4 Ways Risking Your Life to Be a Teacher Has Its Benefits

Helping others succeed while dodging covid can give you more time to do what you love.

Image courtesy of viralityfacts.com.

Teachers are leaving the profession in such ridiculous droves you would think a ticking time bomb was placed under their desks. The low pay, stress, and fear of catching covid feel like a career in education could blow up in your face.

If you’ve got the guts to stare at possible death in the face while wearing a mask all day, teaching could give you more of what you want out of life. Does this sound crazy? Sure. We’re living in a time where going to work and catching covid could kill you.

Ignoring this fact is unrealistic.

There’s risk everywhere nowadays. If you’re privileged enough to believe everyone can work remotely from home and stay away from other people, you should open your eyes. No matter what variant of covid is going around, everyone needs to pay the bills.

Most workers have to stay afloat by showing up to work on-site, hopefully fully vaccinated. Teaching, like any profession, has its positives and negatives, but if you look at it in the right way, it is still a pretty darn good job.

It’s time we diffuse the bomb and take another look at why teaching is the most remarkable career in these uncertain times.

1. You give a lot but get so much more in return

Imagine a job where you get to help young people learn new skills and information that will prepare them for their future. I bet, if you’re not a teacher, that doesn’t sound all that great at first. Maybe something for a kind friend you have who’s always volunteering their time to others, but not you.

Watching someone grow into a more intelligent, mature, and confident individual is more fulfilling than you might realize. I didn’t even know how fulfilling it could be at first.

I loved drawing comics and dreamed of becoming a famous cartoonist when I was a kid. My mother was a teacher, and there was no way I would become a teacher too. In my mind, teaching would mean I failed as an artist.

No thanks.

After graduating from college with a degree in graphic design, I began freelancing with a portfolio more tailored towards illustration. Finding a full-time illustration job didn’t work out, and I fell into teaching art in elementary school.

I knew I would hate it and expected it to suck—the magic of sharing my skills with kids and seeing them grow as artists were infectious. I fell in love with teaching.

My students said thank you to me regularly, and I felt like teaching gave back so much more than entertaining people with my illustrations and comics ever could.

It’s true. If you want to make a difference in the world—teach.

2. Low pay but more time off to do what you love

Here’s the thing, according to a recent study by the RAND Corporation, nearly one out of four teachers in the U.S. considered leaving their job by the end of the school year because of work-related stress and low pay.

Teaching ain’t easy these days.

If you can put your heart into your work by giving more focus to how you’re helping students, you may stay in the profession longer. One way to balance out the hard work is with generous vacation time.

Time for your hobbies and side hustles. With two weeks off during the holidays, a week at spring break, and two months off in the summer, not to mention every other major holiday, you can make time for doing your hobbies.

In essence, you’re getting paid for an entire year but only working full-time for nine months.

One part of teaching that shocks me to this day is how exhausted I am when these vacations come around—like borderline burnt out. Of course, the level of depletion you experience depends on where you’re teaching and what you go through each day. In some situations, school systems, student bodies, and faculty can be better or worse than others.

Teaching can truly take it out of you, but if you have something creative you love to do, it can give you the time to work on your projects. Not just during time off, but each working day. You are the one running your classes and deciding when to grade or plan outside of instructional hours, so your personal time is flexible.

Maybe you have a principal peeking over your shoulder every minute, but I doubt it. Most likely, though, teaching feels more like running your own business. There are always requirements to meet and people to please, but you can make the most of your time the way you choose.

Even when the days are tough, teachers are creative and can lighten the mood to keep everyone sane with a bit of insanity.

Image courtesy of viralityfacts.com.

3. Teachers can leave the profession and come back

There’s no corporate ladder, so you can do something else and return to teaching in your exact position. In fact, the experience you’ll bring with you from your other career could enhance what you teach your students. You might have to move to a new school or district, but that could help you negotiate a higher salary.

If you’re looking to transition into another field, you have time to study or build a business while teaching. The schedule is predictable, so you can efficiently plan and use your off time.

I spent three years freelance writing in my off time and then took a copywriting job with a tech company in silicon valley.

At that time, I was ready for a new challenge. I felt the need to grow as a writer and learn new skills, so I made a move, knowing full well I could go back to teaching if necessary.

The pandemic hit almost two years later, and BAM, I lost my job—going back to education was a lifesaver.

I could bring what I learned in the corporate world and, along with teaching art, help by working with communications and marketing of the school. It’s a blast combining my love of the arts and storytelling with writing and sharing content.

After several more years, who knows, perhaps work writing or drawing opportunities may come up. I could leap again to help grow and learn new skills, knowing I have years of experience in education to fall back on.

Even though the trend nowadays seems to be either quitting your job or working for only a year, I like staying for 2–3 years if possible. You learn the ropes and have more time for deeper connections with coworkers and students.

Teaching at a school isn’t the only way to be an educator, though.

4. Teachers can work everywhere

You can teach in a classroom at a school if that’s your goal, but there are plenty of opportunities online. Remote learning is enormous and most likely here to stay. Many professionals will take courses remotely via zoom, and schools need people who understand designing and building a curriculum.

If you want to go corporate, companies need teachers to help train new employees. Even in sales, having experience speaking in front of a group and clearly explaining the benefits of products is not something everyone can do well. Teaching experience gives you advantages.

As we get a better hold on the pandemic, more jobs will open teaching overseas where you can experience another country and culture. I lived in Japan teaching English for two years and absolutely loved my time there.

Getting a chance to live in such a beautiful country, learn the language, and even meet my wife made me appreciate the doors a teaching career can open for you.

If you look at your career in education as an excellent way to learn new skills and grow as a person, you can move into just about any job. The issue right now is with staying healthy and avoiding getting covid.

Comparing your career to an adventure may sound extreme, but in a lot of ways, it’s true. You have to be ready for the twists and turns but stay open to where it can take you, and I say it’s worth the risks.

If you’re a teacher who sees the benefits of your profession, take hold of the possibilities and explore your options. You’re in demand. Maybe you’re someone who enjoys helping others and can transition into a career in education. I say go for it.

Where will you decide to teach next?

Want more? If you’re struggling with making authentic work, click here to join my (free) email list, and through comics, articles about culture, and living your truth, you can discover how to upgrade your mindset and share your creative writing and art with the world.

This Star Wars Fight Scene Shows You How to Live in The Moment

Start behaving like a Jedi to embrace the here and now.

Image screenshot of Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace, property of Disney and Lucasfilm.

Modern life can feel like a battle at times. Ongoing work and responsibilities wear you down to a point where you can't even remember who you are anymore.

You feel like a robot, or a droid from Star Wars, carrying out your programming with the sole purpose of serving others. How can you stay connected to who you are and lead a more balanced life?

Watching one of my favorite fight scenes in Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace always reminds me of an important truth I think will help you when life gets overwhelming.

I'll admit, it's not the best overall movie, but the fight choreography when Qui-gon Jinn and Obi-Wan fight Darth Maul mixed with that banging Duel of the Fates score is pretty badass.

I always get caught by Qui-gon's decision to meditate during a break in the lightsaber battle—a decisive moment that displays a lot about his character and how we can handle stressful situations.

If you don't remember the scene, take a look here. The part I'm talking about is at the 2-minute mark.

Qui-gon Jinn is in the literal fight of his life, and what does he do when barriers block him from advancing on Darth Maul? He decides to sit and pay attention to the moment.

Breathing, and most likely visualizing his next moves, but doing it calmly and peacefully—moving away from anxiety and fear through meditation.

On the other hand, Darth Maul paces back and forth impatiently, grimacing at Qui-gon like an animal starving for blood. This is one of the few times in a Star Wars film where I can actually feel the difference between being a Sith and a Jedi beyond just the visuals.

The fact that Qui-gon loses and ultimately gets stabbed is, of course, heartbreaking, but because we love what he stands for as a true Jedi master, we're moved by his death.

You're right there with Obi-Wan when he screams and runs in after the barrier opens to shred it up with Darth.

Does this mean meditation is useless? Qui-gon Jinn lost after all. Maybe he should have stayed standing up inside that red force field, staring at Darth Maul while gritting his teeth in frustration.

Or, perhaps it's all about how Qui-gon decided to live his life while alive.

You can admire his choice, and it's clear he understood the possible consequences involved in the battle. He was fighting highly trained evil and could most likely die. I'm sure he was in this situation many times before, but he kept centered and focused.

Qui-gon lost that Darth Maul battle, but he won being a master Jedi in control of his emotions through mindfulness.

We never know the outcome of the risks we take in life, but we should still take them. Pausing and paying attention to the present moment can help make you stronger and get you through it all with grace.

Here's how to think like a Jedi and become one with the force.

You can accept the truth in the present moment

If a Jedi can stop in the middle of a lightsaber duel to sit and meditate, you have the same choice when challenges feel insurmountable. Make sure to pause and pay attention to your thinking and emotions to handle how to proceed.

If the force is all around us, why not tap into its energy by sitting in silence for several minutes? People, most likely, are afraid to look at reality with honesty. If your situation sucks, it's OK to accept it so you can figure out what to do about it.

Sometimes keeping busy and filling up time with unnecessary duties might feel like it's helping you cope, but it's probably slowing you down. I like how this idea is addressed in Eckhart Tolle's book "The Power of Now."

