As much as I desire to be a reader, I often feel I’m only an aspirational reader at best- hungry for the knowledge that comes with a book, but impatient for the journey that will come ahead with it. Oftentimes, piles of nonfiction pile up next to my bed, reminding me of the areas of ambition and curiosity that struck me that week, but unlikely to be finished unless I’m driven enough to check it off my Goodreads list.
But on occasion I’m fortunate enough to stumble upon a book that truly transports me, that is so insatiably good that I want to share it with every person I see, invite others into the experience, or gives me the nudge to bring forth something new of my own to add back to the world.
Some books that have done this for me in the past year (personal and professional):
The Private Lives of Public Birds by Jack Gedney
Sabbaths by Wendell Berry
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Out on the Wire by Jessica Abel
Dare to Lead by Brene Brown
Creativity Inc. by Ed Catmull
On Writing Well by William Zinnser
So as you can see, quite the range. But the spark in my brain, maybe a short conversation with a friend or a passing thought of inspiration while walking on a wooded trail, is often where my energy dies.
My decision to start this Substack is a small intentional step of creating a space to turn when creativity reaches out, offering its voice should I choose to listen. Sure, it will take a certain amount of effort to overcome the hurdle of slothfulness, but the other side promises to offer something richer than the brain fog of binge watching Suits.
A secondary push that prompted this jump is that I’ve recently been hungering to start more creative projects outside of work. After listening to a podcast interview Adam Grant did with Brian Little on personal projects, I’ve recognized the gap of personal projects in my own life.
I’m an avoider of imperfections, so writing often feels too vulnerable, and I can be critical of just how cringe my voice sounds reading it back years later. In my small effort to get out “shitty first drafts” (thank you, Anne Lamott), there may be times I lean into the simplicity of bullet points instead of complicating my thoughts into lengthy prose, but we’ll see where this goes!
Writing is something I’ve long done in the safe constraints of school assignments, have practiced for my own reflective journaling, and recently been reading more about as a concept. But to put (metaphorical) pen to paper to create something not just for my own recording, but for the sake of birthing and sharing ideas, is where the vulnerability begins.
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So some words and quotes that have struck a resonant cord with me or been drawn to mind as I begin this journey:
“I'd probably say that nobody writes anything. All we do is translate. So if you ever get stuck and you don't know what to say... just listen. Even to the silences. Listen as hard as you can to the world around you and... repeat back what you hear. That translation, that's your voice.” -Quentin Sellers (Vengence)
“The man who is wise, therefore, will see his life as more like a reservoir than a canal. The canal simultaneously pours out what it receives; the reservoir retains the water till it is filled, then discharges the overflow without loss to itself ... Today there are many in the Church who act like canals, the reservoirs are far too rare ... You too must learn to await this fullness before pouring out your gifts, do not try to be more generous than God.” -Bernard of Clairvaux
“I want to be in the arena. I want to be brave with my life. And when we make the choice to dare greatly, we sign up to get our asses kicked. We can choose courage or we can choose comfort, but we can’t have both. Not at the same time. Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome. Vulnerability is not weakness; it’s our greatest measure of courage. ” -Brene Brown
Here’s to what’s ahead!