Misadventures in the Journey of Life: 2017

Saturday, October 28, 2017

In Mourning.

“ I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.” — Romans 9:2

“There is no pain so great as the memory of joy in present grief.” — Aeschylus

“There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition, and of unspeakable love.” — Washington Irving

There’s no beating around the bush about this — today is not an easy day. Today marks the 14th anniversary of my Dad passing away. And, while that may seem like quite a long time; to those who have lost someone, especially someone who you were closed to and loved, fourteen years is nothing. Fourteen years may as well have been yesterday.

Because, as they never tell you in books or movies or anything of the such — grief never truly goes away. There’s no cure for it. It is a permanent scar upon the heart that only you can truly see. Can truly feel.

The thing about grief is that it is much like it’s blood brother, Depression. It’s not always front and center. Sure, it never goes away, but most days (once enough time has passed), it plays quietly in the background like an ever-present, but ever so soft dirge. Some days, most days really, you don’t notice it. You go about your day as if life is normal. These are the blessed Good Days.

The Bad Days are an entirely different story. Again, much like it’s blood brother Depression, when grief rears it’s ugly head, it is an unstoppable wave of sorrow and pain. The weight of loss beats you down and threatens to drown you in anguish and heartache. When you start crying uncontrollably over something seemingly simple — a lyric to a song, a line in a movie, a passerby who resembles too much like the person you lost, a smell of something that reminded you of them. Even a good event, such as getting married, giving birth, or a long awaited promotion, can bring about the torrent of remorse — because the one person who you wish you could share this moment with is gone forever.

Bad Days can (and most often do) start from the moment you wake up. You wake up sad (as if there were ever such an ineffective description as this) and no amount of attempted joy will ever bring you up from the true pits of despair. These are the worst of the Bad Days.

One of the worst aspects of Bad Days is that they can compound so quickly. Bad Days turn into Bad Weeks. Even Bad Months. When grief and depression share an unshakable suffocating bond upon your very being. When your heart is in an ever tight vice, slowly crushing you.

And the worst part about the Bad Days, the grief, and the depression, is that it’s an Invisible Monster. One that is tearing you apart and no one else can see it. No one else can feel it. No one else can truly experience it.

Today is a Bad Day for me. I woke up missing my Dad and remembered the date. Today is not going to be an easy day for me in the slightest. But, I’m still going to go on living it. I’m still going to take care of myself as best as I can. And, as much as I have the deep desire to be alone, I know I’m going to go to a bad place mentally and emotionally if I allow myself to push people away.

So I won’t. I know my Dad would want me to be happy. I know my Dad wouldn’t want me missing him and letting the despair crush me. I know my Dad wouldn’t want me to suffer. So, in honor of him and in despite of myself, I will make a day of today.

In closing, I leave you with one more quote. It’s from the last part of the seventh book of the Harry Potter series written by J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The quote was by Dumbledore: “Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all those who live without love.”

Monday, July 17, 2017

The Catalyst of Focus

There is no such thing as a life without change. Cliche, I know, but true. To piggyback this, chaos, or what we perceive to be chaos, is just another form of change. Sometimes chaos is self-inflicted; but other times it is life forcing you to change. To move on. To move forward when you don't think it's possible. Chaos, in a way, can be a catalyst for new beginnings. If we let it, that is.

Chaos will either destroy you or rebuild you. And the only one to make the call of how that happens is you.

Which leads me to my other point: focus. The difference between a flashlight and a laser is how focused the light is. One of them can provide light and push away a bit of darkness. One of them can cut through stone. The sheer amount of focus you need to...rebuild, if you will, your entire life is comparable to that laser. To change your fate, you must hone in your focus to the point of cutting the chains that hold you back. Without focus, you cannot change. With some focus, you can change but a little. With full focus, with that laser intensity, you can change everything. Cut through the cloth of chaos and mold your fate into something you never thought possible.

Be the beam and break the chains.

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

An Open Letter to the Washington State Representatives on the Matter of the Possible Closure of Our State Parks.