“Accept — then act. Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it. Make it your friend and ally, not your enemy. This will miraculously transform your whole life.”

-Eckhart Tolle

Qui-gon knew the dangers of being an elite Jedi warrior and accepted the idea that battles are uncomfortable situations where you could be killed. Even with that acceptance, he charged forward, giving the fight his all.

Make mindfulness time into a habit

Our technology might not be as advanced as in the Star Wars universe, but we can set timers that remind us to be mindful. I know there are apps for this and even writing sticky notes you can place on your laptop, any way you choose, make meditation a habit.

Even if it means remembering to stop what you're doing when you're stressed and taking three deep breaths, you'll feel the benefits.

You can see things for what they are, essential and nuanced, but not the end of the world.

“The greater part of human pain is unnecessary. It is self-created as long as the unobserved mind runs your life. The pain that you create now is always some form of nonacceptance, some form of unconscious resistance to what “is.”

-Eckhart Tolle

The next time you're facing adversity, remember this Star Wars fight scene and be like Qui-gon Jinn — take time to breathe and refocus. You might not be facing a life or death situation, but you'll have an easier time not only surviving but winning the day.

In the words of a Jedi master…

“Remember, concentrate on the moment. Feel, don’t think. Use your instincts.”

- Qui-Gon Jinn

Want more? If you're struggling with making authentic work, click here to join my (free) email list, and through comics, articles about culture, and living your truth, you can discover how to upgrade your mindset and share your creative writing and art with the world.

How I Learned a Better Way to Hold Chopsticks

Illustrated by the author.

I thought I held chopsticks correctly.

When I moved to Osaka, Japan, many years ago to teach English in junior high schools, I had a tough time adjusting to being a foreigner in a new country and barely speaking the language. I figured using chopsticks was one thing I had years of practice with, so there was no need to worry.

After only a week of living in Shimamoto, a small town just north of Osaka, I went out to eat with my Japanese coworkers. One of them observed me struggling to pick up a piece of sushi and, without words, showed me how to hold my chopsticks, which turned into a next-level upgrade.

As a cartoonist and storyboard artist, I decided to draw the scene and put it together as an animatic. Take a look at this silent 38-second clip that changed how I use chopsticks to this day…

I never thought holding your chopsticks further up would make such a huge difference. Now, it’s pretty easy to pick up just about anything.

My chopsticks technique grew immensely after that short lesson from one kind coworker. I feel indebted to him to this day. The best part is, I was able to pay it forward.

One evening a few years later, while back in the U.S., I ate out at one of those Benihana-style teppanyaki restaurants. You always sit with others and share a large table while the chef is cooking in front of you. I caught one of the people sitting at the other end, watching me pick up my food easily.

I smiled and noticed he was holding his chopsticks closer to the bottom. Remembering my experience in Japan, I pulled my hand down to open and close them to show how difficult it is to open them wide that way.

As soon as I pulled my hand back up and displayed how wide you can open chopsticks, the guy’s eyes popped wide open. He smiled, changed his hand position to further up, and enjoyed picking up every piece of food thrown at him during the rest of the dinner.

We didn’t even talk to each other, but I could see he appreciated the lesson.

How do you hold your chopsticks? If you learned something new, make sure to share it with others the next time you’re in a Japanese restaurant.

You never know how much it could change their confidence.

Want more? If you’re struggling with creativity and putting your work out regularly, join my (free) email list, and through comics and articles, discover how to upgrade your mindset here.

The Life Advice I Nearly Died to Learn

It’s about more than feeling grateful to be alive.

Photo by Thomas Le on Unsplash

This article isn’t just about how precious life is—you know that already.

Going through the experience I’m about to tell you that happened because of my own lousy judgment helped me discover how to look at life and might help you too.

Here’s what started me down this road.

One late evening many years ago, after working all day, I needed to drive five hours south to visit family in Atlanta, Georgia. I was tired, exhausted even. When I look back on it, I know I shouldn’t have been driving a long distance, but I did it anyway.

It was close to midnight, driving down the highway, and I started to dose off. I wasn’t worried, though. Driving long distances is my thing. My confidence in the ability to stay awake, stay focused on the road, and make it to my destination was unshakable.

Until I fell asleep, and my car swerved to the left and hit the median.

My car spun to the right, across every lane of the highway. While spinning, my mind did exactly what I’ve heard other people explain. Time slowed down.

I was in shock, and my car was spinning. I thought another vehicle, or worse, a truck, would run into me. I figured this was it, and I would die. But I didn’t. My car slid down into a shallow ditch on the right side of the highway. I sat there frozen, staring out the window as my mind slowly crept out of the fog of shock covering me.

“I’m alive.” I thought to myself over and over again.

As a Black man sitting in the middle of nowhere Georgia late at night, I was afraid to stay there or even call the cops. Getting the car back on the road was the only option. My engine was still running, so I put it in drive and tried rolling out of the ditch.

The car moved up a little, but my ancient Honda Civic barely had enough power to get up the hill. I floored the gas pedal, and thankfully my prayers were answered as it moved up and back onto the highway.

Not taking any chances, I rolled down my windows, cranked up the radio, and drove the last hour and a half into Atlanta. The scrape on the left side of my car from hitting the median was a small price to pay for keeping my life.

During that ride post-accident, yes, I was grateful to be alive and pissed at myself for driving drowsy. But I realized something.

If things were just a little different, I’d be dead. The truth is, bad things happen and will continue to happen. We must all choose what seemingly bad events mean to us.

Accepting that it’s my responsibility to decide how to think about every event in my life is a privilege I will gladly take on. What I went through sucked, but what I learned from it is powerful.

We can make life better or worse—starting with how we want to see it.

I could have spent the entire ride punching myself in the face for not waiting until the next day, after a good night’s sleep, to drive to Atlanta. My deliberate choice was to focus on the fact that I got myself out of the ditch and back on the road.

Could I have fallen asleep again? Sure. But I decided to push through and reach my destination by ensuring I couldn’t fall asleep again. And you know what? I have never driven long distances at night while tired again. That was my choice. I learned from my mistake.

What if you feel there are no choices in life for you?

Change your perspective, and change your life

The first perspective upgrade to make is recognizing you have the power to think differently about yourself and your situation in life. You don’t have to almost die to understand how powerful changing your thinking about something can be.

I’m a big fan of accepting situations for what they are and then deciding to move forward. Going through an accident where I could have died or have been seriously injured, but didn’t, could have been all I needed to decide never to drive again. Like god was telling me, I don’t belong behind the wheel.

Of course, that’s not true. If everyone stopped driving after getting in one accident, far fewer cars would be on the road. It would be best if you built up resilience to tough times and difficult situations so you can get back in the game after hardships.

I decided to give thanks for coming out of the accident safely and understanding I must be more careful while driving. The lesson I learned helped shape me into a better driver and taught me; even small things can make a huge difference.

When you can make your mistakes into lessons and difficulties into opportunities, you can conquer anything.

“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” -Maya Angelou

Change your thinking now. Don’t wait.

You don’t need to risk your life to appreciate how much good you can give to the world. All you have to do is make a choice. Choose now.

Upgrading your perspective is easier than you think. Here are several ways to do it without nearly dying.

• Take a step back to see the bigger picture. Soar above your life and look at it from above to get a broader perspective. What can you change?

• Focus on what you have rather than what you’re missing.

• Practice gratitude. Even the smallest blessings are worth your attention.

• Try out new things. Stretch yourself with new hobbies or activities. You’ll be forced to open your mind and see life anew.

If something like an accident or health-scare hasn’t happened to you yet, it most likely will. I know that’s morbid to think about, and I apologize. But, staring at death in the face gives you the proper perspective on life. You will discover what truly matters if you haven’t figured it out already.

Fortunately, you don’t have to go through hell to get to an epiphany about life. You can choose to make a change right now.

The power is all yours. Upgrade your perspective and choose the life you desire.

Want more? If you’re struggling with creativity and putting your work out regularly, join my (free) email list, and through comics and articles, discover how to upgrade your mindset here.

Are You Addicted to Being Busy or in Love With Your Work?

Why making that distinction could save your life

Photo by Laurenz Kleinheider on Unsplash

Waking up at 5 a.m. to work on a personal project or side business before heading off to a day job has now become a common negative stereotype of hustle porn. Do we need to work this much?

If you’re doing something you love, maybe.

Figuring out if what you’re working on is just keeping you busy to make money or giving you something more significant than dollar bills is vital.

I like work. In fact, I’m writing this article early in the morning before my teaching job. Getting up at five in the morning is challenging at times, but the natural high I get from writing and drawing first thing in the morning stays with me throughout the day.

I feel good, and most importantly, I’m having fun.

It wasn’t always this way. There have been plenty of times where I worked myself to the bone freelancing or trying to build a business, asking myself, “Why am I doing this?”

I had to figure out what worked. The hardest part was being honest with myself about what I truly love and desire to do.

The uncomfortable truth is, you may have to get everything wrong before you can move in the direction of what’s right.

What work addiction looks like

You’re afraid of silence. Afraid of peace.

Not what you expected? Hear me out.

