Category Archives: memes

#Reverb10 is a movement to encourage folks to tackle a daily prompt with the intent of reflecting on their year. If you’d like to get involved, it’s not too late! You can backtrack to previous prompts or simply jump in where you are. If you’re interested, you can see all my #reverb10 posts here.

Dec. 29: Defining moment: Describe a defining moment or series of events that has affected your life this year. (Author: Kathryn Fitzmaurice)

This year feels like it’s been full of defining moments. I covered a lot of them in my Dec. 15 post. One thing I didn’t cover was the actual screening of my short film.  That was one of the more nerve-wracking things I’ve ever done.  E-mailing someone a script to read in the privacy of their own lives is one thing. Watching a group of nearly 20 of your friends, family and acquaintances take in and react to something you’ve created from scratch is something altogether different. Thankfully, everyone either enjoyed the film or did a decent enough job pretending they enjoyed it that I didn’t feel the need to crawl under a rock and die afterwards.  Quite the contrary, once I’d gotten over the emotional hurdle of actually showing the film, it was nice to have had the opportunity to share something with people I care about.

Dec. 30: Gift: This month, gifts and gift-giving can seem inescapable. What’s the most memorable gift, tangible or emotional, you received this year? (Author: Holly Root)

I’ve been blessed time and time again this year, so it’s hard to narrow it down to just one thing.  I’m incredibly grateful for all the people who have taken the time to support me in various endeavors, whether it’s been reading scripts and giving feedback, offering an ear when I needed to vent, or even just providing a distraction when I needed to escape some aspect of my life for a bit. I’ve been amazed by the kindness of strangers over and over again this year, and to those who have been so gracious with my heart and ego, I cannot thank you enough.

Dec. 31: Core story: What central story is at the core of you, and how do you share it with the world? (Bonus: Consider your reflections from this month. Look through them to discover a thread you may not have noticed until today.) (Author: Molly O’Neill)

There’s one word I’ve returned to over and over again over the past several years, as I’ve struggled and striven and failed and succeeded at any number of things.  It’s part of a mantra I’ve stolen from one of my favorite movies, which I refuse to define as a guilty pleasure: ELIZABETHTOWN.

“We are intrepid.  We carry on.”

It’s a word that means “resolutely fearless, bold, courageous.”  It’s a definition that strikes me as a call to refuse to acknowledge fear.  It may be there in the recesses of the mind; it may be trying to work its way to the forefront.  But we can stubbornly refuse it entry into our actions and motivations.

For a long time, I operated out of fear: fear of what people would think, fear of not living up to my own expectations, fear of regret, fear that I wasn’t strong enough to bear whatever trials were to come.

But then I came across a profound statement in the writings of Thich Nhat Hanh.  I don’t remember the exact words, but, in essence, he said that fear is imagining yourself in a set of circumstances that don’t exist. I don’t know about you, but that seems like a poor use of the power of the mind.  I’d rather focus on the here and now, what I have and what I can do to make the most of the present moment.

So, since the discovery of that principle, I’ve tried to make my core story one of being intrepid.  And I’ve got to tell you, it’s really worked out pretty well.  Have a fallen on my face a few times? Of course. But that’s going to happen no matter what.  That’s when the second part of the mantra comes in handy.  You get up, brush off the grit, have a laugh at yourself, and carry on.

#Reverb10 is a movement to encourage folks to tackle a daily prompt with the intent of reflecting on their year. If you’d like to get involved, it’s not too late! You can backtrack to previous prompts or simply jump in where you are. If you’re interested, you can see all my #reverb10 posts here.

Dec. 25: Photo: Sift through all the photos of you from the past year. Choose one that best captures you; either who you are, or who you strive to be. Find the shot of you that is worth a thousand words. Share the image, who shot it, where, and what it best reveals about you. (Author: Tracey Clark)

I don’t have a lot of pics of me from this year outside of profile pics, forced family photos (I love you, Mom!) and some random shots my sister took of me in Europe, mostly when I wasn’t looking.  But I do have this one picture, which I love, and which I already shared, but here it is again.  My mom took it during our annual pre-Christmas trip to Crown Center (to shop, eat fudge, and take goofy pictures in front of the Victoria’s Secret windows).

My expression in the photo below says exactly this: “I know this is totally dorky, and I’m a little embarrassed, but it’s also totally fun, so I’m just going to go with it, and you guys are coming along with me for the ride!”

So, here’s what I’d like this picture to represent.