Dear Washington State Representative,

I am writing you today voicing my concern on the possibility of the shutdown of our state parks. I only assume that I am far from the first to express their opinion on the matter, yet I am hoping that my conjecture will not fall upon deaf ears or be passed off as just another commoner with no valid speculation. As someone who frequents our state parks multiple times a year, I wish for my voice to be heard.

We, the people of the 42nd state to enter the Union, both love and highly value our state parks. Whether it be Flaming Geyser State Park near Black Diamond, Bridgeport State Park on Rufus Woods Lake, or Blind Island State Park off of Shaw Island in the San Juans, we use the parks to get back to nature and escape the rat race that we subject ourselves to most days out of the week. We the people use the parks for a wide variety of activities — from hiking and camping to weddings and photography shoots. While the state parks may be just an item on an budget report to you, they mean far more to the vast amounts of citizens that visit these parks each and every day.

Citizens, I might add, that voted you into your office.

If it is a budget issue that might cause the closure of the state parks, let’s look at how much money you’ll be losing, not saving. You will be losing 1.4 million day-use and overnight visitors to these parks. Included in that is nearly 11,000 paid camping and overnight reservations. Just one week of closure would cost the state $2 million in revenue. Not to mention that you would be shutting down the state parks at what is arguably the incline of the most profitable period of the year. Meaning that the numbers that I have given you might be on the more conservative side.

Not to mention that it would also affect 26,000 state employees. Twenty-six thousand. Individuals with families. Individuals with bills and debts. Individuals who would be forced to find work elsewhere in an already over-saturated job market. The impact of this alone would be staggering on the economy.

If you move to have the parks shut down, I move that you refund those who have already paid for reservations that they will no longer be able to use. If you deny us the privilege of the use of state land, then we should be reimbursed for our inconvenience. After all, there should be no reason that we should suffer both loss of time and money due to the choices of our representatives. I believe that would only be fair to all parties involved.

In closing, I hope that you reconsider the closure of the state parks this summer. While I fully acknowledge that the state of Washington must maintain a balanced budget, it would be far more detrimental than beneficial to shut down the 130 parks that we pay to visit. We the people risk more than the loss of spent income — we lose the experiences and memories that would have been made there. Encounters that we would have reminisced upon years later.

Please do the right thing and keeps our parks open.

Sincerely,

A Washington State Citizen

Monday, June 19, 2017

Off The Mat.

"What sweet melody that is the beating heart. What exquisite harmony that is the ticking clock that marks our time until the end. What felonious hope is it that we will live to see the end. What fools these poor mortals be." - Me (some Shakespearean inspiration. Not to mention Poe)

Ambition is a funny thing. We place so many of life's chips on a plan working out. We have goals. We have ventures that we plunge head first into - time and time again. What sheer hope and determination we place on the heavy fog that is our future. And, to what actual evidence do we sink our anchor into? Rarely more than the utmost of scant top soil. And, yet, as a species, we persevere. Despite all obvious evidence, like the bumblebee, we overcome and spite the odds against us.

"What fools these mortals be."

Don't get me wrong - there is nothing wrong against a dream. There is nothing wrong with giving life your absolute all. There is nothing wrong against going up against all odds.

My point is that we, as the human race, flat out refuse to cave to the audacity of success. We as a species has and will always be the underdog (in the grand spectrum of things). But, by gum, we will, time and time again, out think and out breed all of our obstacles. Why? Because we can. Because we do.

If I am currently sounding on the more cynical side, that's because success is a cruel mistress. The chips will always be stacked against you. The thing of it is, due to our quite ample population, we overcome all odds.

I mean, we walked on the moon and have sent satellites past our known solar system. What other terrestrial species can claim this? None.

The point of all this is that life and (and repeatedly will) give you a solid and swift kick to the proverbial genitals. Suffering, pain, unfathomable tragedy: that's all of the package deal of this existence. It can happen. It will happen. You are not, nor will you ever be immune to it.