You’re accustomed to something happening, or something you have to do is present at all times. You feel like a hard worker when you’re constantly taking care of tasks for your work or thinking about ways to make it better.

You feel like constantly spending time doing, producing, or making, will lead to growth, success, respect, and riches. You overwork yourself.

“I can’t stop, or I’ll get left behind.” you think.

You’re doing time-consuming tasks, keeping you busy but ultimately not moving you forward. It’s not what you love, but you’ve heard this type of business or action at work will lead to financial success. You think it helps you feel better about yourself.

But it leads to burnout.

You can’t let go of making things happen. It’s time to stop, but you can’t see it until your body forces you by getting sick or losing motivation or excitement for what you do.

What loving your work looks like

You can’t wait to get up in the morning to jump into a project you’ve been working on each day. In your mind, making money from it is nice, but you’d do this for free because it’s so much fun.

Even if it’s something you weren’t good at first, but now you’ve learned more and are excited and, not to mention curious, about learning all you can and getting better at it. You have a passion for the work.

Does this mean you never get tired? Of course not. You understand we all get run down eventually.

Burnout can still happen even when you love what you do, or it’s your passion. You know this, so you schedule downtime. Planning work in terms of seasons, months of the calendar year where you’re more productive, and others where you slow down and recharge to help you stay balanced.

I love being an educator and during the pandemic went through teaching primarily on Zoom. At first, I thought holding classes on video would be easier because I’m at home. It ended up being twice as much work.

On top of that, I was keeping up with my daughter’s fifth-grade homeschooling due to the pandemic and drawing comics and writing in what little spare time I had left. I love everything, but after over a year of pushing without much leisure time, I passed out and was sent to the emergency room.

I got sick from one bacterial infection to the next, getting sent to the hospital four times in three months. Fortunately, as a teacher, I get the summers off, so I finally had a wake-up call and made sure to slow down as much as possible and heal.

Like me, you may love what you do but get addicted to doing it regularly. Writing, teaching, and drawing are my outlets, and I could not be myself without them. This could be true, but it doesn’t mean I need to do as much.

Like in the play “Hamilton,” his wife keeps getting on him for “Writing like he’s running out of time.” I feel that way at times. Like I have to get out as much work as possible with the time I have.

Rest and remove the unnecessary

Give yourself true leisure time. Your exhaustion is more than not having a vacation in a long time. It’s the fact that you haven’t made time for real rest.

Some ideas for letting go and giving your body and mind a break are playing sports, meditation or just sitting outside staring at nature, reading a good book, hiking in the woods, and spending time with a good friend.

Refresh your mind and spirit so when it’s time to get back into doing the work you love, you have passionate energy for your chosen passion.

When you know the parts of your business or passion project you enjoy the most, it’s easier to give tasks away to assistants or hired help.

If you don’t have the money to hire help, try and do less of the excruciating functions and spend more time on what you enjoy. When your business grows, you may add on more help with what you like the least.

Being realistic about how much you do and when to rest can save your health and your life.

Decide to take ownership of who you are

You’re not superhuman. No matter how much you enjoy what you do every day. The human body can only take so much.

Stop being addicted to work and accept that loving it leads to burnout just as much as when you hate what you do for a living. Either way, you must give yourself time to rest and rejuvenate.

You’re not going to win an award for the most passionate worker.

Sure, when you hate what you do, you’ll need more time to work through mental frustrations and stress, but doing what you love carries stressors as well.

When you decide what you’re doing is essential to you, make it your way of giving to the world and helping others, then your hard work will feel like it’s worth the time. Planning for relaxation because you know it’s vital for your mental and spiritual health is extremely important.

No one is going to force you to take time for yourself. Even if they do, you are the one who decides what you’ll do with that time.

Learn to love your work and scheduled leisure time so you’ll live long enough to appreciate what you earned.

Want more? If you’re struggling with creativity and putting your work out regularly, join my (free) email list, and through comics and articles, discover how to upgrade your mindset here.

One of the Best Ways to Become a Better Writer

How a cartoonist’s quote helped me understand what writers truly need

Coming up with creative ideas for topics or stories to write about consistently can be challenging. Even when you get them, how can your writing feel authentic and full of life?

In an interview with cartoonist Jef Mallett of the syndicated “Frazz” comic strip, he gave simple yet powerful advice on writing for his same cast of characters week after week.

“Get a life and steal from it.” -Jef Mallett

In his opinion, only taking from other books or TV shows isn’t as powerful as swiping from your life. To do that, you need to live a little. There’s a richness to personal experiences readers can feel.

Leave your house, take risks, and then write about them.

You Only Need 3 Words to Have a Life You Yearn For

Upgrading your thinking doesn't have to be hard

Photo by Kajetan Sumila on Unsplash

One of the biggest names in the fashion industry didn't start designing wedding dresses until age 40.

Vera Wang found her true calling a bit later in life. She pursued her dreams of being a successful athlete but failed to qualify for the 1968 Olympic figure-skating team.

When her sports goals didn't work out as she'd hoped, Vera changed what she yearned for and took on one of her other interests—fashion. Working at Vogue for many years gave her experience and new skills, but, unfortunately, she never rose to the company's top.

Putting time in on the side to design wedding dresses and ultimately open her bridal boutique in the upscale Carlyle Hotel on Madison Avenue in New York City helped put her on the map.

Today, Vera Wang is huge in the fashion realm with a business worth over one billion dollars.

Anyone who succeeds through multiple ups and downs and can pivot into success must have a clear vision to pursue. Deciding what your's is can be easier than you think.

Choose three words to yearn for in life

I bet you tend to want it all when it comes to life—all the money, a perfect loving relationship, and a fantastic job. It might even be that you're extremely specific about exactly which company you want to work for or the type of person you most desire.

How about you try picking just three words that cover what you yearn for in life in a broader sense?

Narrowing down what you truly want to three words can help your mind focus and attract the experiences you desire most. This keeps you open to many possibilities and not fixed on specific outcomes.

For example, if you say, "I yearn for kindness, adventure, and peace in my life." this statement will set your mind in motion to attract what you desire.

Making concrete decisions activates the universe to start working for you. Keeping what you yearn for broad and open will give you the flexibility to change when needed.

Me? I yearn for love, freedom, and creativity.

Coming up with those words took several tries. In fact, I might still change them. It gives me a high-level idea of what I need to feel like life is going my way. Something similar to a compass that guides me when I get off track. I can ask myself questions like, "Will this bring more love into my life, or less?" or "Can I gain more freedom from starting this business?"

When you have the three words you yearn for, you're on your way. If they're not all present in your life yet, be careful with how fast you expect them.

Walk towards your goals, don't run

Yearning is not desperation. Take your time getting to where you want to go in your life, relationships, and career. Anytime I try to rush things, they turn out less meaningful with little fulfillment.

Make your yearnings like the locations you're walking towards each day. Move steadily ahead but always have your goals in sight. There's so much to discover when you take time to pay attention along the way.

Running fast towards goals makes you miss learning moments. These are important ones that could help you appreciate what you're receiving and help with the knowledge to keep it together.

Yearning leads to doing, then eventually, becoming. I hate to admit sometimes that growth and change are gradual. Patience is not my strong suit. The problem is, you don't see how much you've grown most of the time because changes are so small. Doing more faster usually feels like the more innovative way to get to success. It's not.

Remember, doing small acts leads to more significant success in time. Stacking those little blocks can build on themselves.

In conclusion

If you don't have an overarching idea of what you want your life to feel like, you won't get all you desire. Some favorable aspects can happen by chance and fit into your vision, but a good life you yearn for takes planning and intention most of the time.

Here’s the truth: People who get what they want tend to be the ones who make the effort to know what they want. -Martha Beck

I'm nearly there with my goals of love, freedom, and creativity. The freedom part is still taking time, though, like my dream of not working a day job but choosing to solely because it interests me.

I have more flexibility in my life right now because I know what I'm looking for and can make decisions based on my vision. You can do this too.

Choose your three words to yearn for in life and start taking the steps and strides, like Vera Wang, down the runway towards them. Make sure to carry patience on your back. You'll get there eventually and realize everything you desire is already surrounding you.

Want more? If you're struggling with creativity and putting your work out regularly, join my (free) email list, and through comics and articles, discover how to upgrade your mindset here.

Getting Your Dream Job Should Never Be The End Goal

I’m not afraid anymore to admit what matters

Photo by Magnet.me on Unsplash

When you get that (insert dream job), you’ll be happy. Right?

Even though you know this isn’t true, you hope it will be.

Why? Because you want to feel special. Someone chose you for that job and, therefore, success. So, you’re important. The validation you receive from the money, prestige, and professional challenge of that position will make all of your hard work up until now worthwhile.

Is there more to a career than giving all your talents to a company?

Could it be you’re afraid to see it’s really about what you’re giving to the world as well as yourself at the same time? While also giving to yourself, what you contribute to society brings you meaning—a genuine purpose.

Not just a ladder for you to climb in a career.

When everyone is telling you to strive for success, you may wonder what that means. Yes, it depends on how you think success should look, but there’s more.

My dream of becoming an art teacher came true. There are parts I love about the job. And other parts I could do without—the same for when I dreamed of working as a copywriter at a tech company. The experience was incredible in so many ways and not so fantastic in others.

