way We are each a concert reverberating with our whole lives and reflecting and amplifying the world around us. Natalie Goldberg whole-life concerts world Play around. Dive into absurdity and write. Take chances. You will succeed if you are fearless of failure. Natalie Goldberg fearless play writing There's an old adage in writing: 'Don't tell, but show.' Writing is not psychology. We do not talk 'about' feelings. Instead the writer feels and through her words awakens those feelings in the reader. The writer takes the reader's hand and guides him through the valley of sorrow and joy without ever having to mention those words. Natalie Goldberg writing joy hands Write what disturbs you, what you fear, what you have not been willing to speak about. Be willing to be split open. Natalie Goldberg splits fear writing Take out another notebook, pick up another pen, and just write, just write, just write. In the middle of the world, make one positive step. In the center of chaos, make one definitive act. Just write. Say yes, stay alive, be awake. Just write. Just write. Just write. Natalie Goldberg notebook alive writing poems are small moments of enlightenment Natalie Goldberg small-moments enlightenment moments The problem is we think we exist. Natalie Goldberg problem thinking A writer must say yes to life. Natalie Goldberg In writing practice, there's no direction. You enter your own mind and follow it where it takes you. We have a great need to connect with our own mind and our own true self. And all of us have a story to tell. Natalie Goldberg self healing writing