So, the real question is not can you get back off the mat after life deals you a solid and low blow. The true quandary is how many times you will rise and rise again.

Because, suffering is inevitable. It's how you scrape yourself off and rise from the ashes is what truly matters.

And no one will ever answer that but you.

Friday, May 26, 2017

The Beauty and The Storm

In my life, I've had setbacks. In my life, I've had both days that didn't work out and days that made zero sense. In my life, I've had the inexplicable hit the fan.

Today was that day.

So, fair warning, I try and sugar coat my life. Even my depression. Especially my depression. But, as things go, that always doesn't work out. And, believe it or not, if you were to meet me in person, I would put on a brave face and pass things off in the best light. It's who I am and it's who I will always be.

Today is not that day.

In this life, if one is fortunate, you will hit a wall. Maybe not once. Okay, never just once, but you will pretend it is. But you will reach a point where you just can't. Where there is no option in your life where you can not, in any way, shape or form, deal with the physical environment around you. Where, in all honesty, reality has fecaled the bed and you just...can't.

The worst part, is the everyone around you is living their life. Doing their own thing as your world dissolves in front of them. Actually, the worst part of all of this is that they (meaning the human populace around you) is 100% oblivious. They neither know nor remotely care. And they have no reason to.

Their life is not yours.

Your life isn't theirs.

Which means, at some point, you've been "that guy" in the middle of Walmart trying on shoes or looking at the back of a DVD while someone near by is sobbing their eyes out. And, not only could you care less, but you know less. You won't care and you have no reason to. You're just doing your thing while their whole world falls apart.

So, to sum things up because it's late: I'm sad. Life has handed me a hard and familiar hand. I hit a point, mentally, where I was squally angry and disappointed by the news that I got this morning.

And I'm not okay.

At all.

I'm mad, in fact. But that is life. Life WILL make you angry. Life WILL make you sad. Life WILL hurt your heart. But, even after you're gone, life WILL move on. And there is zero chance that that will stop.

What happened, happened. That's just how things work. Disappointment is a guarantee. The only thing that isn't is how you react.

Pain is pain. It's as unchanging as the rain that falls and the sun that shines. Growth is not. You don't have to grow. You should, mind you, and believe me, life will force you to. You will be given all and every choice to move on. It may, or may not, be even remotely immediate, but it will be there. That fork in the road will always be there.

I faced a fork today. I faced some honesty painful disappointment today. I got a response that hurt the heart. But, instead of dwelling, I'm growing. Instead of hurting, I'm healing. I'm moving on.

Because, at the end of the day, we have one life to live. And, as deep as the dark gets, I will forever strive for the light.

Saturday, May 6, 2017

Say Anything.

“Say something I’m giving up on you. I’m sorry that I couldn’t get to you. Anywhere I would have followed you. Say something, I’m giving up on you.” — Say Something by A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera

There are few greater risks you will attempt in your life than falling in love. To take that one person who was once a stranger and slowly build your life around them. To have that one person who you never knew become the only person who matters truly the most. The one you would lie for. The one you would die for. The one you would uproot your entire life if it meant that you could spend it with them. Especially when you know that there’s a chance, no matter how slim, that it will end.

People “fall in love” all the time. And, to be fair, it is like falling. Free falling from a plane. Everything that was once safe is behind you as you plummet towards the unknown. It’s equally frightening and exhilarating. It’s letting go and it’s freeing. In the beginning, you have no control over it. You let the winds of fate blow through your hair and take you on a most unexpected journey.

That’s the easy part.

When the passion dies like conflagration into a coal, that’s when it becomes real. When the problems that you once gladly swept under the rug (providing that you even saw them in the first place) become more apparent. After the first fight — and then the second, you start to realize that this supposed iron clad bond between the two of you isn’t as strong as you once presumed. When the rose colored glasses start to dim, the reality of it all starts to clear like a fog parting through the mountains. That’s when the true fear sets in. Maybe, just maybe, the two of you aren’t as perfect, after all. When the fiery tornado of new love slowly unwinds into a steady candle of routine — that’s when you discover if it was ever truly real in the first place.