I thought those jobs were my dreams come true, so everything should be perfect in my life then. They would surely be my everything and solve all my problems: no more sadness and impostor syndrome for me.

Until I realized jobs would never make me feel like a 100% success. So, how do we change our mindset and look at our career aspirations a little differently? It’s only one part of the equation.

We have to face the facts.

A job ain’t nothin’ but work

What is the reason for a job in the first place? You make money so you can pay for a place to live and have clothing and food. It’s work, but we make it into so much more—our identity. If you have to work, remove yourself from becoming the profession itself.

Turn your thinking into, “I am a human being doing this job because it adds to the world, teaches me new skills, and helps me live the life I want.”

I’ve been fortunate enough to get jobs I worked hard towards and could be considered dreams come true. I still have ultimate dream jobs, like working for an animation studio or getting a graphic novel series published, but those have to do with a combination of skill and luck. They can take more time to achieve. I’m still growing as a writer and artist and will get there eventually.

Any jobs I have are lovely stepping stones on the journey to where I want to go. Not a definition of all I am.

Making sure you’re learning valuable skills is how you give yourself better opportunities. When you see the experience you’re gaining by working the job you’re in now, it can become more than just work.

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”
Colin Powell

Make money so you can do what you love

A “day job” can be a good thing. One that gives you the money to afford the time to do what you love is a fantastic ticket to creative fulfillment.

Keep in mind; if we get our dream jobs, they might not be how we imagine. There’s a difference between a dream and a fantasy.

If you get your dream job and hate it, is it a dream come true? Maybe what you fantasize about can never be in real life. Or, the day-to-day expectations of what it takes to do that job are not to your liking.

That’s fine. If you tried it but didn’t like it, now you know. If you’re not there yet, find interviews with people doing what you dream of doing. How does the reality of the job sound to you? Can you handle that level of stress or keep up with the expectations?

“No matter what you’re doing, try to work at that task like it’s your dream job.”
Russell Simmons

What if you have a job that doesn’t suck, pays your bills, and gives you space to work on your passions — like music, art, and writing in your free time? Is that so bad? You’ve given yourself a chance to spend time doing what you enjoy and making it a priority.

It’s not your job, so you can do the parts of your hobby or interests that are fun and schedule them when you want. It’s not a chore or ball of stress you have to manage every day. It stays your outlet.

I discovered my main goal is to get better and grow my skills in creative areas. You could choose to share your hobbies with others or keep them to yourself. Even the judgment of others is something you won’t have to deal with if you’re doing it for fun.

I’ve had plenty of jobs that were for paying the bills so I could make comics. Waiting tables was one of them, not to mention being a security guard–perfect for drawing while watching the security cameras — and even teaching gives me summers off to work as a cartoonist full-time.

Craft a life that supports the pursuit of your passions, and your dreams will quietly come true in your spare time.

Having the ability to start your own business is key

Even if you could create a business with all the skills you’ve acquired and practice you’ve put into your passion, it doesn’t mean you have to turn it into a business.

I talked about this in my previous article in the same vein here:

4 Reasons Your Hobby Should Not Become Your Business

If you’re good at something, it doesn’t have to be your side-hustle.

khalidbirdsong.medium.com

Knowing you could make it a business feels pretty good, though. If you need to make money or life takes a turn for the worst, having skills you can use to earn more dough could be a lifesaver.

Putting time into practicing your writing, drawing, and even administrative skills could be services you could sell down the line. Just know, you don’t have to make everything a side-hustle.

Creating for yourself means any style or format you choose is entirely up to you. When you want to change how you create, you won’t have thousands of fans looking for you to do it the way you always have. Or, you won’t have to worry about clients chasing you for freelance jobs.

The freedom to work on what excites you and then change when you feel ready and willing is liberating.

The true meaning of work

You’re giving to others and being of service. If you’re not doing that, find a way to add more giving to your workday. This truth once felt silly to me. I see now; sharing is what it’s all about. A job shouldn’t be just about what makes you happy only.

Work should also be about giving and helping yourself get better at something you enjoy—an actual path to fulfillment.

“You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.”
Woodrow Wilson

A dream job is meaningless if you’re not helping others in some way as well as feeding your soul.

Take these ideas to heart and decide who you want to be. How will you grow your skills, help the world, and live your dreams instead of only striving for a fantastic job?

Want more? If you’re struggling with creativity and putting your work out regularly, join my (free) email list, and through comics and articles, discover how to upgrade your mindset here.

What You Could Be Missing About Writing on Medium

It's more than making money

Writers keep saying Medium is dying. It's not like it used to be and will never return. If you can't make good money here, why stick around?

I've been on Medium off and on for five years now, and I wish I were more active here a few years ago. You know, when writers were bringing in the big bucks. About a year ago, I started posting regularly, and I've seen slight growth in my earnings but nothing over $100 yet.

My stats have plummeted, like a lot of writers here, and I can't seem to get the attention I had even six months ago.

I'm still staying on the platform and putting time into writing on Medium.

Here are a few reasons why.

You can write whatever you like

Writing on Medium is the perfect place to sharpen your skills. Think about it. You can choose to share, teach, and tell stories about anything.

I love that I can bring up a topic I'm interested in and give my take on it. And for the most part, people will read.

Sure, it's tempting to get excited about possibly making thousands of dollars on the platform, but we should focus on what's important—improving as writers and having fun at the same time.

Medium will keep making changes

Another day, another change on Medium. Get used to it and keep writing. We can get as upset or excited as we want, but the fact is, the platform is growing and needs to adjust.

Sometimes it will work in our favor, and sometimes it won't. We can't change the fact that Medium is a business and will frequently make decisions that seem cold.

Your articles don't have to become cold, though. When you have fun writing, readers will notice. They'll also appreciate your honest, positive words as they try to navigate not only Medium but this crazy world in which we live.

Flow with the changes and continue to rise above with writing that's creative and authentically you, and watch your work last for years—no matter where you write.

Your pay will fluctuate

Depending on Medium earnings to pay your bills is a tough road. If you can position yourself with multiple streams of income from other jobs or platforms, do it.

You can't predict if your articles will generate a ton of money each month or not. Looking at your stats every 30 minutes isn't going to make them go up. Consistently producing good work every week is the main road to improving and attracting attention.

Stats won't matter as much if you do not depend on Medium for money.

It's easier to deal with the lean times when you have many different areas where your pay comes from. Try using Convertkit to start an email list. I've had one for my comics for many years but just started adding articles and advice to my newsletters. It's fun, and new people are subscribing.

My goal is to build up loyal readers who feel they receive value from my work, and I can reach out to them when I have new books or courses ready to release. A.K.A., a built-in audience.

You can make more money from freelancing

I bet my blog writing skills would snowball if I went after freelance clients. When I did this in the past, it was enjoyable to work on different projects and learn about companies to write for them. Enjoyable but with very little freedom.

The fact that I can choose a topic that interests me on Medium—not based on what a client decides—and put my spin and style on it is magnificent. I can even add illustrations I created, like in this article.

If I want to make more money, I can go back to freelancing.

Or take on a few assignments on Upwork or through LinkedIn for several months and then stop. All the while, I'm writing on Medium to get better at honing my voice and writing style.

Most of all, I'm having fun.

In conclusion

Write on Medium for the experience and pure joy of sharing what you love. When you start craving more money, start freelancing for a while to help keep your passion for Medium alive.

Decide what you're writing for and base your daily writing habit around that idea. Right now, I'm all about getting better and finding my voice. There are several topics I love writing about, but I'm looking forward to discovering more.

Article writing is helping me get to know myself and my writing voice. I'm grateful to Medium for giving me that opportunity. And, I get to make a little extra money too.

Not a bad deal at all if you ask me.

Want more? If you're struggling with creativity and putting your work out regularly, join my (free) email list, and through comics and articles, discover how to upgrade your mindset here.

4 Reasons Your Hobby Should Not Become Your Business

If you’re good at something, it doesn’t have to be your side-hustle.

Photo by Victoria Heath on Unsplash

Let’s imagine you’re exhausted and up late working on an important personal project. The one that, once it’s out in the world, will put you on the map and attract attention. With some luck and a little bit of success, your dream of quitting your day job could come true.

Then what? You get to do that every day, all day? Is this really the future you’re hoping for?

Why can’t this be something you do for fun?

If you’re good at something, it doesn’t mean it has to become your job.

I know that’s counter-intuitive to what everyone’s touting online today, but it’s true. Your hobby shouldn’t always become your business.

I’m sure you’re good at many things. It doesn’t mean you have to turn them all into side-hustles that turn into big-time companies.

Unfortunately, I’ve learned this the hard way. My love for drawing comics and writing has led me to pursue making money from them as a side-hustle. It’s not as fun as it’s cracked up to be. Between deadlines, prospecting for clients, and balancing my work and projects with family responsibilities.

We live in a time now, with the internet giving us opportunities to easily share work with the world, where people think you should “Do what you love, and the money will follow.”

We all feel like we’re missing out if we don’t have a passion and pursue it for profit.

Contrary to popular belief, making money with what you love is hard. Does it have to be your goal? Here are four reasons why you might not want to turn your hobby into a business.

