We’re almost at the end of our 8,760 hours for this year.
We’ve probably spent two-thirds sleeping, working and attending to being human.
Of the other third, chances are we’ve spent much of it with people in the virtual world.
You spend time with me through this (thank you) and people spend time with you, through what you write and create.
Creating is giving an experience of ourselves and so it’s grounding to keep asking:
How do I make people feel?
And,
How do others make me feel?
Those I value leave me feeling connected, encouraged and inspired.
It goes beyond learning ‘How to’ from them. Granted I often start by being drawn to some knowledge they’ve shared – but if that’s all they give, that’s where it ends for me.
I stick with those who include me in their creative journey.
They take risks and take me along. They reflect insightfully on their losses as much as their wins. They share their perspectives on what it means to live through the challenges and rewards of being creative.
And they influence the continual reshaping of my work.
I started out following the ‘How to’ path but it was unsatisfying. Then Jan wrote to say she found my writing ‘encouraging’ and that single word lit up a new way. (Thank you, Jan).
Instead of ‘How to’, now I work on ‘Have you?’
⁃ Have you thought of it like this?’
⁃ Have you tried this?
⁃ Have you heard of this?
In offering just ‘How to’, the danger is that people would follow my path and not feel courageous enough to explore their own.
My goal is for you to have courage.
And it turns out, the word encourage comes from that beautiful wellspring.
Striving to en-Courage you is what I consider the best use of my time and my most respectful gift for your time.
The value is not in the words themselves but in the unique experience they can generate.
You are just as unique. What you bring is just as worthwhile. Believe and have courage.