There reaches a point in every relationship when you question if it’s worth it. You start to wonder if dating (or, if it’s gone that far, marrying) them was a mistake. When the fights become more regular than what you ever anticipated. When you’re sitting on the couch together and don’t speak. When you’re lying in the same bed and you might as well by sleeping next to a stranger. When the calls that would last until three in the morning now barely last ten minutes. When you can’t even remember the last time you told them that you loved them. And you’re not even sure of the last time you felt it. When you stopped kissing. When you stopped touching. When you begin the course of no longer caring.

That’s when you reach the fork in the road. One road is where you start to work on the relationship and pour everything into rebuilding. The other you do nothing and it eventually dies. And no one can make that call except the two of you. And even then, there’s no 100% guarantee that it will work.

The problem with the past is that everyone has one. Everyone has been hurt at least once. Everyone has that ex that makes you question everything. Including your sanity. Which leads to emotional baggage. The problem with this, emotional baggage, is that if left unchecked, it tends to build. Like a weed, it starts to overgrow into your new relationships; eventually smothering them. If left unchecked, one bad relationship will poison all the ones that follow. Even the greatest built ship will eventually meet an iceberg if you don’t change course.

The last part of this post is the hardest. There are scant few things that you will endure that are harder than the end of a relationship. When the person you cherished with all your heart becomes the person you no longer recognize. When the one that you love is the one that you have to say goodbye. When you have to let go of the one who once mattered the most. Through all the tears and all the pain. When all that you hold dear finally comes to a close. There are few things harder than that.

We mourn. We weep. A little bit of us dies inside. But, through this catastrophe is a chance to grow. A chance to learn. A chance to become whole once more. Is it easy? No. If anything, it’s the furthest from easy you will ever get. Is it necessary? Yes. Because eventually the shards and shadows of your past loves will eventually fade away. All that will be left are the lessons that you have a choice to either learn or lose.

These scars you have. They can either cripple you or change you. Cupid’s arrows will always be bittersweet. It’s up to you of what to do once you’ve been stung.

Friday, February 17, 2017

The Monster Inside.

“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.” — Neil Gaiman

Today is a good day. I woke up with relatively little physical pain — but more importantly, my head was in a good place. That doesn’t always happen. Some days it can be hell to just to get out of bed. I got lucky. Today wasn’t that day.

I’m pretty blunt when it comes to my continual battle with depression. I don’t pretend that I don’t have it or hold on to the illusion that it will eventually go away. It’s hereditary, literally a part of who I am; so instead of even bothering to try and sweep it under the rug, I pull it out and expose it the daylight. I want to lead by example that you can still have a pretty normal life while dealing with the demons inside. If nothing more than it keeps that dark voice at bay.

I’m here today to tell you that depression is a liar. I’m here today to tell you that you are good enough. I’m here today to tell you that there are people out there who do love you and that you are not alone. I’m here today to tell you that all is not lost.

I’m here to tell you that the voice inside is wrong.

I’m also here today because I have been told that I am alone, no one loves me, that I will never be good enough and that my life is meaningless. And I fought back. I fight back. Because, while most of my days are good days, there are still days that are hell. There are days when the monster inside rears its ugly head and takes hold. Sometimes there’s a trigger — but not always. There are days when everything is going fantastic and I struggle so hard to keep my head above the mental dark waters.

The worst part about this is that the darkness inside doesn’t need an excuse to try and destroy you. The monster lurks in the shadows. Always waiting.

I’m also here today to tell you that having depression doesn’t make you weak — it makes you strong. Having depression puts you in the same boat as Winston Churchill. Robin Williams. Mark Twain. Edgar Allen Poe. Charles Dickens. Stephen Fry. Ernest Hemingway. Abraham Lincoln. Calvin Coolidge. Michelangelo. Isaac Newton. J. Robert Oppenheimer. William Faulkner. Edgar Degas. Hans Christian Anderson.T.S. Eliot. Kurt Cobain. Kurt Vonnegut. Jackson Pollock. Akira Kurosawa.

