7/6/2024
4:12 pm
I just finished posting the article “Aspirations, Goals, and Commitments” and one of my goals is to set aside time each week to just jot down some topics to write about.
If one of my aspirations is to grow into becoming an actual writer of books one day then I have to commit to writing at least once a day. This is information I gleaned from the article “22 lessons from Stephen King on how to be a great writer” – Business Insider, 8/11/2015. In the article, he stated, “Take your writing seriously” and “Write every single day”.
Writing every day has been my goal for quite a while and sometimes I fall short. I initially had a goal to write at least once a week when I started this blog and it just depends on what my mood is during that week. I will have days where I have all these ideas and I will write them down then there are days where I do not even turn my laptop or computer on. When this happens, I am most likely following up on medical appointments, dealing with issues, or focusing on other creative projects.
The one thing that I did agree with in the article I read was that disconnecting from the world and reading as much as possible is paramount to writing. It used to be a weekly habit for me, a long time ago, reading books. I would get new books and devour them the same day, staying up until the wee hours of the morning to finish them. As most adults can attest to we just do not read as much as when we were younger. We let that creative mind go dormant and make the excuse “I will do that later when I have more time…” but then we never do. We have to actively make it a priority in our life.
I set a goal after my 53rd birthday this year to read at least 10 books before the end of the year. That was back in April and I have only completed one book so far. Quieting my thoughts to concentrate on reading is tough. It could be ADHD that I mentioned in my last article but it most likely is more attributable to stress.
I am still dealing with previous medical issues and new ones involving my hand and neck. The doctor said the newest issue is called a trigger finger and my MRI on my neck showed bulging discs, spinal stenosis, and arthritis. I have a few physical therapy appointments pending. The unknown can be rather scary but I will push through, like I always do.
I got sidetracked, I was writing about learning, thinking, and growing.
As adults, we get wrapped up in everyday life and forget about our own needs. The brain continuously processes every day and to continually grow we need to fuel that process.
This can be in the form of learning new skills, developing hobbies, or just being physically active.
Tying these activities to personal growth, goals, and aspirations gives them more meaning as well as pushes us to continue with them. In my life, for example, physical activity is more about habit versus desire. I enjoy working out when I am actively pursuing it but when I am not motivated it is hard to get started.
It sometimes depends on the amount of time, effort, and funds we want to dedicate to these things beyond everyday life’s needs. Take for example, I have met people who were serious about fishing and would sometimes spend thousands of dollars on fishing poles. I never actually understood that but then the only thing I remember about fishing goes back to when I was a kid. I sometimes just had a green branch or cane pole with some fishing line, a hook, a bobber, and a worm to catch fish with if a fishing rod was not available but then again we fished for food and not for sport.
Others will take these crafts, hobbies, or new skills and turn them into businesses. I was one of those people when I took cake decorating classes, became an instructor for that company, and taught others these skills for about 5 years. It was a good side gig and paid for my kid’s extracurricular activities.
In that interim, I upped my own cake decorating and sugar art skills to enter cake competitions. It was one of the most memorable things that I have done. It is still something I enjoy seeing or reading about since I now have physical limitations. The limitations have not stopped me from wanting to continue to learn additional decorating skills.
Learning is not limited to just taking a class in person here or there. Nowadays, there are so many online options for learning a new skill. YouTube, Instagram, websites, and apps provide numerous opportunities that are often free of charge. These are the places where I seek out inspiration for my creative projects.
The only thing that will stifle one’s growth is their mindset or thinking. If you have grown up in an environment where creative thinking was not encouraged then you will eventually doubt yourself or ignore the creative side. Creative thinking is an innate part of who we are as human beings in my opinion. It seems like a waste if we do not use it, whatever it may be.
Creativity is not just art, music, drama, or numerous other things, creativity is also how we view a topic, approach it, and sometimes, how we solve problems. It is that outside-the-box thinking that generates new ideas, facilitates innovation, and creates new ways of doing things or sometimes improves them. This is at the basis of every advancement we make whether socially, economically, or even politically.
I found this quote that I think fits these notions and ideas. “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” — Harriet Tubman.
The topic of this article was learning, thinking, and growing. Each action on its own has a myriad of ways that it can be undeveloped or challenged. If you have the desire then the only thing getting in the way is the courage to change. The first step is always the scariest but when you reach the end, you won’t see that first step only the distance you covered to finally get there.
Thank you for stopping by and supporting this blog.
Have a fabulous day!
Peace, love, happiness, good thoughts, and good vibes, always!
Suzanne
love to bake 