I read somewhere this morning that our misuse of mobile technology (I am learning how to clamber out of the bottom of this pit) means creativity in music, art & writing is waning because we seek to fill the silence that boredom or mental idling allows (away from the constant churning of the internet or social media).
I have to bury my mobile under a pillow when writing. I require silence firstly to allow words, imagery, structure to settle & form in my head but, just as importantly, to interrogate whether the words, imagery and structure are appropriate, clear or original - the best I can draft at the time - and figure how best to shape / form them.
Hi Rob, thanks for sharing your experience with me! I think we may have seen the same message. It's interesting and I tend to agree. It's hard to create when you are being consumed.
Niall, you are gifted at the powerful one-liners, like this one today (that I am going to re-stack): "Comparison disconnects you from reality. Curiosity reconnects you."
Thank you, Jeannie. It was only a few hours before publishing when that line came to me. I'm sure you get those moments yourself. They fill me with joy when the right words fall into place. It's a bonus when a reader connects with them as I do :)
I spent much of my childhood and adolescence being compared to other people. This led to a feeling that I was never enough, and, as a result, I often compared myself to others.
To make matters worse, I buckled under the expectations my parents had for my life: I went to college, graduated, finished my master's degree, and now I'm working on a PhD. My life, whatever it is, seems to be much more about academic life than the 8 am to 5 pm work routine that my parents know (and that most people I know know).
Nowadays, because I better recognize my value and the path I've taken and feel very good about where I am, I no longer fall so easily into the comparison trap, although it's still hard to hear. However, as you say, I don't stay in it for long. What's more, it was interesting to read and understand the link between comparison and curiosity: I now compare myself with people in my field who are walking the path I want to walk too. It's a non-destructive comparison, but to learn and continue to improve, there is curiosity.
I also liked it and connected with the statement, ‘Each time you reach a rung on the ladder, another step appears. Like a hamster on a wheel, it's an endless pursuit.’. It could be demotivating, but I find it exciting. Speaking, once again, on a personal level (and I apologize if it gets boring), I still haven't figured out what I'm going to do in a while... let's say...5 years. I'm taking it step by step, goal by goal, and I'm enjoying the ‘scenery’ of each journey. I've discovered precisely what you said: it's more important to be ourselves than to focus on the constant pursuit of something, be it money, happiness, or whatever. I believe that true wealth and happiness are in the present and us - here's a reflection of mine in the form of a poem, if you're interested: https://anaffonseca.substack.com/p/only-today-to-die
Thanks for this Ana!! I truly appreciate the candid reflections you've shared here.
I resonate with your experience of comparison. This is something I struggled with for a large portion of my life.
The hamster on a wheel reflection was about materialism (money, possession, status, labels etc.) From my experience, it's an endless cycle that never brings true fulfilment.
Nothing wrong with not knowing where you'll be in 5 years. It sounds like you know what and where you want to be right now which is most important.
Kudos on the poem! It's a great topic. We project our lives into the future so often that we miss out on so much living in the now.
Thank you for sharing this, Niall! It resonates again, and funnily enough, I have been working on a hamster wheel print for a while - not finished yet (I have been at it for months now, though it is not that elaborate) - simply too busy spinning/jumping between multiple wheels. I can't wait to get off or find a way of jamming the wheel itself (hopefully soon and hopefully for good).
Thank you, Beth! I was curious about how the poll would turn out. The large majority of respondents selected less seeking, more being. I put myself in that bucket too.
‘Less seeking, more being’
I read somewhere this morning that our misuse of mobile technology (I am learning how to clamber out of the bottom of this pit) means creativity in music, art & writing is waning because we seek to fill the silence that boredom or mental idling allows (away from the constant churning of the internet or social media).
I have to bury my mobile under a pillow when writing. I require silence firstly to allow words, imagery, structure to settle & form in my head but, just as importantly, to interrogate whether the words, imagery and structure are appropriate, clear or original - the best I can draft at the time - and figure how best to shape / form them.
Hi Rob, thanks for sharing your experience with me! I think we may have seen the same message. It's interesting and I tend to agree. It's hard to create when you are being consumed.
Niall, you are gifted at the powerful one-liners, like this one today (that I am going to re-stack): "Comparison disconnects you from reality. Curiosity reconnects you."
Thank you, Jeannie. It was only a few hours before publishing when that line came to me. I'm sure you get those moments yourself. They fill me with joy when the right words fall into place. It's a bonus when a reader connects with them as I do :)
Agree! That connection never gets old.
Thank you for this incredible reflection. I appreciated it so much!
Thank you, Ana! I'd love to hear a little bit about what connected with you from the reflection.
I spent much of my childhood and adolescence being compared to other people. This led to a feeling that I was never enough, and, as a result, I often compared myself to others.
To make matters worse, I buckled under the expectations my parents had for my life: I went to college, graduated, finished my master's degree, and now I'm working on a PhD. My life, whatever it is, seems to be much more about academic life than the 8 am to 5 pm work routine that my parents know (and that most people I know know).
Nowadays, because I better recognize my value and the path I've taken and feel very good about where I am, I no longer fall so easily into the comparison trap, although it's still hard to hear. However, as you say, I don't stay in it for long. What's more, it was interesting to read and understand the link between comparison and curiosity: I now compare myself with people in my field who are walking the path I want to walk too. It's a non-destructive comparison, but to learn and continue to improve, there is curiosity.
I also liked it and connected with the statement, ‘Each time you reach a rung on the ladder, another step appears. Like a hamster on a wheel, it's an endless pursuit.’. It could be demotivating, but I find it exciting. Speaking, once again, on a personal level (and I apologize if it gets boring), I still haven't figured out what I'm going to do in a while... let's say...5 years. I'm taking it step by step, goal by goal, and I'm enjoying the ‘scenery’ of each journey. I've discovered precisely what you said: it's more important to be ourselves than to focus on the constant pursuit of something, be it money, happiness, or whatever. I believe that true wealth and happiness are in the present and us - here's a reflection of mine in the form of a poem, if you're interested: https://anaffonseca.substack.com/p/only-today-to-die
Thanks for this Ana!! I truly appreciate the candid reflections you've shared here.
I resonate with your experience of comparison. This is something I struggled with for a large portion of my life.
The hamster on a wheel reflection was about materialism (money, possession, status, labels etc.) From my experience, it's an endless cycle that never brings true fulfilment.
Nothing wrong with not knowing where you'll be in 5 years. It sounds like you know what and where you want to be right now which is most important.
Kudos on the poem! It's a great topic. We project our lives into the future so often that we miss out on so much living in the now.
Thank you for sharing this, Niall! It resonates again, and funnily enough, I have been working on a hamster wheel print for a while - not finished yet (I have been at it for months now, though it is not that elaborate) - simply too busy spinning/jumping between multiple wheels. I can't wait to get off or find a way of jamming the wheel itself (hopefully soon and hopefully for good).
Thank you, Dariusz! Keep going at it as best you can :)
That’s the plan! Thank you!
Pithy and concise — some real gems in here! And the poll results are interesting too.
Thank you, Beth! I was curious about how the poll would turn out. The large majority of respondents selected less seeking, more being. I put myself in that bucket too.
Thanks. I like it. 😊👍💯
Thank you, I'm glad the message resonated :)
You are welcome. :)