Since Luna and I have been living out here, she's been insisting on "training" me. I say it like that because really all she does is take me out to the backyard and beat on me. I've relearned something, though, from my experiences with Luna's training and trials, that is very important to writing, and I believe everything else in life. That at the root of everything, discipline is key: discipline is not only what separates us from animals, but what can help us make the most of our skills and talents, and see through the worst of tasks.
It's weird to think about, but Luna and I do have... similarities. I mean, yes, on the surface we're complete opposites. Below the surface, too. I bet all our organs are different. But uh. Metaphorically-speaking, before Luna beats me, at our core we have a lot of the same beliefs, a lot of the same values, and I think that's part of the reason we're able to get along without killing each other, linked or not. And one of those is discipline: doing something every day, pushing yourself, taking risks and learning to endure, to never give up.
Every day, Luna finds the time between everything to exercise. Every day, I find the time to sit down for a little while, and write. Every day, Luna runs through combat strategy in her mind. Every day, I'm keeping plots, poetry, and ideas fluid and evolving in my mind. People say we're good at what we do, and they tell us we're talented... and Luna and I both are, sure. But what wins over talent, every time, is skill. Talent is something you're born with, but skill is what you cultivate, and develop yourself, through work and effort. You can be talented at something, and not skilled at it: likewise, you can become skilled at something you're not talented with. But the problem with the former is that if you don't put effort into your talent, into evolving it, into learning the whys and hows and practicing the basics even if you can do really crazy advanced stuff already... it'll stagnate. Just like if you don't practice a skill for so long, that will rust, too.
Training and working with Luna has reminded me of that. That if you really want to develop, to keep yourself running, you need discipline above everything else. It's discipline that lets you sit down and say "I'm going to work now" when all you want to do is relax, or throw off the job just this one time, or do anything else. It's discipline that lets you push through even when your mind starts to ache and your body hurts. It's discipline that lets you kick your brain into working even when it doesn't want to, and quell your emotions, focus through whatever else is going on, and keep moving forwards. And as I've found, both exercising and writing... they're good for getting the poison out, even when things really hurt. It's funny... I'll start on a really bad day, feeling like the last thing in the world I want to do is write, and yet once I push so far... all I want to do is keep myself moving. Everything becomes... clear, so to speak. There's a sense of clarity, and serenity. And I've experienced the same thing with my training with Luna, too... pushing to the point where my body aches and my muscles are on fire, but then, suddenly, everything feels... light, and the world makes sense, if only for a little while.
Of course, that could also just be the blood loss and oxygen deprivation too, huh?
Anyway. Discipline. Learning to endure sucks, but you'll be glad you did. It helps in every aspect of life. And you don't have to change anything about yourself, either... all you have to learn to do is say "I'm gonna do this" or "I'm not gonna do that," and then stick true to your word. It's not easy, but it is simple.
Now, I need to go make a pot of coffee for myself and Luna to avoid caffeine headaches. Hey, I'm allowed to be hypocritical and not totally disciplined. I'm a poet. We're all liars and hypocrites.
~Scrivener Blooms
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