• I love to laugh.
• I like to spread joy whenever I can.
• I choose my actions with a priority on the potential for laughter and/or joy rather than on sparing myself embarrassment or failure.

Dec. 26: Soul Food: What did you eat this year that you will never forget? What went into your mouth & touched your soul? (Author: Elise Marie Collins)

For this prompt, I’ll simply point you to my love letter to French pastries. Can’t say it better than I did there.

Dec. 27: Ordinary Joy: Our most profound joy is often experienced during ordinary moments. What was one of your most joyful ordinary moments this year? (Author: Brené Brown)

Sitting on a sofa and reading a book.  I often keep myself in a near-constant state of motion, either physical or mental, so taking an hour to simply sit and disappear into another world is something that feels incredibly indulgent and wonderful.  It’s something I should probably do a lot more often.

Dec. 28: Achieve: What’s the thing you most want to achieve next year? How do you imagine you’ll feel when you get it? Free? Happy? Complete? Blissful? Write that feeling down. Then, brainstorm 10 things you can do, or 10 new thoughts you can think, in order to experience that feeling today. (Author: Tara Sophia Mohr)

I’m going to have to skip this one, as I’ll cover it in detail in my annual Year-End Recap to come later this week.  As for brainstorming what to do or think in order to experience satisfaction today? I like to do something every day to work toward my goals.  It gives me a taste of the satisfaction that comes with finishing, and it spurs me onward.

#Reverb10 is a movement to encourage folks to tackle a daily prompt with the intent of reflecting on their year. If you’d like to get involved, it’s not too late! You can backtrack to previous prompts or simply jump in where you are. If you’re interested, you can see all my #reverb10 posts here.

Dec. 22: Travel: How did you travel in 2010? How and/or where would you like to travel next year? (Author: Tara Hunt)

• I went jogging on a beach in Florida.
• I went hiking in the Smokies in Tennessee.
• I protected my sister from some creepy dudes in London.
• I ate my weight in pastries in Paris.
• I celebrated my golden birthday on my own in London.

Not bad for a year’s travel.  Next year, as I’ve said, I intend to do more travelling. Definitely to New York.  Probably back to Florida (as that’s what my family does).  Maybe even back to Europe.

Dec. 23: New Name: Let’s meet again, for the first time. If you could introduce yourself to strangers by another name for just one day, what would it be and why? (Author: Becca Wilcott)

I’m quite good with my current name, to be honest.  But for the sake of the prompt, let’s say I was pretending to be someone else entirely for a day.  Here are a few options:

• French Tourist: Juliette (Trivia: This is the name I chose in my seventh grade French class.)
• Southern Belle in the Big City: Annie Mae
• Cool British Vixen: Vera
• Adventurous Aussie: Janie

That should do it. And as a bonus, I’ve saved myself some trouble if any of these ladies ever pop up in something I write.

Dec. 24: Everything’s OK: What was the best moment that could serve as proof that everything is going to be alright? And how will you incorporate that discovery into the year ahead? (Author: Kate Inglis)

Please excuse me being entirely vague here, but there are some stories that simply aren’t meant to be posted for the entire world to see.  What I will say is this: I did something I was very afraid to do, both in that it’s something I’ve always been afraid to do in general and even more so in the specific instance in which I did it.  It did NOT go according to plan.  At all.  But, in the end, it was OK.  Better than OK, really.

And so, going forward, I’m choosing to live my life boldly in every instance I can manage it.  I think there’s a balance between throwing caution to the wind and listening to your own intuition, but I think I’ve long erred on the side of being too cautious.  In 2011, I’ll be living a little closer to the edge, I think, come what may.

#Reverb10 is a movement to encourage folks to tackle a daily prompt with the intent of reflecting on their year. If you’d like to get involved, it’s not too late! You can backtrack to previous prompts or simply jump in where you are. If you’re interested, you can see all my #reverb10 posts here.

Dec. 21: Future Self: Imagine yourself five years from now. What advice would you give your current self for the year ahead? (Bonus: Write a note to yourself 10 years ago. What would you tell your younger self?) (Author: Jenny Blake)

So, I totally misread this and wrote a letter to myself 10 years from now, and then a letter from myself 10 years from now to my current self. Which left me feeling very schizophrenic and thinking…

“You should know, this is the strangest thing I have ever done!”

(On a side note, if you have not seen TANGLED, get thee to a cinema! Now! You can thank me later.)

