Jumping into the Deep End
Sometimes you have to take a leap to get where you want
As a child, my mother used to take my brothers and me to a nearby pool that resembled a small lake with a sandy floor. Large oak trees shaded the park and picnic tables were plentiful. She packed snacks, lunches and a big Thermos of water. We spent our days taking lessons, swimming, and munching on the food she packed.
Unlike the girl in the photo, I did not enjoy jumping off the dock which was in the middle of the pool. Once you got there, there were no ladders, so you had to pull yourself up onto its deck. I got out of the murky waters as fast as I could, because in my overactive imagination, creepy thinks lurked beneath.
It’s good to jump in
To graduate to the next level of swim lessons, kids had to be able to swim out to the dock and back again. Each time, I took a deep breath, held my nose, closed my eyes and jumped off. I remember floating down, sometimes touching the bottom, and feeling the sand and water swirl around me as I came up for air. Then came my version of swimming, which was more like thrashing, to reach the beach again. Except for jumping off the dock, it was a delightful summer experience. And I know it was good for me to jump in and somehow, I passed that class.
New beginnings
Starting new projects is easy for me compared to jumping into deep water. Since I started on Substack, I have been pondering what to write. I’ve written newsletters off and on for nearly twenty years, so that’s not the problem. Part of it is understanding the Substack platform. It’s an amazing ecosystem for writers and creators of all kinds. And the first is always important, at least in my mind.
You only have 30 seconds…
We’re judged by how we show up. We learned as kids that making a good first impression was important.
A few years ago, a group released findings that humans possess a smaller attention span than goldfish. Insulting, isn’t it? Author Shane Snow writes about the goldfish ‘study’ and about capturing attention through storytelling in a Forbes article.
Grabbing an audience’s attention in such a short time period amps up the pressure to create something that engages people. That’s where overthinking creeps in for me. To stop rampant overthinking, I set up a process for myself, which is outlined below.
Making a decision
Many decisions are small and quick, which is good way to get things done. Some decisions require more thought. Below are some steps I use to make decisions. Sometimes it is a very short process, or it can take several days or weeks.
Keep a journal or a notebook. For my fiction notes, newsletter ideas, notes for clients and an occasional doodle, it’s helpful to keep a journal. I have so many! They are filled with drafts, ideas, thoughts, sketches. I also use Evernote (works across all platforms) and Ulysses (Apple only) to capture manuscripts, drafts, facts, and resources.
Give it some time. Not every project requires it, but giving yourself time to process and go over various aspects of each option helps to sort them out. Let your mind wander. A walk in the park, driving without the radio, taking quiet time without expectation are useful strategies.
Trust your intuition. The noise from the outside world frays your connection and distorts your perceptions. The most empowering way to make decisions is to go within. For me, it is a daily meditation practice. At some point, my intuition speaks louder than my ego and I know what to do. While I’m going about my day with work or personal tasks, often the answer will show up.
What do you rely on when you have a creative decision to make?
Part of my work is encouraging people to share their creations and talents. We need more of your work. It brings harmony to the world.
Comment with a link to your Substack, link to a Note or post with your work. I’d love your feedback and comments.
If you’re on Substack or planning a newsletter or blog on another platform and haven’t written your first post, join me and hold your nose and just jump in!
Thanks to Erik Dungan for the photo on Unsplash.
I too tend to overthink and I appreciate your nudge to not let that get in the way.
Thank you for encourage me and others to bring our creativity into the world! I actually believe that's why we are all here - to express what is uniquely ours to express!
When I have a creative decision to make, I relax my mind and allow and invite guidance.
I'm excited you're taking this leap, Kathy, and look forward to so much more!
Much love ...
Lovely post.
At the moment the writing I'm doing leans more toward journalism / commentary, which takes some of the decision making out of it. A few years ago, though, I wrote a novel. About a month into the process, I rescued a dog, a greyhound, from the rehoming centre. We quickly settled into the perfect routine: breakfast, hour long dog walk in which I'd let my mind just wander, and allow images and scenes to play themselves out in my head. Then we'd head home and he'd curl up on his dog bed while I spent the rest of the day writing out those scenes and images as the next few pages of the novel took shape. I thoroughly recommend it as a writing practice. You don't *have* to get a dog, of course, simply being out in nature will do the trick. I just liked the company.