Have you ever noticed how life takes a turn for the unexpected? Where all your desires come pushing through as though they have a mind of their own?
As a coach, I state in no way that I am complete, in my education of me
This is what happens when you are in a constant state of wonder. Everything that is naturally you, that you have running as a program behind your everyday choices, is pulled forward by this wonderment.
As a coach, I state in no way that I am complete, in my education of me. I hope I never will be. Honestly. To me, discovering more of me and what I find fun and intriguing and most of all enriching to my life, is like a fun rollercoaster! I love the discovering of new ways, and better ways of communicating, with those around me, and people that are new to me. So why am I writing this?
As you see on my posts in social media and in this blog, I write in English, even though I am Norwegian. I have always had more ease with writing in English. It is like I have lived in England for centuries, and just happened to stumble across a Norwegian lifetime now (if there are multiple lives).
It keeps me from being too much in my head
At this moment I am writing on my book “Coaching with Ella – the Friday sessions”. I started to write it in Norwegian, without even thinking there was any other option. I did not go in wonder, as I usually do. The desire to write the book was stronger than actually asking questions. There are actually many choices when you write a book, a topic I will write more on later. But first, why is the choice of language so important? Why couldn’t I just write in my native language and translate it afterwards?
After 10 000 words it felt like I ran out of words in Norwegian and the words were shaped in the English language. I didn’t think anything of it, until I looked at my “Bank of Ideas” and found a couple of pages called “Life according to Ella”.
These were pages written at a earlier stage, a year ago, when I was still contemplating writing the book, I decided to write a couple of pages in English and see what came of the story.
Apparently I forgot all about it after writing it, but when I found it again, I was dumbfounded as to how I write. I loved it! I actually thought to myself damn, I am a great writer, I would read this! And isn’t this what every writing class teaches to aim for; write something you would read yourself!
puts me in a state of mind that alters how I relate to the thing
I realised at that moment, I hadn’t asked myself any questions. So I did, and this is how I like to ask questions:
- Book, would you like to be written in English or Norwegian?
- What would be more fun after 40 000 words, to have written it in English or Norwegian?
- Who am I choosing for?
- Am I settling for less here?
Yes, I am a bit crazy, but that is topic for another article. These questions are open and, somewhat weird, questions. Yes, I talk to what I create directly. Like I would any person I collaborate with. Maybe you do to and just haven’t noticed it yet (lets talk more on that in that other post)?
Anyway, I find it easier to have an open dialogue in my mind with the creation, in this case, – a book. It keeps me from being too much in my head, and it keeps everything up to the pace I like.
I like to take some time to move around after I ask questions. Do something else. And listen. Being open to whatever would pop into my mind. An idea, a song, something somebody says as they pass me or being inspired to put the telly on and finding a show or movie playing that puts me in a state of mind that alters how I relate to the thing I am asking about.
So, I had the awareness, the one that I knew all along, – I choose to write in English.