And then I figured, what the hell, might as well do the bonus the right way, too.  So, now I’ve got three letters to my selves.  Here they are.

(Apologetically Helpless) 2010 Ditty to (Terribly Naïve) 2000 Ditty

Dear 2000 Ditty,

I’m not going to lie. You’ve got some rough years ahead, friend.  It’s not all bad, of course, especially toward the end of the 10 years.  Best of all, you rediscover who you are.  I kind of like to think of 2001 through 2008 as Simba’s Lost Years.  2009′s sort of the year you take back Pride Rock.  And 2010′s when everything starts growing again.  So, it all ends up sort of beautiful, in the end.

So, chin up.  You’ll get through, and you’ll be better off and stronger and happier than you will, at times, believe you can be.

And because a letter from one’s future self is never complete without a cryptic message, I’ll leave you with this: You’ll get your Eowyn moment, but you won’t fully understand it until you’re writing this very letter.

Having survived and thrived,
2010 Ditty

(Unbearably Earnest) 2010 Ditty to 2020 Ditty

Dear 2020 Ditty,

I’ve got high hopes for you.
I hope someone is paying you to do what you love.
I hope you’re still doing what you love, even if no one is yet.
I hope you’ve found love, or that love has found you, and in a way that doesn’t hurt.
I hope you’ve found satisfaction from time to time, but that you’ve never let yourself become complacent.
Part of me hopes you’re a little more polished, mostly when you’re really nervous.
Part of me hopes you’re still a huge dweeb, especially when you’re really excited about something.
I sort of hope you still occasionally get mistaken for a high schooler, though that’d be pretty impressive at your age. No offense.  Maybe a college student, though?
I hope you’ve seen some really cool, new places, and I hope you’ve made it back to the places you already love, like London and Paris and Disney World.
I hope you’ve kept friends and made new ones.
I hope you’ve been surprised.
Mostly I hope you’re happy with where you’ve been and where you are and where you’re going, and that you are still in the middle of this grand adventure called life.

Carpe diem,
2010 Ditty

And finally, (Annoyingly Vague) 2020 Ditty to 2010 Ditty

Dear 2010 Ditty,

Everything has happened exactly as it should have happened.  It probably hasn’t gone as you’ve imagined, but it’s gone well, nonetheless.  You’ve survived everything, and you’ve had a pretty fantastic time along the way.  So, hakuna matata, OK?  No worries, no fear, and always CARPE DIEM.  That’s how you get here.  It’s all happening, and it’s all good.

Enjoy the ride,
2020 Ditty

#Reverb10 is a movement to encourage folks to tackle a daily prompt with the intent of reflecting on their year. If you’d like to get involved, it’s not too late! You can backtrack to previous prompts or simply jump in where you are. If you’re interested, you can see all my #reverb10 posts here.

Dec. 20: Beyond Avoidance: What should you have done this year but didn’t because you were too scared, worried, unsure, busy or otherwise deterred from doing? (Bonus: Will you do it?) (Author: Jake Nickell)

Honestly, the only thing I probably should have done this year that I didn’t actually do is get my house in better order. How boring an answer is that? But as I’ve covered in a previous #reverb10 post, I’m a big advocate of actually doing things you want or feel meant to do rather than putting them off for “some day.”

So, while a Responsible Adult probably shouldn’t have seven Chipotle sacks sitting beside her desk, or eight pairs of shoes acting as an obstacle course in the hallway, or stair railings masquerading as clothes-drying devices or coat/scarf/hat/random canvas bag racks, I’m not going to bemoan my failure at living up to that title too much because of what I’ve gained: writing time, workout time, movie time, hanging-out-with-friends-(though-not-at-my-house-because-it-looks-like-a-hurricane-hit-it) time, adventure time, etc.

That being said, I do intend to make some efforts in this area before the year’s out because it’s sort of driving me batty (and anyone who could see the state of it would probably think me batty anyway).

#Reverb10 is a movement to encourage folks to tackle a daily prompt with the intent of reflecting on their year. If you’d like to get involved, it’s not too late! You can backtrack to previous prompts or simply jump in where you are. If you’re interested, you can see all my #reverb10 posts here.

Dec. 18: Try: What do you want to try next year? Is there something you wanted to try in 2010? What happened when you did / didn’t go for it? (Author: Kaileen Elise)

In 2009, I did a lot of weird/unique things, like an introductory class on fencing and taking up horseback riding for about five months to learn the basics.  I also took an intermediate French class to brush up on my language skills, as well as a class on creating children’s books which would have been a bit of a waste of time except it did yield an idea for a picture book.