I am a fighter and so are you. And in this fight you are not alone. Ever.

Embrace the good days. They are more frequent than you realize. Know that even when the battle is at its worst, it still doesn’t have to be a losing one. Know that no matter how right it feels to give up, it’s not. Know that, while not everyone wins the battle, the only one who truly makes that decision is you. You are not alone and your story doesn’t have to end here.

You can survive this. I make the choice to live. So can you. One day at a time.

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Walls.

As today is Valentine’s Day, I have a bit of a confession to make: I love behind walls.

There are two sides of my coin when it comes to the topic of love. I equally describe myself as an eternal bachelor and a hopeless romantic. Both, for the record, are true. I choose not to date. I am fully capable of falling fully into love. While these seem to be polar opposites, they actually are parallel realities. Such is the lifestyle of those like me — those who know full well how poisonous the arrows of Cupid can be.

You see, I’ve been burned. Hard. More than once. To the point where now, if I start having feelings for someone, I pull away. I do not trust the judgements of my heart. I cannot trust the judgements of my heart. It has lead me to earth shattering agony that I do not wish to ever relive. So I love behind walls.

They say that there’s no such thing as love without risk — and they are right. But I’ve reached a point where I’m so unsure if I have the proverbial parachute that I stay on the plane that is going down. I don’t trust the life boat so I remain on the Titanic.

Do I get lonely? Oh, yes. Not often. In fact, it’s pretty rare when it happens. But when it does, it hits hard. Like a sledgehammer to the chest. I feel an emptiness that breaks me. These are the rare moments that I cry. I mourn the happiness I once had. I mourn the loss of having someone I cared so deeply for. I mourn the heart I once had — one that was a raging inferno of passion that turned into nothing more than a charred coal of memories. As much as I so desperately want to ignite that light, I’m afraid the winds of change will only snuff it out again and I will be right back to where I am now.

Do I want to love again? Yes. I miss having conversations that last until 3 AM. I miss having inside jokes with someone. I miss watching television with someone and the only thing that mattered was that I was with them. I miss having someone to write poetry about. I miss seeing a text from someone and breaking into a giant uncontrollabe smile. I miss being giddy. I still want to have that special someone. I still want to slow dance with my bride on our special day. I still want to grow old with someone who wants to grow old with me.

But, until I let down my barriers and take that chance again, I’m going to remain exactly where I am now:

Alone.

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Not Going That Way.

Mistakes were made”. If ever there was a phrase that summed up the whole of human existence, it’s this. For all of our brilliant mental capacities that lead to endless discoveries and advances — we are as far from perfect as you can get. To err is indeed human; and about as human as you can get. So, make no bones about it, mistakes were, indeed, made.

It’s almost comical that there seems to be a universal pursuit of perfection. We strive for the one thing that we know that we will never achieve to the point where even our own subconscious denies how fallible we are to ourselves. Now, don’t get me wrong — we notice mistakes made by others. We recognize them almost as soon as they happen. If one is astute enough, they may even see an error of judgement moments before it even occurs. But when it comes to reflection of self, we are usually blind to just how fallible we truly are.

That’s not what this is about, though. There’s a quote by an unknown source that goes “Don’t look back, you’re not going that way.” You see, one thing that our particular species obsesses about is the past. Specifically our own. We use previous experiences as a litmus test to what our futures will be. We look behind in order to look ahead. We also use our own past experiences and the supposed wisdom that we have gained from it to bestow upon others advice. Even if it is in the form of “I screwed up this way, don’t follow in my footsteps”. And, let’s be honest, we base this on what our recollection of these events were. So, the longer you live, the further back your memories go. To the point where even those who suffer from Alzheimers still have the ability to remember things that happened to them when they were young.

