Creativity and discovery
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A light on self-promotion
“Lighthouses don’t go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining.” ~Anne Lamott I’ve always been conflicted about self-promotion. As soon as Writing Home was published, I had to set aside any sense of modesty or humility to sell my book (and my brand) to a wider audience beyond my newspaper readership. It usually felt awkward. Over time, I’ve learned to borrow a page from the authors and entrepreneurs who grew up on social media platforms and enjoy putting themselves out there. But like most people my age, I was raised to think it’s not cool to toot your own horn, or talk about…
- Creativity and discovery, Dr. Seuss, Friendship and relationship advice, Personal growth, Photo stories
You can’t know it all
“It’s high time you were shown that you don’t really know all there is to be known.” ~Dr. Seuss Like most four-year-olds, our young grandson is an expert on a wide range of topics. Whenever we think we’re sharing something new with him, his typical response is, “I already knew that.” It cracks me up every time. I’m also very familiar with the adult know-it-all. You know the type: When you try to share fresh information or introduce an interesting topic, the know-it-all has already been there, seen it, or done that. You can’t possibly show or tell them anything new. And they’re always on the lookout for opportunities to…
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It’s OK to be wrong
“To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.” ~Patti Digh, Creative Is a Verb Do critics and perfectionists test your patience? These are the control freaks who like to point out the crooked seams on your brand-new shirt, for example, or correct other people’s errors in casual conversation. Always right, they won’t consider an opposing viewpoint — even if it’s as clear as daylight. I’ll bet you know a few of them too — and would agree they’re not so much fun to be around. The fear of being wrong, or appearing wrong, is a buzzkill for just about everything. Today’s quote reminds us that…
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Living your dreams or fears?
“Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” ~Les Brown I met a student who said she wanted to publish a novel but couldn’t find the space in her life to begin it. For starters, she didn’t think she could write without a home office. She wasn’t comfortable typing on the dining room table. Or the kitchen table. Or anywhere else in the house, really. But it wasn’t the interior design of her home that blocked the woman’s dreams of writing. It was fear. Fear is a manipulative trickster. It makes excuses for procrastination; it tells us we’re not good enough; it convinces…
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Writing to heal
“To survive trauma, one must be able to tell a story about it.” ~Natasha Trethewey When I was 38, the sudden death of my father shook me to the core. In my forties, while trying to work and raise a child, I was struck with a debilitating case of arthritis, which led to two total hip replacement surgeries and months of physical therapy. At age 60, I lost my mother to heart disease and dementia. Though very different, each of those experiences altered the course of my life. Along the way, I learned that writing about my losses and challenges paved the way to emotional healing. Best of all, teaching…