I feel like I tried fewer weird and/or unique things in 2010.  I did try hot yoga on a whim, and I fell in love with it (as I did horseback riding and fencing).  This year was more focused on traveling, and I suppose the way in which I did that might seem weird and/or unique to some folks (a two-week trip to London & Paris with my youngest sister, and a one-week return trip to London on my own as a gift to myself for my golden birthday).  I also made a short film, which I guess isn’t something many people do.

While not weird or unique, I did go on a lengthy, rocky, and up-a-very-big-mountain hike with my sister, which is something neither of us had ever done.  There’s not much opportunity for that sort of thing in Kansas City (that I’m aware of), but I did love it, and it was an interesting way to spend an afternoon.

In 2011, I want to try more weird and/or unique things.  Mostly, I want to follow wild hares more often, and half that battle is just being on the lookout for them.

Potentially on the agenda:

• I’m going to see New York this year for sure, and I’m going to take some long-weekend-style trips to see more new places (suggestions welcome!).
• I’ve always wanted to learn a martial art, so I should probably do that.
• Part of me would love to find a way to work fencing and maybe even horseback riding back into my life, even though they’re not technically new.
• I wouldn’t mind taking a wine-tasting class, so I can have a more informed reaction to it than my current standbys of, “Yeah, this is pretty good,” or “Eh, not my favorite.”

One thing is happening for certain, because I bought a Groupon for it and thus have no choice but to make use of it.  In January, I’m going to learn how to hang on to silk for dear life whilst suspended from the ceiling, an art also known as aerial acrobatics.  Wish me luck.

Dec. 19: Healing: What healed you this year? Was it sudden, or a drip-by-drip evolution? How would you like to be healed in 2011? (Author: Leonie Allan)

I’ve already talked about hot yoga quite a bit, so I’ll make this quick and to the point.  I’ve got a bit of a body image distortion thing going on, which is very typical for folks who have lost a significant amount of weight — and really for a lot of women in general, I think.  Nothing has done more to fix some of that than yoga.  Whether it’s being forced to stare at oneself in the mirror for 90 minutes whilst balancing and twisting into all sorts of crazy poses or the whole mind-body connection, I don’t know. All I know is it’s helped.

#Reverb10 is a movement to encourage folks to tackle a daily prompt with the intent of reflecting on their year. If you’d like to get involved, it’s not too late! You can backtrack to previous prompts or simply jump in where you are. If you’re interested, you can see all my #reverb10 posts here.

Dec. 16: Friendship: How has a friend changed you or your perspective on the world this year? Was this change gradual, or a sudden burst? (Author: Martha Mihalick)

Interacting with friends from all different walks of life has convinced me that, in general, things would go a lot better if we’d all just chill out a little. I’ve always had a tendency to play peacemaker, and I think that’s what allows me to move between groups with relative ease.  I count conservative Christians, staunch atheists, and cynical agnostics, and folks of all manner of political leanings among my circle of very good friends, and I think they all have very good points at different times.  Ideologies aside, I think they’re all brilliant in their own varying ways, and I feel very lucky to know them all.

The change has been gradual, as I went from being very involved in one of those groups to not being involved in any of them other than as a sort of curious bystander.  There’s nothing novel about what I’m saying here, but I’ll say it anyway.  We can learn a lot from one another if we stop trying to convince everyone that Our Way Is the Best/Only Way and instead actually listen and try to understand the other Ways, not as threats, but simply as extensions of how we are collectively trying to do this thing called Being Human.

Dec. 17: Lesson Learned: What was the best thing you learned about yourself this past year? And how will you apply that lesson going forward? (Author: Tara Weaver)

When I’ve got a potentially big moment coming my way, I have a tendency to run through every single way I think it could go, and I mentally create little scripts for myself for each situation. I even rehearse sometimes. Sometimes this is fun, and sometimes it stresses me the heck out.

I suppose this is sort of the way of a writer, especially a screenwriter, as we spend so many of our hours envisioning coherent, arcing, beat-style scenes. (Or at least that’s the defense I’m using instead of, “Sorry, I’m just neurotic like that.)

Scenes in movies are supposed to work on an independent level as well as link in a meaningful way to what’s come before and what’s to come after.  As the creator of these scenes in a script, you have the advantage of knowing the before and after (unless you’re a pantser, but that’s a different post), as well as the ability to control how everyone thinks, acts and speaks.