1. Hobbies should be fun

Why do you love doing your hobby? If it brings you a sense of joy, for example, isn’t that enough?

If all of your needs are being met by your day job, perhaps adding on more work to make your hobby into a business isn’t worth the extra stress and commitments.

Your hobby should be — and stay — enjoyable. Something you look forward to escaping into and forgetting about the outside world.

I remember my grandfather had several hobbies. He enjoyed making the most delicious fudge and giving it as gifts to family and friends. Should he have opened up a business selling fudge out of his kitchen? Not necessarily.

I doubt he enjoyed it enough to add on all the extra responsibilities involved with a bakery business.

He mainly wanted something fun and fulfilling to do in his leisure time. Making fudge brightened his days and added a little sweetness to others. For him, that was enough.

Knowing you can go deep into something at your own pace, where you think clearly and feel at ease, is a blessing. Don’t complicate it.

“I can elect something I love and absorb myself in it.”
― Anaïs Nin, The Diary of Anaïs Nin, Vol. 1: 1931–1934

2. Making it a business turns it into work

We don’t always know if what we love to do will be something we enjoy doing full-time. It takes experience, yes, but also honesty. Do you love your hobby so much that you wouldn’t mind regularly dealing with the business's complex, tedious, boring parts?

If you want to turn your hobby into a business, it will become work.

Drawing comics full-time has been a goal of mine since I was a kid. Even though I know it’s one of the most challenging forms of art to make good money in, I still go after it. I’ve had to take on other jobs to pay the bills when comics weren’t bringing in enough, and most of the time, comics would become my side-hustle.

Becoming a professional at anything means learning to work even when you’re not in the mood.

I learned to do that by making comics and pushing through the “resistance” in my head when it would try and hold me back from not only getting art done but taking care of more administrative tasks.

Now, I know I can be a professional comic artist because I like the day-to-day work involved. I haven’t reached my full-time goal yet, but I’ve had years of freelance experience to get a good idea of what it would feel like.

When you put your hobby to the test, by intentionally treating it like a business, you’ll be able to feel whether or not it’s something you could do as your job.

I get it. You might need a side-hustle right now. It could be that a side income is vital to save money or pay for outstanding bills. Does your hobby have to be the way you make that money, though?

There’s nothing wrong with getting a part-time job in retail or driving for Lyft for a certain amount of time — think seasonal work — to save up enough for you to get back into a good place.

Do anything you can to keep your hobby as an outlet and a source of release.

3. Should you monetize your obsession?

People can get way too into their hobbies. Like collecting memorabilia or toys, for example. Nothing wrong with those hobbies, but I’ve seen friends lose their minds over a piece of plastic. If you’re obsessed with a hobby, can you think straight enough to make it a business?

Will you identify all of yourself as that hobby if you make it a business and carry unrealistic expectations on your shoulders? For example, “I’m a writer now, so I must write every day for five hours, or I’m a failure.”

Sometimes we love a hobby so much; it becomes an obsession. If you can’t stop painting portraits of politicians to make a statement, and no one can give you feedback or suggestions on how to grow because you refuse to listen. Maybe this shouldn’t be your business.

You need to be open to pivot and take on new ideas when things aren’t succeeding for a business to work. If you can only do things your way because this hobby is everything to you, it should probably stay a hobby.

“Whatever you like to do, make it a hobby and whatever the world likes to do, make it a business.”
-Warren Buffett

4. Be selfish when it comes to your hobby

Keep something just for you. You don’t even need to share what you make or create with anyone. Let your hobby remain an outlet for life’s frustrations and hide it for yourself. If you need to share it with someone who has more experience and gives you feedback, great.

I bet there are plenty of creative people who work professionally and never show it to anyone. That way, it’s for themselves. Or, they keep it for their family and friends. If one of those people wants to buy from them or support the work, they can.

A few years ago, I was learning to play the ukulele. I wanted to do it for fun with no expectations of performing live in front of strangers. It would be a relaxing hobby I didn't need to press myself to do professionally, like drawing comics.

I spent about two years practicing chords and learning songs on the uke. Having a hobby only for the fun of it was terrific. The only problem, music takes a regular committed effort to improve. Balancing work, drawing comics, and being a family man proved to be too much.

It hurt, but I had to stop playing the ukulele. I went from practicing every day to a few days a week, to only once a month. All of my time went into improving as an artist and not a musician.

Facing the hard truth—I didn’t have time for a musical hobby—was tough to face. But, I accepted it and put down the uke. Who knows, I hope to have time to get back to playing it again in the future when I have more time for myself.

Drawing in my sketchbook is purely for fun now. I don’t have to share my scribbles with anyone if I don't want to, and the practice makes me a better artist for the comics I share with the public. Hobbies can have a private and a public side if it helps keep you growing and feeling balanced.

In conclusion

All hobbies are not good businesses. Just about anything can be made into one, but you have to be honest with yourself about what you can handle.

Find a nice balance of interest in the subject matter, love of the creation process, and detachment from the perfection of the final result.

When you can look at your work objectively, share it with others, take criticism, make changes, and still enjoy what you’re doing. It might be the proper pursuit for you.

Try and keep these points in mind when deciding if your hobby should become a side-hustle:

• Hobbies should be for fun. If yours is mainly for fun and a way to relax and unwind, don’t make it a side-hustle.

• Making your hobby into a business turns it into work. Are you ready to deal with the not-so-fun parts of running a company connected to what you love?

• Don’t try and make money from your obsession. If you can’t even think straight while doing what you love because you’re so engrossed by it, maybe it should stay a hobby. It would be best if you could be objective about your work to grow it as a business.

• Keep your hobby to yourself if you choose. You don’t have to share it with anybody. Remember, I didn’t play the ukulele for people I didn’t know. It was my private hobby. One I’m looking forward to getting back to soon.

Make time for your hobbies in your leisure time to stay balanced and recharge. Let your interests become your job or side-hustle when you need one.

That way, you can enjoy what you do for a living and still have energy for your passions.

Struggling with creativity and putting your work out regularly? Join my (free) email list and discover how to upgrade your mindset here.

Are We Losing Our Creativity?

Science says yes, but it’s all in how you look at it.

Photo by Anthony Tran on Unsplash

We’re getting less creative. The scientific studies say so.

According to the article, “Research Suggests We’re All Getting Less Creative and Scientists Think They Know Why” by Jessica Stillman in Inc. magazine, studies have shown creativity is on the decline.

People could care less about creativity.

From the article:

“A researcher at the University of William and Mary analyzed 300,000 Torrance Test scores since the ’50s. She found that creativity scores began to nosedive in 1990. She concluded that we’re now facing a ‘creativity crisis,” reported author Michael Easter on Medium recently.

Scores on standard tests of creativity have been declining for decades. Does this mean we’re screwed?

I doubt it.

We need to face some facts and update our idea of what it takes to be creative to grow as artists. Here’s what we know and what we can do.

Why we’re less creative

The answer is no surprise. We’re too busy and overstimulated by technology and endless entertainment possibility in media to be creative.

Scientists blame “our hurried, over-scheduled lives” and “ever increasing amounts of (time) interacting with electronic entertainment devices,” Easter explains.

With less open time to be bored and keep our minds open to thinking, our free time is filled with watching screens and just taking in the entertainment.

Cooking those ingredients we absorb through all the media we consume into creative ideas takes processing time. If we continually fill the bowl, there’s no space to mix. It would be best if you had time to let it all gel.

With all the distractions from entertainment on our screens today, it’s harder to be creative even when you want to be.

I understand our mindset nowadays. Why think of new ideas when there are so many people who already did it for us? Watch those subpar TV shows, play those video games, read books by other writers and thinkers and nod your head. Who needs their own opinion or artistic voice in the world when there are so many already putting theirs out there?

With all the distractions from entertainment on our screens today, it’s harder to be creative even when you want to be. You’re forced to put more effort into shutting out influencers and doing things the way you feel is right.

On the other hand, if you’re looking to become more creative, there’s much more access to various examples of art, writing, music available to inspire and grow as a creative artist than there ever was in history.

You have the opportunity to learn from experienced creatives on platforms like YouTube, Medium, and anywhere you can search on the worldwide web.

Even though the internet makes it easier to learn and share your work, my concern is whether or not what we’re putting out is unique.

Pretty without personality

Are algorithms on social media platforms determining what’s worth your time and weeding out creative work? Probably.

Plenty of creative writers and artists out now aren’t getting seen because the algorithm pushes them behind other artists who know how to appeal to the masses.

In visual art, everyone looks like the stereotypical Anime art style. I’m not seeing enough blends of styles that look unique to one artist. Everything is looking the same. Well drawn, but the same.

When I was a kid in the 80s, it was a thrill to find a book on drawing comics or read one magazine on illustration.

I think art and especially illustration is beautiful to look at nowadays. Young people have access to physical art supplies and digital through iPads and computer software like Photoshop.

Tutorials by successful artists are all over YouTube, so learning from the best costs zero dollars and just a bit of your time. If you’re willing to put in the time to practice and grow your skills, your art will improve by leaps and bounds.

When I was a kid in the 80s, it was a thrill to find a book on drawing comics or read one magazine on illustration. Getting free instruction videos wasn’t available, but we had more illustrations in media like newspapers, magazines, and album covers.

