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Almost Swam, Accidentally Felt Inspired 🏊‍♀️

Turns out reading about genocide, running in 30°C, and rewatching The Americans is my creative process now.

Hey. This week I almost swam. Almost.

I went to the gym four days, found the elusive tax document I needed after visiting immigration (classic), and somehow between McDonald’s dinners and heatstroke jogs I started to feel a little more like a writer again. Not because I wrote a ton, but because I remembered what feeds the writing.

For the writers: this is your reminder

Stuck? read.
If you’re tired, pay attention.
Or spiraling… document it.

This week, reading Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee reminded me that writing isn’t just craft, it’s memory work. It’s resistance + truth-telling. It’s noticing what matters and putting it down while it’s still fresh.

If you’ve been in a weird creative funk lately, maybe your brain doesn’t need another sprint session. Maybe it needs to be nourished first. Books, movies, life… it’s all compost. Use it.

Elsewhere in the chaos:

  • Watched F1: The Movie (pure adrenaline)

  • Rewatched 28 Days Later (still intense)

  • Started The Americans — trust no one, but admire the trench coats

  • Bought vegetables to balance out the shame nuggets

So no, I didn’t swim. But I moved forward anyway.

Want to see how I’m turning spirals into writing fuel? This week’s blog post is live:

CTRL+ALT+Spiral #5 → Streaming, Sweating, and Avoiding the Pool
https://www.creativemindhabits.com/2025/06/ctrlaltspiral-5.html

Writing Tip of the Week

Track your energy, not just your word count.
If you’re writing through burnout or chaos, try noting how you feel when you write — not just how much. Patterns will emerge. You might find that you're a better editor after walks, or that dialogue flows when you write in cafés. Energy awareness is a creative superpower.

This Inspired Me

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
It’s not an easy read. But it’s essential. It’s reminding me that writing has weight, and that telling the truth (even imperfectly) matters. It also made me rethink how we document pain, power, and history in creative work.

If you want a gentler pairing, rewatch an old favorite with new eyes. Inspiration doesn’t always shout. Sometimes it whispers.

Until next week — keep spiraling with style, and keep writing even when it’s weird.

— Em