But the problem with life is, you can only control yourself, and sometimes we even fail at that.  I can script a conversation a hundred different ways in my head, but the second the person I’m interacting with goes off-script, I’m done for. I’ve got no idea what comes next. I don’t know what I should do or say to keep the scene flowing.  And what happens is any iota of wit or charm I had going for me disappears, and the best I can hope for is to be amusing in a pitiful sort of way.

What lesson have I learned from this? I’m a little embarrassed to admit it’s one I’ve learned before, but I have a feeling it’s going to be one I have to learn over and over again periodically for the rest of my life. Anyway, lesson is, don’t script my life. When I enter a situation without a script, I do fine — and often better. So, just relax, show up, be present, and see what happens. Save the scripting for, you know, actual scripts.

#Reverb10 is a movement to encourage folks to tackle a daily prompt with the intent of reflecting on their year. If you’d like to get involved, it’s not too late! You can backtrack to previous prompts or simply jump in where you are. If you’re interested, you can see all my #reverb10 posts here.

Dec. 14: Appreciate: What’s the one thing you have come to appreciate most in the past year? How do you express gratitude for it? (Author: Victoria Klein)

One thing I’ve really become aware of this year is how easy it is to add or subtract joy from someone’s life. In every single interaction we have, we make a choice — to be cranky, to be pleasant, to complain, to compliment, to stare straight ahead, to smile.  And through that awareness, I’ve really come to appreciate the people who consistently choose to add joy to their interactions, as well as the opportunities to do so myself.

Perhaps oddly, I think this is most evident in the places of business where I’ve become a sort of regular. Where I started going for the convenience and/or quality, I kept coming back so often because of the people.  It takes less effort to get what you came for without considering the people behind the counter, and when they’re working so hard to serve so many people, I’m sure it’s easier for them to do the same.  But a smile, a “how are you?”, or a “have a nice day” adds an amazing amount of joy, no matter which side those things come from.

So, let me take this opportunity to say to my friends at the Chipman Road Starbucks & Chipotle, I appreciate you all more than you probably know, and I hope that I’ve managed to bring something pleasant to your lives as well.

Dec. 15: Five Minutes: Imagine you will completely lose your memory of 2010 in five minutes. Set an alarm for five minutes and capture the things you most want to remember about 2010. (Author: Patti Digh)

Quickly and in no particular order:

The artist in Montmartre, the man outside the theatre, and the guy in Covent Garden who liked my magenta tights.

Eating insane amounts of pastries in Paris with my sister, and getting to meet the gargoyles at the top of Notre Dame.

Kate & me, preparing to go Wilde.

Me and my gargoyle friend.

Seeing my oldest friend become the cutest pregnant lady ever.

My skin tone matches her hair.

Great conversations with fantastic people, most of whom I’ve yet to meet in real life.

Having mild success and massive failure with the same script.  Making a short film with small group of wonderful friends, and showing it to a larger one.

Hot yoga. Running my first 5K (in 20 degree weather). Finding my very own inner fitness badass (with many thanks to Jillian Michaels, Bob Harper, and Tony Horton).

Fun times with my quirky, neurotic, crazy, could-be-a-sitcom family.

I think my five minutes were up a while ago, but to everyone who’s been a part of an awesome year: THANK YOU.

#Reverb10 is a movement to encourage folks to tackle a daily prompt with the intent of reflecting on their year. If you’d like to get involved, it’s not too late! You can backtrack to previous prompts or simply jump in where you are. If you’re interested, you can see all my #reverb10 posts here.

Dec. 13: Action: When it comes to aspirations, it’s not about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen. What’s your next step? (Author: Scott Belsky)

I’m getting back into the swing of things with my writing (finally got to change my ticker from zero, thank goodness — didn’t appreciate it taunting me during the outlining phase).  I’ve set some ambitious but not-impossible deadlines for myself that’ll carry me to the end of January.  (I’ll be jumping into the super fun world of querying early next year for a couple of different projects, so I’ve got that to look forward to.)

Let me step up on my soapbox here for a moment, because I believe this is one of the most important concepts to wrap your head around.

I’m a big advocate of doing rather than talking about doing. “Some day” is the enemy of making your dreams a reality. If you want something (to write a novel, to make a movie, to take a trip, to run a marathon, to climb a mountain, etc.), create a plan, and take action. Do something every day that takes you closer to your goals. It’s the only way to get there.