So, what’s the true purpose of this post? Mistakes were made. By you. By me. By everyone. The path of the past is behind you. The further you go along, the further you have a chance to leave them all behind. To start frest. To begin again. The future only comes to those who truly focus on what is ahead of them. Forgiveness only comes from those who are willing to let the journey of their lives leave a sliver of their past behind. If you ever want to move on, just let go and keep walking. No matter how hard it really, truly is. But, and the end of the day, never forget this:

“Don’t look back. You’re not going that way.”

Thursday, January 19, 2017

Terminated.

I was fired last week. There, I said it. I’m getting it off my chest. I was fired last week from a job that I severely disliked and I was admittedly miserable at. I dreaded going to work ever single day. It got to the point where, when I was let go, I felt a massive weight come off my shoulders. I wanted out and this was the most blunt way of it happening.

I was fired last week. The proverbial professional “f” word. The one that future companies will enquire about. Perhaps he was a bad egg. Perhaps he was lazy and constantly late. Perhaps he drank on the job. Perhaps he wasn’t smart enough or qualified enough for the position. Perhaps he was already thinking about leaving and was mentally checked out. Getting fired is the career equivalent of getting divorced. Even if it’s “irreconcilable differences” and the parting of ways was almost mutual — there will always be that judgment. That black mark. A smudge on your past that you can’t fully escape.

I was fired last week. Coming from someone who is a self-described “workaholic”, it was a blow. Someone who, even upon when I was terminated, I was told I was probably one of the most thorough individuals who have ever held that position. Too thorough, evidently. They say that, psychologically getting fired can be the mental equivilent of losing a loved one. You rarely see it coming and most of us define our careers as an extension of who we are. So being let go is, in a way, someone telling you that you are a lie. All that you thought you were professionally was just an illusion.

I was fired last week. And it sucks. There’s no bones about it. Even Muhammad Ali took some blows that knocked him down — and I’m hardly the man that he was. But laying on the mat isn’t an option. Self-pity is not a road I can afford to travel down. The importance behind the saying “get back on the horse” is that if you don’t, it starts to affect you. You begin to fear the horse and you will eventually never ride again. Your defeat drags you down. Getting fired is no different.

I was fired last week. But that’s not who I am today.

Sunday, January 8, 2017

On Writing.

“To me, the greatest pleasure of writing is not what it’s about, but the inner music that words make.” — Truman Capote

Ask any writer, no matter what the purpose of their craft is, what the most intimidating thing is and you’ll get one answer: the blank page. That ticking, blinking cursor just waiting for you to start pushing buttons and jumble about the alphabet enough to produce something…hopefully good, at least. The expectation to create greatness from absolutely nothing is quite paralyzing at times. Especially when you have a deadline looming over your head. Consider this Insight #1 on the crafting of words.

Insight #2 is that there are no rules. Oh sure, you can take all the creative writing classes you want and they’ll tell you that there are steadfast guidelines on which you need to follow — but the fact of the matter is that unless you’re in journalism or any other paid format writing business, there aren’t any concrete commandments on how you go about it.

I have three perfect examples for this: Finnegans Wake by James Joyce, the children’s books of Dr. Seuss, and the collective works of both Hunter S. Thompson and Kurt Vonnegut. Finnegans Wake was, according to Wikipedia: “significant for its experimental style and reputation as one of the most difficult works of fiction in the English language…The entire book is written in a largely idiosyncratic language, consisting of a mixture of standard English lexical items and neologistic multilingual puns and portmanteau words, which many critics believe were attempts to recreate the experience of sleep and dreams.” Dr. Seuss took the format of children’s books, filled them with rhymes that they would love and would remember for years to come, and then use the format to teach children about racism, environmental issues, and other topics that we would assume would be far over a child’s head. And, let’s be honest, the collective works of both Hunter S. Thompson and Kurt Vonnegut are, for lack of a better term, hallucinogenic. Exhibit A: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Slaughterhouse 5.

So stop worrying about breaking some all-binding literary decree and start making art. It’s as simple as that.

