Words Do Not Flow

Kitt O'Malley2015-07-14T19:03:49-07:00July 14th, 2015|Categories: Mental Health, Mindfulness, Poetry, Writing|Tags: creativity, exhaustion, inertia, writer's block|21 Comments

About the Author: Kitt O'Malley

Bipolar Writer & Mental Health Advocate

21 Comments

Meredith August 6, 2015 at 3:43 pm

often that’s enough. I think if I had no structure…scratch that… I now know if I had no structure, I was fall down many more rabbit holes.
Kitt O'Malley August 2, 2015 at 10:11 pm

I can relate. The structure of taking my kid to and from school is pretty minimal. It just makes me wake up, get out of the house, and have the house to myself for several hours.
Meredith August 2, 2015 at 9:10 pm

I fight structure and claim to like none. Not necessarily true.
Kitt O'Malley July 19, 2015 at 8:00 pm

Plus I rely on the structure of the school day.
Meredith July 19, 2015 at 7:47 pm

I also have a hard time with summer. Have since my kids were born. Even though they take less attention as late teens, the energy is still there. I need my quiet house.
Kitt O'Malley July 15, 2015 at 9:24 pm

Thank you.
Sandy Sue July 15, 2015 at 7:29 pm

I love that you’re still here.
Kitt O'Malley July 15, 2015 at 9:54 am

I get mild aphasia, which is frustrating, especially when language is so important to me.
Kitt O'Malley July 15, 2015 at 9:49 am

Thank you.
Kitt O'Malley July 15, 2015 at 9:48 am

That is very much it. The summer is always hard on me. I prefer it when my son goes to school. I need that structure and that time alone, even if he is in his bedroom most of the time.
Kitt O'Malley July 15, 2015 at 9:44 am

I love “analysis interruptus.”
Laura P. Schulman, MD, MA July 15, 2015 at 8:23 am

Thank you too…you certainly “got” it. Yes, he was very wise, and incredibly articulate. One of the torments of his last few years was that he developed an expressive aphasia, so he had thoughts and feelings, but couldn’t always get them out his mouth. Unfortunately he first became aware of this while participating in a panel discussion, and found himself in a terrible predicament because he couldn’t get the words out.
vanbytheriver July 15, 2015 at 3:55 am

It is temporary. Give it time. Once a writer…always. ☺
Marie Abanga July 15, 2015 at 2:05 am

Kitt, well you just wrote 🙂 You know we each have to take it easy on ourselves sometimes right? All other comments allude to that and so am not flattering. Then this is summer, you have your son, hub and of course you – to spend more time with. It’ll sure come back sooner than later 🙂
Meredith July 14, 2015 at 10:49 pm

I am of a similar place and existence. I vegetate and want to continue. I stick. How much of it is this brain of mine? How much of it is lack of sleep? Analysis interruptus. Thank you for posting.
Kitt O'Malley July 14, 2015 at 9:28 pm

Beautiful and wise using the metaphor of the waves in the image. Thank you.
Kitt O'Malley July 14, 2015 at 9:27 pm

I know that writing about not writing is in fact writing. Lovely anecdote about your father and his creative process. In such memories he lives on, and as you share those stories with others he continues to touch others’ lives. Thank you.
Kitt O'Malley July 14, 2015 at 9:24 pm

Thank you, Lori!
destrudowoman July 14, 2015 at 9:14 pm

For all your flow, you must also ebb. Replenish your inner reserves with deeply sensual (as in “all of them”) exploration of the world around you. You’ll feel refreshed and ready to begin again in no time!

Thank you for your honest, open expression of your experience. You inspire me to keep on keepin’ on.
Laura P. Schulman, MD, MA July 14, 2015 at 7:25 pm

Empty, no. Maybe your brain just needs a bit of time to air out. My father of blessed memory used to spend time “vegetating,” when his muse seemed to have skipped town. And then, when “the creative juices started flowing” again, he would slip down to his studio and make what he called “a body of work.” And when that came to its conclusion, a year or ten later, he would have to vegetate some more.

PS–writing about not being able to write is still writing 😉
Lori July 14, 2015 at 7:19 pm

You aren’t empty. You are writing.