While I felt the movie itself was flawed (but what movie isn’t?), THE ANSWER MAN did have a spectacular bit of wisdom: “The trick is to realize that you’re always doing what you want to do… always. Nobody’s making you do anything. Once you get that, you see that you’re free and that life is really just a series of choices. Nothing happens to you. You choose.”

So, choose wisely and in a manner to support what you want out of life — both what you want to experience and what you want to contribute. Live actively and intentionally. And right now is the perfect time to figure out how you want to do that.

And that’s me stepping down from the soapbox. Happy Monday.

#Reverb10 is a movement to encourage folks to tackle a daily prompt with the intent of reflecting on their year. If you’d like to get involved, it’s not too late! You can backtrack to previous prompts or simply jump in where you are. If you’re interested, you can see all my #reverb10 posts here.

Dec. 11: 11 Things: What are 11 things your life doesn’t need in 2011? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life? (Author: Sam Davidson)

Can I be honest? I think simplicity is great, but I also believe you can reach a point where things get a little too simple. Short of having a slightly embarrassing amount of clutter (which I’m currently working on ejecting), I honestly don’t think there’s anything significant in my life I want to eliminate. I’ve already simplified things. I’m thinking maybe it’s time to start adding a little complication again. So, in that vein, here are 11 things I’d like to add to my life in 2011.

1. More travel.
2. More fruitful work.
3. More friends.
4. More collaboration.
5. More risk.
6. More opportunity.
7. More relaxation.
8. More acts of kindness (random or not).
9. More dressing up.
10. More laughter (even if it’s at myself).
11. More hugs.

Maybe in 2012 I’ll need to simplify & eliminate again, but in 2011, I want more rather than less.

Dec. 12: Body Integration: This year, when did you feel the most integrated with your body? Did you have a moment where there wasn’t mind and body, but simply a cohesive YOU, alive and present? (Author: Patrick Reynolds)

This feels like a boring answer, but I think I feel this most often when I work out, and probably most during the sorts of activities where I don’t consider myself a natural — namely, running and yoga. Ninety-nine percent of the time, hitting “failure” — the point where you can’t run another step or hold a pose another second — is entirely mental. When we experience discomfort, it’s our natural instinct to stop. The problem with that is, if we stop any time we feel uncomfortable, we never grow. We never get to the next level. We never advance. And while there are a number of unfortunate effects of that, it’s also boring as hell.

Maybe it’s the storyteller in me, but I want to have a character arc. And learning that I don’t have to stop just because I’m uncomfortable — that the point of discomfort is the place where change happens — has been vital in pushing myself forward this year. Maybe it’s masochistic, but I almost look forward to those moments when I don’t know if I can go on because it gives the the opportunity to triumph.

And it’s in these moments when you’re forced to shut down a part of your mind and, to shill for Nike, just do it. Jillian Michaels said it in a much more zen way: “Feel the pain, acknowledge it, and move through it.” It’s a statement I’ve come back to time and again this year, especially whilst running. It’s a manner of thought that brings me back in tune with my body. I really like the aspect of feeling/acknowledging, as opposed to ignoring. Ignoring your body’s signals can be dangerous and destructive; learning to be present, to “get comfortable with being uncomfortable,” to quote Ms. Michaels again, is part of the journey.

So, while I’ve learned these lessons via exercise (which is one of the big reasons I champion health & fitness — the mental side is just as important as the physical one), it’s something I try to carry over into other aspects of my life. There are a lot of days that I don’t feel like writing, to be honest. I feel like snapping my fingers and having the perfect version of what’s in my mind appear on the page, sure. But the actual, grueling, teeth-and-hair-pulling act of writing? Unless I’m in that blessed place sometimes called The Zone, it’s not exactly enjoyable. But I also know that, just like in running or in yoga, I’m not going to have a shot at getting into The Zone without going through the discomfort of starting. So I feel it, acknowledge it, and then move through it, because achieving (on most days) is more important than relieving the temporary discomfort.

The more we can be present in our bodies, our lives, our circumstances, the more fully we can experience them, and the more we take from them. One thing I try to carry with me is that there is beauty and worth in all experience if we choose to see it. There is as much beauty in melancholy as there is in joy. One is more pleasurable than the other, but they both inform our lives if we allow it.

So, while I don’t have a single moment to share, I will say I make an effort toward this most days, and the concept of mindfulness (or being present) has perhaps done more for my sense of well-being (and truly, my sanity) than anything else in the past five years.