I could take in the different art styles and reverse engineer what artists used to create their work and composed their pieces. My work may come out looking awful as a result. Or, it could grow into something pleasing to look at with my personality woven throughout every stroke of the pen—by adding more trial and error.

When will the sameness end?

One way I’ve seen this creativity reduction is in young people when I’m teaching art. I’ve worked in schools and with students from elementary to high school age.

I hate to admit; there’s a lot of sameness in the look of their work. For example, the influence of Japanese anime and manga styles is prominent.

As someone who lived in Japan, to study manga art style, I understand the allure. However, when I read or heard from artists there, they would always say their goal is to find their own unique art style.

The distinctive way they draw and tell their stories is what makes them popular. Trying to look like another artist is where you start, but it shouldn’t be your end goal.

Clearly, I’m a fan of anime and manga. I’ve drawn plenty of it but intending to learn new approaches to making comics and growing my individual style.

For a career where people are drawn to your art, whether it be illustrations, paintings, or graphic design, your unique flavor needs to shine through.

I’m not sure the young people I teach see it that way. Their goal tends to be to make it look as much like a popular manga they’re reading than to get their own take.

Why must everything be made in that style? As an art teacher, one of my goals is to inspire students to study various artists and styles. Please copy what you see but combine from different sources to build your unique look.

Most drawings from students look like the stereotypical Anime art style. I’m not seeing enough blends of styles that look unique to one artist. Everything is the same. Well drawn, but the same.

Drawing anime style makes everything into a formula. You draw the eyes this way, the shape of the head and hair that way. If you can draw it right, your art will look just like anime and be considered good.

Here’s the thing—I think it’s great to have the ability to draw in a manga style. If you want to draw comics on Webtoon or work in manga publishing or for an animation company that makes anime, that’s perfect. Keep it as a skill in your toolbox.

Your unique flavor needs to shine through for a career where people are drawn to your art, whether in illustrations, paintings, or graphic design.

It’s a challenge for students to develop creative ideas and execute them in their own way. Good. It’s supposed to be that way. It’s how you grow creatively.

All of us, especially young people, should accept the struggle and embrace how it will help them get to where they want to be as artists. Having every bit of entertainment on demand has made it difficult to have patience with growth.

Even with research and examples from master artists, it’s difficult to take risks and combine ideas to make something unique. That’s okay.

Struggle leads to breakthroughs.

Drawing anime style makes everything into a formula. You draw the eyes this way, the shape of the head and hair that way. If you can draw it right, your art will look just like anime and be considered good. It takes the uncertainty out of drawing. If you compare it to what anime is supposed to look like, and yours fits the bill, you’re a good artist.

As art students grow older and pursue a career in the arts, they’ll need to compete with others for jobs. Their style should look more unique will pull them out of the anime trap and hopefully discover what elements make their art their own.

Writing books and articles could be seen similarly. We can be inspired by articles like the one I’m writing right now but put our own spin on it coming from our experiences.

Nothing’s wrong with copying the voice of another writer, as long as your goal is to sound unique down the line.

Look at creativity in a different way

I believe we see less creativity, but I know plenty of artists do unique work that should be seen.

We have more time, in the U.S. at least, to be creative compared to, say, one hundred years ago. People were too busy surviving and working their butts off to think about adding more creativity to their work. Not to mention all the gatekeepers you had to get approval from to have your work published or placed in an art gallery.

Today, we can take complete control of our artistic careers if we’re willing to learn the ropes of running a creative business.

More creatives are making money, sharing their work with millions, and building something sustainable at this time.

If it’s just about good ideas, maybe we’re not revolutionizing as much right now. But I’m sure we have more opportunities to be creative and make something of our work compared to fifty years ago.

Make space for creativity

Maybe we’re becoming less creative, but it doesn’t mean you have to believe your work lacks value. The world needs your voice and art to inspire and help us become better, more well-rounded individuals.

You have more personal choices than ever before, so work with your mind to make sure you move forward artistically.

If you have to turn off the TV and social media to focus on your art or writing—do it. Being a more creative person and sharing what you make with the world is all on you. Here’s what the Inc. article suggests we do to increase our chances of being more creative:

Actively scheduling time to think, reflect, and experiment into your days, putting reasonable boundaries on your use of passive tech, varying your routine and your company, and getting out for more long walks can all help ensure you’re bucking the trend and nurturing your personal creativity.

Give yourself quiet time to think and reflect. Mold what you take in through media into golden creative inspiration. Have a goal of creating unique work that reflects who you are as a person.

Everyone else may be becoming less creative, but it doesn’t have to be you.

7 Average Words to Help You Discover Above Average Ideas

Illustrated by Khalid Birdsong.

Are your ideas all dried up? Maybe you’re feeling like someone who can’t come up with anything exceptional anymore. Looking for new ways to express yourself and breakthrough a creative slump?

I’ve been there. More often than I’d like to admit.

As a teacher, writer, and cartoonist, I’m always in need of ideas, not only to start creating something new but to enhance what I’m already working on.

Let’s imagine we climbed the mountain of the creative block together. As we reach the top, standing majestically in front of us is a massive rock. On it are inscribed seven words. Words to get you out of your creative rut.

Reading each word given to us by the divine universe of ideas, I agree to interpret how to apply each one to your life. When you feel lost or blocked creatively, just think of one of these and then take action.

1. Challenge

The first word we see on the list is one of the most powerful. You must make sure what you’re working on has an element of challenge, or you won’t rise to meet it. If what you’re creating is too easy or in the middle of your comfort zone, up the stakes.

Perhaps you have a new skill to learn. Incorporate it into your process or a new way of doing something you’ve mastered. Taking a risk by learning a new style or way of creating can force you to think creatively in new ways.

This could be as simple as choosing a topic for an article on something you know very little about. You’ll need to research and find an interesting angle to take. Writing in the voice and tone of a novelist you admire could also push new ideas out of you.

If you’re very good at writing, try learning a new musical instrument and practicing it during your writing breaks. When you feel that uncertainty bubbling up inside, that means you’re on the right track.

2. Variety

Are you always reading the same genre of books? Watching the same TV shows? Add some variety to your life, and you’ll become inundated with fresh new ideas.

We become comfortable with our choices and could use something new and different to shake it up.

“Sameness is the mother of disgust, variety the cure.”

Petrarch

If remembering to consume something different is hard, try inputting a reminder to the calendar on your phone. Or, put a sticky note near your laptop that reads, “Watch a TV show you think you’ll hate.”

Read articles with opinions different than yours. Going in to understand why people enjoy or believe this could help your mind come up with ideas for characters or a new project to pursue.

3. Habit

When you make doing your creative work into a daily habit, creativity will walk in and join you.

How do you make something a habit? Write down a plan of what you would like to get done in a day and what order. Make sure to follow that plan for two straight weeks. Boom! You’ve got a habit.

If you plan to get up an hour earlier to create every morning, decide what time, set your alarm, and put it on the other side of the room. That way, you must get up out of bed to turn it off.

Your mind and body will expect the routine and look forward to making your newly established habit. When you sit down to create when you always do, your mind would have been formulating ideas in your off-hours, anticipating this regular creative release slot in your day.

4. Awe

Experience or observe something that fills you with awe.

Look at a beautiful painting. Watch a musician playing a solo on the instrument; they put their heart and soul into learning. Visit natural wonders like the Grand Canyon or something closer like your local park.

Appreciating the beauty of nature will help you see this world with open eyes and give your mind new ideas.

“He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed.”

Albert Einstein

5. Walks

Humans have been walking since the beginning of, well, humanity. Yes, because that’s how we get around. But also to help us think clearly. Even come up with new ideas we can’t wait to write or create.

Before going out for a walk, ask yourself a specific question or fill your head with content from many different sources. Then, let it all simmer together as you move your feet.

Inspiration will hit.

Make sure to bring a small notepad or your cell phone to jot down any ideas that pop into your head. You’d be amazed what a little fresh air, sunlight, and physical movement can do for your creative thinking.

6. Opposites

When you see this word carved on the majestic stone, it might perplex you. How can thinking of opposites help with creative ideas?

Moving in the opposite direction for an idea creates tension and can shake out good ideas. I learned this from writing humor for comic strips. If I were having trouble coming up with a funny gag, I’d think of the opposite way that situation could look.

For example, what if I have a character in my story who’s a husband that hates taking out the garbage. Maybe this time, he decides not to take it to the bin outside and hides the overstuffed garbage bag in the house somewhere.

It sounds pretty gross, but my imagination is starting to light up with scenarios where the husband is trying to convince his wife there’s no foul smell coming from the closet. It’s still a funky idea, but my mind wants to make it work.

Maybe he tried to hide the garbage last week, and his wife comments on it when he refuses to take it out this time. “Remember, honey; we don’t wear the garbage, so keep it out of our closet.”

When you need new ideas, try thinking of the opposites of something you know well or of a popular opinion, and see where it takes you.

7. Practice

The final word on the stone makes sense to you and seems so simple. Taking time to practice the fundamentals of your creative pursuit daily does wonders for improving your skill and idea generation. Start with an exercise that gets you in the mood for creativity.

I like sketching people I see while out and about, writing 10 ideas a day, journal writing, practicing playing scales on a piano. Freewriting.

