coping mechanism

leonard cohen in his zen buddhist monk era

in my plans

wonder, the mental state of openness, questioning, curiosity, and embracing mystery, arises out of experiences of awe. In our studies, people who find more everyday awe show evidence of living with wonder. they are more open to new ideas. to what is unknown, to what language can’t describe, to the absurd, to seeking new knowledge, to experience itself, for example of sound, or color, or bodily sensation, or the directions thought might take during dreams or meditation. to the strengths and virtues of other people. it should not surprise that people who feel even five minutes a day of everyday awe are more curious about art, music, poetry, new scientific discoveries, philosophy, and questions about life and death. they feel more comfortable with mysteries, with that which cannot be explained ― dacher keltner, awe: the new science of everyday wonder 🐕🤩

tea party i guess!

today is crazy. needed something like this, if your day is hard too, please enjoy

fancy finding a nice piece of wood, eating bread with butter, and lying on the grass by the sea, in a wind so strong you can lean into it?

create a work of art in eight hours. the only qualification is that by the end of those eight hours, there’s a new creation. quality is of no matter. let’s take “great” out of it for now and focus on completing a creation. whether it’s a story, painting, or song—whatever your medium—commit to creating something new within an eight-hour window. the only requirement is that by the end of those eight hours, a new piece of work exists and is shared. quality doesn’t matter. success is in the act of creating and releasing a new work within the time constraint. this shifts expectations. no overthinking or waiting. creating with constraints brings an abundant flow of energy and frees you from perfectionism. the time constraint needs to be tight enough that the inner critic can’t interfere. if it’s too easy to reach the goal with the inner critic active, it’s not challenging enough. the purpose of the exercise is to overwhelm the inner critic through urgency and momentum. choose your creative medium and decide how you’ll share each creation. send it to a friend / post it on instagram / publish it on youtube / upload it to soundcloud / email it to your family. the only rule is that you must hit “send” or “publish” by the end of your eight hours, no matter what. removing “great” is like telling the inner critic, “you aren’t needed for this. you’re off duty.”

Choose an artist (painter, writer, filmmaker, etc.) whose work you admire. Research the artists, artistic movements, and specific works that influenced the original artist’s work and practice. Then choose one of these influences, and research the influence’s influences. What did your chosen artist add that wasn’t there before? After, reflect: - How does understanding this lineage of inspiration deepen your appreciation of your chosen artist’s work? - What patterns or themes do you notice running through this creative lineage? - What did your chosen artist add that wasn’t there before? - How does tracing the lineage of inspiration expand or challenge your understanding of creativity? Now, consider your own work. What are 3-5 key influences shaping your creativity? Are there influences you’ve been unconsciously absorbing? Are there influences you’d like to engage with more actively or intentionally? What might it look like to honor your influences while pushing beyond them? By tracing lineages of inspiration, we deepen our understanding and open new pathways for our own creativity 🤩

like tuning an instrument string by string, I’d notice one note was off and I’d play it again. turn the peg. listen again. turn the peg. it strikes me searching for your life’s work is just that. eventually, the music rings clear and sweet

meanwhile, toad migration is happening 🐸

boredom is to creatives what cardio is to athletes

“being specific about what you want and how you will achieve it helps you say no to things that derail progress, distract your attention, and pull you off course”

gonna be a sunny day! let’s have a huuuge walk and break some silly patterns (the second part might fail) 🐕🦮🐕‍🦺🐩

new goals don't deliver new results, new lifestyles do. for this reason, all of our energy should go into building better habits, not chasing better results