Healthy Living TOP TIPS Recap & What’s Next
By Mary Lynn Cloghesy and Jason Schembri
Over a year ago, we began this series of articles on healthy living for writers. It has been a rewarding project for many reasons, not the least of which has been that we’ve passed along the knowledge and practices that have sustained us in our vocations as authors. Longevity—or rather, vitality over the course of your life—is not something to wish for, or hope will happen, but is the result of strategic decisions that address any current dysfunction and create the conditions for you to thrive in the future.
In his bestseller, Younger Next Year: A Guide to Living Like 50 Until You’re 80 and Beyond, author Chris Crowley, says, “The keys to overriding the decay code are daily exercise, emotional commitment, reasonable nutrition and a real engagement with living.” We couldn’t agree more. With that in mind, we’ve created this summary of the TOP TIPs from each of our articles for quick reference:
Upper Cross Syndrome (UCS)
Neck and shoulder strain can lead to chronic inflammation and reduced energy due to restricted lung capacity, so add movement breaks into your day. When we became full-time writers, we realized that the only way to be productive was to be fit, so we began counterbalancing longer sessions at the desk with more time running, building muscle, and stretching. Take a 30-minute break for every three hours you write.Imposter Syndrome
To combat Imposter Syndrome, be curious about what’s happening, especially if you are struggling, and remember you are not alone. Don’t allow your internal worries to cross over into reality and kill your success. One thing unique to writers is that we get to breathe life into “real” imposters (excuse the oxymoron), villains and victims, then wipe them out with the keyboard. Let that embolden you to vanquish your internal imposter.Lower Cross Syndrome (LCS)
Our top healthy living tip for LCS is support equals release. As mentioned in our previous article on Upper Cross Syndrome, do not pull on tight muscles. You’ll likely do more damage as “stuck” muscles need to be coaxed to move, or they can tear at the attachment points. Your body will begin to let go when you give it the support it needs to feel safe enough to do so—not a bad metaphor for life.Freedom Fighters: Motivation and Discipline
Persistence beats resistance, every time. Writing is a practice that requires regular attention, even for short intervals. Protective discipline is built by stringing together regular writing sessions, for many days in a row, until a new habit is formed. Only then does discipline becomes the perfect partner to motivation. They are a dynamic duo that will help you cross the finish line of any writing project.Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSIs)
We’ve all heard the expression, “no pain, no gain,” but that doesn’t apply to RSIs. Any sustained action after a clear warning sign will aggravate the joint and/or lead to greater injury, so avoid working through the discomfort. If you develop RSI symptoms, stop and evaluate. Can you manage this yourself, or do you need a therapeutic intervention? Awareness and caution go a long way to resolving any RSIs, as does a plan when/if they flare up.Perfectionism
Perfectionism is a complex and dysfunctional mindset that requires a multi-pronged approach. However, here is a quick tip: contemplate the opposite (a tried-and-true technique that comes from Patanjali’s, Yoga Sutras) Start by asking yourself “what if” questions: What if you gave yourself permission to write a terrible first draft? What if your worth wasn’t based on your work? Your answers will help inform your next steps.Eye Strain, Headaches & Pulling Your Hair Out
There are three key factors to mitigating the above conditions: fuel, movement, and rest. Give your body the energy it needs to meet the challenges of each day with real food. Real food means unprocessed products (with ingredients you can pronounce). Movement, even something as simple as a daily walk, can be tremendously beneficial too. You won’t regret it, but if you overdo it, move on to the final element: rest.
What’s next?
We hope you enjoyed and benefited from our healthy living series, but it doesn’t end here. As of the time of writing, we are developing a course on this subject matter and will be offering some workshops and a retreat in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada in the near future. We’re adding a hands-on component to any of our in person events that we’re calling the Healthy Living Lab. We’re also continuing to write articles on the issues that we believe impact writers the most.
We want to thank you for joining us in our mission to ensure good health and longevity for the writing community. To wrap up, we’ll leave you with some sage advice from Chris Crowley about healthy living, “If they buy into it, they will change their lives in wonderful and astonishing ways. . . The only crazy thing would be not doing it.”
Mary Lynn Cloghesy is a writer from Calgary, Alberta, and the founder of the Leadership Literary Lab, a program for nonfiction authors. She has been nominated for the Claymore Award and the Aurora Contest, placed in literary competitions for Dreamers and Tadpole magazines, and established a writing retreat in Banff National Park. Find her on Substack @wild_rose_writer, or at https://marylynncloghesy.com.