Anything that doesn’t take a lot of thought but makes you feel something, giving your mind a chance to wander as well. Something cathartic, if you will.

Once your mind is active in one way, from practicing your art fundamentals, but still has space to search for new ideas, you’ll have an easier time getting inspired.

In conclusion

As we walk down the mountain, we’re full of inspiration from the straightforward yet powerful words carved on the stone.

We see the truth now. Creativity is not magic. You can help your mind mold and shape fresh new ideas through normal activities and just a little bit of open-minded thinking.

Now, accept this wisdom and go out and become the extraordinary creative person you were meant to be.

What Losing a Writing Job in Tech Taught me About Impostor Syndrome

You are who you decide to be.

Photo by ABDULLA M on Unsplash

Three years of freelance writing on the side while teaching full-time finally got me noticed by recruiters and hired as a copywriter for a major tech company in silicon valley. I was considered a contractor, though, not a salaried employee.

And it was only for three months — with a possibility of extension.

I’m embarrassed to admit; this messed with my self-worth and confidence as a writer. Even though I’ve been out in the world of work for over twenty years, my positions have either been as a salaried teacher or freelancer.

Being a contractor felt like a weird in-between. You do the job with hours just like salaried coworkers, but you don’t get paid time off or health benefits. Everyone is so excited about that three-day weekend coming up, and you’re thinking about how it’s one more day of less pay.

Even though you’re working just as hard.

I will say I enjoyed the fancy office space and the nice laptop they provided. The free coffee from the latte machines was convenient and delicious. Lunch wasn’t free where I worked, but you got a full meal for cheap each day plus dessert.

Yes, I gained a little weight during my first few months.

Writing in a cubicle at a desk that raises and lowers at a push of a button was glorious. I loved the flexibility of either writing while standing and then lowering the desk to sit whenever I wanted. These small perks were good.

Maybe too good?

As a contractor surrounded by people who seemed to have more experience, stability, and confidence in their jobs, I realize that I had a serious case of impostor syndrome.

Impostor syndrome-

People who struggle with impostor syndrome believe that they are undeserving of their achievements and the high esteem in which they are, in fact, generally held. They feel that they aren’t as competent or intelligent as others might think — and that soon enough, people will discover the truth about them.

Facing reality

There I was, finally getting an opportunity to work as a writer all day, every day, and get paid more than my teaching salary. I was concerned about what my position said about me as a person and a professional.

I could get in the door, but not in all the way.

Fortunately, I did a good enough job to add three more months to my contract, then six more after that. Once a year was up, I wasn’t offered a salaried position as I’d hoped.

Another hit to my ego.

The work I was doing was good enough to keep me there but not enough to bring me on fully, I suppose. I stayed there, got another six months added to my contract, but the company could only keep me legally for a year and a half in total.

I’m sure this kind of thing happens all the time with contract work, but it felt like I wasn’t good enough. I felt like an impostor.

Thoughts of not possessing enough talent to be a legitimate part of the team flowed through my mind constantly. In other words, impostor syndrome hit like a ton of bricks.

Until a friend helped me look at it differently.

Every job is temporary

A friend of mine who works in tech came to visit at the time for lunch. I discussed not getting hired for a salaried position and these feelings of inadequacy plaguing my confidence.

How come I can only stay a contractor? He stopped me abruptly and shared the truth.

In silicon valley, everyone’s a temp.

Even people who seem secure in their position can be let go tomorrow. Sure, it could be because of poor performance, but internal changes and just bad timing can come into play.

I was accustomed to the world of education, where you normally can stay on the job at least through the academic school year. Getting fired in the middle of February, for example, rarely happens. Unless you’ve done something crazy, I could count on staying employed between August and June every year.

In the corporate world, you never know when you could be let go. Even if you’re a superstar. Things happen. In fact, I saw other hard-working contractors get let go at the end of their contracts before me.

I understood that appreciating the skills I learned and the people I met on the job was most important. Not whether or not I stay for many years.

Besides, I noticed a lot of people change jobs every year or two now. They learn what they can, make connections, and move on.

That’s okay. As long as you know and respect who you are inside, you can succeed anywhere.

Knowing it could end at any time is the reality for everyone.

Save your money and prepare for the worst. Enjoy the experience and learn all you can in the meantime.

I had to stop equating hard work with stability or guaranteed success.

They’re not necessarily connected. Just because you work hard doesn’t mean you’ll always succeed in everything. You’ll definitely have better chances for it, but life doesn’t always work that way.

When the pandemic hit, we were all sent to work from home, and my department announced a hiring freeze. The writing was on the wall.

I wasn’t going to get hired on “permanently,” and when my contract was up, I’d have to say goodbye.

I required a new mindset to move away from the idea that I was never a good enough writer for the position.

Only you can decide you’re a writer

I’ve been writing comic books and comic strips since I was a kid. It never felt like “real writing.” You know, the kind novelists or journalists do. Learning how to write to get people to take action, copywriting opened my eyes to writing being more broad and open than I once thought.

Maybe I am a writer after all. I thought getting paid to write full-time would finally bring that home. It helped, but I still had to repeat in my head, “I’m a real writer” to accept it fully.

Only you can decide you’re a writer. Once you do, you’ll see writing can look many different ways.

Creating emails and promotional copy is just as much “real writing” as prose. I see that now. The truth is, I enjoyed writing in a corporate setting much more than I thought I would.

I spent some time at my desk each day, focused on writing and editing copy, and then met to discuss strategy with my team members. I was a writer then, and I’m still a writer now working on this article.

As long as I choose to be.

Final thoughts

I might have lost the writing job, but I was able to move back into education. The world is crazy, and teaching in a school is a safe place, I understand. Having the opportunity to also write for the school in their communications department helps me feel like my skills will not get all rusted up.

Even if I’m not writing all day, I know in my heart I’m a writer. It feels great to have worked in different positions as a freelancer, contractor, and now part-time writer.

Experience can help you feel less impostor syndrome, especially if you work with kind and helpful coworkers. Who knows, though, my next position might feel too big for me, and I have to convince myself I’m worthy of it all again.

I’m not worried. Accepting the fact that I’m a writer always helps.

4 Magical Life Lessons From a Japanese Animated Kids Film

How this Hayao Miyazaki movie can help you pare down your expectations and have a more fulfilling life.

Moving to a new town, as a mere 13-year-old, to set up life as the local witch is Kiki’s goal in the charming animated film Kiki’s Delivery Service, directed by Hayao Miyazaki.

The only problem, she has very little money and only one magical power—flying on her broomstick.

How can she expect to make a successful life for herself, starting with so little? It’s easy at first. Do you know why?

She was open to meeting people and having new experiences. Not to mention living simply and using her unique gift to start a business.

I love animated movies by Studio Ghibli, but even after two years living in Japan, watching most of their animated films, I never viewed this one. It looked cute but didn’t pull me in like Princess Mononoke or Spirited Away.

My wife and daughter wanted to watch it for our “Family Movie Night,” and I tried not to groan. I slumped into my recliner, ready for the injection of sweetness into my veins.

To my surprise, it wasn’t as sweet as, say, Ponyo, but quite pleasant and full of adventure. In fact, the climactic final act was thrilling and expertly directed. I won’t give it away here, but if you’ve seen it, I bet you were on the edge of your seat.

Kiki’s life was one I admired. Not only because she had magical powers, believe it or not—but because she had confidence, freedom and wasn’t afraid to live a simple life while working towards her goals.

These four takeaways from Kiki’s Delivery Service could help you enjoy a more fulfilling life.

1. Live with only what you need

Kiki befriends the owner of a bakery and is offered a room out behind the store. It’s old, dusty and only has a rickety bed and one table. She takes it with gratitude, cleans it up, and recognizes all she needs is a place to sleep and eat.

When Kiki goes shopping with her black cat Jiji, she prepares him because they have very little money and will have to live on eating pancakes until she can earn more.

Pancakes, y’all.

I would have at least chosen salad. Either way, let’s appreciate that she has the confidence to know her situation will change in the future. There’s nothing wrong with living on very little when you start.

Is it just me, or is this idea losing favor in modern times? Are we turning away from meager beginnings with young people leaving college and just moving home with their parents?

Look, I know everyone expects to be poor when they’re in college, but what’s wrong with getting any job you can afterward and moving in with roommates? You learn a ton about life and what truly makes you happy.

We can take that into any season of life and look to remove the unnecessary.

From what I’ve seen from living over forty years of life, people keep acquiring more and building up taller mountains of stress.

Taking on the idea of living only with what you need applies to material possessions as well as your mental baggage. What beliefs about people and life can you discard from your thinking?

Do you need therapy to lighten your mental load? Have the courage to find a professional to talk with and let some of that go.

When I moved to Osaka, Japan, to teach English in Junior High Schools in my late twenties, I could only bring two suitcases with me even though I had a whole one-bedroom apartment full of stuff.

It was a pain to give away and sell all of that, but boy, did it help me feel lighter physically and emotionally. When I arrived in Osaka, in an old empty apartment, I felt like Kiki. Excited to be in a new place but scared of the unknown.

Fortunately, I had a job, but that was about it. Life was fresh, new, and very foreign.

