There’s a character in the book Aunt Julie and the Scriptwriter by Mario Vargas Llosa* who’s known for writing dozens of scripts a day.

He writes constantly, and what he writes is good.

So people ask him: How do you do it? What’s your secret?

His answer:

He poops a lot.

!!!

He says, “Un estómago que evacua puntual y totalmente es gemelo de una mente clara y de un alma bien pensada.”

“A stomach that empties itself regularly and completely is akin [or “twin”] to mental clarity and a well thought out soul.”

At the time, I found that childish and disappointing. (I know, I’m such a drag. But I’d been hoping for some nugget of useful wisdom.)

Now, eight years after reading it, I know it is a nugget of useful wisdom.

That idea has randomly floated through my mind every once in a while–often when I’m in the bathroom–and finally I’m realizing it’s quite profound.

When our bodies are healthy, we can hear what they’re telling us.

Bodies hold an amazing amount of:

😌 Wisdom
✨ Creativity
🕯️ Memories
✏️ Answers

Answers to deep questions about what we need and want in life. And also, answers to questions about what we’re writing.

When we’re taking care of ourselves, we can hear our intuition more clearly. But it goes deeper than that. There’s some connection—mystical, or maybe just physical—between bodily processes and cognitive ones, and I think Pedro (the scriptwriter) is onto something.

When we’re eating and sleeping and moving well, and releasing the stress and toxins that build up in our bodies, we are way more equipped to access that fount of creativity that’s inside.

*

For me, learning to take care of myself physically (which 100% wrapped up in emotionally, mentally, and spiritually) has led to a vast improvement in my writing.

I think that link goes way deeper than we know. There’s a visceral connection between our guts and our brains, and the gut biome is only the beginning (in my opinion).

The next time you have writer’s block, or are stuck in a creative rut, try this:

– Do some Tai chi or qi gong.
– Try a somatic exercise that releases stress. This might involve shaking, rocking, or swinging.
– Eat something with fiber or drink ginger tea.
– Relax. Physically, intentionally, deeply–from the inside out. Notice any tension in your shoulders, jaw, forehead, hips, etc, and let it go.

Do something to get the body “flowing.” And see what happens.

—

*If you’re not aware, Vargas Llosa is basically the Stephen King of Peru, if Stephen King had won the Nobel Prize in literature, run for president, and founded a memorial dedicated to remembering victims of the nation’s violent history.

I’m Kimberly, and I’m a ghostwriter & book coach specializing in business books and memoirs with themes of mental health and spirituality — though I’ll consider any project that has at its core something human and true.

Contact me here if you’re interested in learning more.

📸 Photo taken by me in one of the many bookstores of downtown Lima, Peru.