Humblebee Thoughts on Writing

I’ve been doing this writing thing for some time now. The following is not advice per se but observations I've made along the way:

Practice gratitude.

If you have the time, money, and access to technology to write and publish, you are fortunate. Think of the generations who didn't have that good fortune. Your ancestors would be amazed and proud of you. 

Appreciate humbleness.

Nobody is perfect. The world is not perfect. Being humble and having a sense of humility guard against an inflated ego that is tempted to say otherwise. Confidence shines a light; arrogance turns it off. 

The ego is motivated by fear and can lose its balance and perspective, developing blind spots. Imbalanced egos with impaired vision bring negativity into the world. Hubris is destructive. We've had enough of that already. 

Cultivate a beginner’s mind (shoshin).

You're never too old to learn something new. Stay curious. You don't know everything and that's ok. Check your biases and question the story your ego tells you. If one approach to a problem doesn't work, try another. And another. And another. 

Enjoy what you do.

I frequently think about this last point. With the negativity, anger, and toxicity now prevalent in public discourse, I wonder if anyone is enjoying anything anymore. There's too much addiction to misery and anger. Creativity needs humor and positive engagement.

Be yourself.

Today's trend is yesterday's news. Writing from an authentic place brings more satisfaction in the long run. 



Painting by Jan van Kessel the Elder