Insight #3. There are far too few honest writers out there. Anyone can write a book. At times, it feels like everyone but me is writing a book. But how many tomes sitting on shelves in both book shops and inside homes were written to serve the sole purpose of making both the author and publisher some money? How many books out there actually SAY something? Ask yourself this as you’re browsing through the library or book store: How many of these were published because they fulfilled a genuine purpose?

Insight #4. Don’t try to get into a writer’s head or try and figure them out. Period. Most of the time even we don’t know what our thought process is. The best quote for this was by Victor Hugo: “A writer is a world trapped in a person.”

Insight #5. Your favorite writer, whoever it may be, is probably screwed up in the head somehow. Wikipedia has an article on writers who have committed suicide and the list is quite lenghty (at least 200). Also lengthy is another article on Thought Catalog listing writers who were alcoholic (99). May others were addicted to other substances — I learned this morning that Robert Louis Stevenson, the author of Treasure Island and The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde once wrote 60,000 words in six days while on cocaine.

But the number one thing all writers are addicted to: Writing. There’s a genuine need for it and life is unfulfilling if we go too long without writing.

Insight #6. Writers love words. Love them. The way they sound, the way they look, the way they perfectly describe something and give it meaning. When I was in high school, I would randomly start reading the dictionary. Before I start any sort of piece, I have a separate tab for the thesaurus website open. I have fallen in love with how something is phrased— many times. I’ll even jot them down so I can read it again later.

The other thing that we love is writing instruments — particularly pens. The way they look is important; but also the sounds that they make when scratching on paper. Weight is crucial to a good pen. If it’s too heavy, it creates hand fatigue. It also (and this may sound stupid, but it’s important) must be portable. If a pen is too large, it will be set down and promptly forgotten somewhere. And whoever came up with the concept of tiny pens and pencils was clearly not right in the head.

Insight #7. The true keys to being a phenomenal writer are actually quite simple: Read good writers. Your writing will start to mimic them, so focus on someone who is truly talented. Write a lot. Daily, if possible. The more you practice the craft, the more you’re able to perfect it. In fact, you don’t even need to focus on one project. Sometimes all you need to do is throw words on a page and walk away. Sometimes, many times, that’s all you’ll be able to accomplish, any way. Especially if you are going through a bout of writer’s block. And lastly, don’t give up. As with all aspects in life, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. You will fail. You will write utter crap. You will get shot down by many publishers. But giving up isn’t an option. No matter what that little voice in your head and the doubters outside it try and convince you.

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Let. Go.

I have a simple exercise for you. Take three small sheets of paper and a pen. On the first piece of paper, write down all your limits, faults, mistakes, and other things like that. Then crumple it up and throw it away.

On the second piece of paper, write down all your dreams and ambitions. Everything you want to achieve in this life. Then crumple it up and throw it away.

On the third piece of paper, write down your routines, daily schedule, and plans for the next year. Then crumple it up and throw it away.

Now that you have just shed yourself of everything that you thought was you, what does that leave you with? Simple. Limitless unexpected opportunity. You see, there is a whole world of chance that we are completely blind to because we are held up by those three sheets of paper. We blame society for the so-called box — but the true reality is that we are the ones who not only put ourselves in it, but create it in the first place. The saying “we are our own worst enemies” is all-encompasing. It is the fear of the unknown and an inherent need to stay in a place of known comfort that keeps us locked down.

I’ll give you a perfect example: Kenya, which is one of the poorest countries in the world, has produced the world’s best marathon runners. Jamaica, which is a country that rarely, at best has seen snow, has a bobsled team. Man first stepped foot on the moon a mere 66 years after the Wright brothers had their first flight. Something they accomplished with a slide rule and far less technology than the computer I am typing this post on.

There’s a saying: “Proceed as if success is inevitable.” The only way you can ever accomplish this is if you let go of everything that you think you know and take that first step. So, stop clipping your own wings and take flight to the limitless skies.