I chose not to fill my apartment with furniture and kept it pretty bare-bones. It helped me think clearly and feel less stress from the culture shock of adjusting to a new country.

One thing you’ll notice is with all that space, you can think about the positives and negatives in your life. It might lead you down the road to depression.

If you end up down in the dumps emotionally, my next tip might help.

2. Use your unique talents to help others

Doing work that helps others is incredibly rewarding. What you do doesn't have to be complicated either. Take an honest look at yourself and find what makes you special or unique. You could also ask your friends or family members to tell you what they think you do well.

Pursue work that utilizes your talents and can add value to someone's life.

Kiki did this in the film. When she first moves to the little European town inspired by Visby, Sweden, she had no idea how to make money.

She was a witch but hadn’t learned spells or any other magic besides flying on her broom. Kind of like when you’re young and have only a small amount of life experience. She discovered that people could use help delivering packages around town.

So, she did just that. Of course, not without her challenges, or it wouldn’t be much of a story, but she found work.

Work that helped make life easier for others.

We all want to make money doing what we love but remember to make a difference. When you help others, it helps you feel better about yourself and lead to amazing life experiences.

If you stay open to them.

Being an art teacher for almost twenty years has been hugely rewarding. Is teaching a tough job at times? Heck, yeah! Being a part of helping young people grow and appreciate art is exciting. When I was in college studying art, I thought becoming a teacher would mean I failed as an artist.

I see now how it adds to my life with more than a paycheck and summers off. Making a difference with something I love.

3. Lower your expectations

I’m not saying working towards big dreams is wrong. Just stop putting so much into outcomes and results. The less you expect, the more you appreciate.

I’ve learned that a simple life is one to admire.

It’s true what Notorious B.I.G. said, “Mo’ money mo’ problems.”

Mainly because you have more responsibilities. Which is fine as long as you accept that fact. Living with more is a huge responsibility filled with difficult decisions and daily stress.

I noticed in the movie that Kiki continued living in her little room behind the bakery. She continued her delivery business and helped people in the city. Perhaps she could have afforded to move out and get her own apartment. Surely, it would have cost more and possibly pulled her away from close friends.

No need to move on to get more if you’re happy where you are.

Opening up to needing less can make space for more peace to pour into your life as long as you make a conscious decision not to expect too much. Finding your dream job will not solve all of your problems and suddenly make life perfect.

Even when you do all of this, you’re loving life and growing in your career; you may feel out of sorts and lose motivation all of a sudden.

4. Recharge your batteries

I guess you could call this a **SPOILERS** ahead moment, so skip this paragraph if you haven’t seen the film. Kiki’s magic vanishes, and she’s not able to fly on her broom to make deliveries. This sets her back and wrecks her confidence. It’s not until a friend shares with her that most people lose interest in their work or go through creative slumps.

If this is you, take a break. Rest. Give yourself space from whatever it is you’ve lost that fire for so you can breathe a bit and recharge. If it’s something important, you’ll find the spark to ignite the flame again.

Kiki certainly gets her magical mojo back, but I won’t tell you what gets her there.

Some ways to re-ignite your fire:

• Sleep more. I’m serious. Go to bed early for a few days in a row or sleep later on the weekends. Take naps. Sleep has been known to cure so many health issues.

• Put a pause on whatever you’re working on that’s draining you, and learn something new. Watch something you wouldn’t normally. Read a new book in a genre you hate. This will force you to think differently and stay open to new ideas.

• Meditate. You knew I would mention this one. Giving yourself quiet alone time to be mindful of your body and thoughts will help your mental wellness.

• Talk with family and friends about what you’re going through. They might have experienced something similar and could give you advice. Even if they haven’t, taking time to express how you’re feeling with someone you care about is a great release of any negativity you’ve been holding onto.

Final words

One of the hardest things for me to accept in life was that good things take time. Patience has always been a challenge for me. Not that I want everything now, but I wish it all would get here quicker.

It seemed to me that Kiki was fine with slowly building her life in one place. I love that. Yes, she’s just an animated cartoon character, but I envied her spirit. Maybe it’s because I’m a middle-aged man dreaming about the early days out in the world. Or, I needed the reminders the film brought forth.

There’s no shame in starting small, using your talents to work towards a successful career, and having patience with the process. Life can be less stressful and pretty darn magical when you know your needs and limit your wants.

How I Write 257k Words a Day Without Breaking a Sweat

The secrets to my unheard-of success.

Photo by Jake Weirick on Unsplash

*This article is fictional and meant to be humorous. Enjoy!

Your writing skills ain’t got nothin’ on me. While you struggle to post your one article today, I already posted six.

How do I do it, you might ask?

I could boast about my ability to schedule hours devoted to writing articles back-to-back in bulk. Balancing life with two kids and a demanding wife.

I do write in bulk, but here’s the real key. I’m always writing. Bulk writing is my life. My entire life.

The wife and kids I mentioned earlier, I rarely ever speak to them in person.

They write me. In texts, via email, even on Facebook messenger. They know my goal is and must remain, being a top writer. This is what I live for, and they give me the space to pursue it all.

Sleep? Who needs it?!

I can survive on two hours a night. Even with that one day a month where my body gives out completely, and I crash into the bed, sleeping for 24 hours, I am still a consistent writing machine.

I keep a notepad by my bed and it’s filled with notes I generated subconsciously in my sleep. My wife says when my hand is writing, she dare not wake me lest I lose the next Kubla Khan.

I might be a writing God.

I was once like you. Disappointed with my writing progress and wondering how to add more words to my documents each day.

While you stress over what time to squeeze in a little typing time, I’m writing like lightning. Striking my Macbook like pebbles in a tornado.

A storm that never lets up.

I was once like you. Disappointed with my writing progress and wondering how to add more words to my documents each day.

After reading several articles on productivity, it came to me.

I must go all in. So, writing is all I do. Taking time to shower is a luxury. Even after I get out, my laptop is waiting next to the sink. I only dry my hands as I begin writing again, letting my bare body air dry.

I bet you think my wife is jealous. She’s more envious of how much time I spend caressing my coffee mug. The number of coffee beans I need to fuel this obsession could fill a grain silo. Make that two. My wife knits constantly and shares this devotion to caffeine and productivity. We never buy clothes, thanks to her incredible knitting prowess.

Before you start getting worried about who takes care of our kids, let me calm your fears. We practice “Free-range Parenting.” That’s right; our children take care of themselves. We homeschool, and they fend for themselves. My kids learn more from the Disney Channel than they would in college.

I will admit we have groceries scheduled for delivery every Sunday, so food is provided. Every Saturday, we have cleaners come to wipe away a week's worth of our creative survival mode. We’ve thought of everything.

The harness with a desk attached makes it easy to go out for walks while writing. Writer friends talk about how they get inspiration during their walks. Well, I get to walk, get ideas, and write them immediately. In fact I send them to the cloud with Siri for when I get home. The cloud doesn’t care where I am. You shouldn’t either.

I’m a full-time writer, after all. This is the life I built and the one I choose to live. If I let up on the gas, I might lose it all. The only way to win is to keep adding and pushing harder.

Before you start getting worried about who takes care of our kids, let me calm your fears. We practice “Free-range Parenting.”

Everyone wants to be like me. They don’t have the fire to make it happen. These wannabe writers are lazy, unfocused. I know what it means to give your all for what you love.

Your passion.

If you can’t do what you love, every day, all day, then what’s the point of living? Those of you with weak wills full of fear know—you have what it takes to succeed. Put a razor-sharp focus on your goals and eliminate everything else. You will be rewarded with fame, fortune, and millions of words written a day.

With success comes more work and more hours of writing. You never know when someone will inch up behind you and take your spot.

Don’t let them pass.

My last and final goal is to discover how to write three 600 word articles every hour for 24 hours with original illustrations. Anyone can do Unsplash. I want people to link to my stories when they use my art. I will get there, mark my words.

Top that, losers.

First, They Call You a Fool, Then They Call You Brilliant

Illustrated by the author.

Taking risks that make sense to you may look crazy to others.

Two years ago, I quit my secure art teaching job for a position as a copywriter at a large medical device company. In the middle of the school year, no less—not a wise move in education.

Most teachers wait to leave until June, when they’ve completed a full school year. A great idea if you’re moving to another teaching job. Unfortunately, the corporate world isn’t on the same schedule.

I was scared about what this might do to my teaching career but ready to tackle a new challenge in a different profession.

I worked as a freelance copywriter for more than two years while teaching full-time and was ready to transition into writing more and teaching less. Leaving education at the mid-point of the year wasn’t ideal, but I knew this opportunity would be a good one.

This doesn’t sound too crazy you might think.

I didn’t mention yet, the new copywriter job was a temporary contract position for three months with only a possibility for extension. I was taking a huge risk.

Some people called me a fool. Others, were openly encouraging, but I bet were thinking to themselves I must have lost my mind.

What if I sucked, and they didn’t extend my contract past three months? Working as a contractor can turn into a permanent position, though. They might love the work I do for them and hire me on. Would I be able to get a job in education again if this position didn’t work out?

Even I felt a little crazy. Some days I was thinking, “What am I doing?” Inside, though, I had a feeling it would all work out.

You’re always a fool until you’re brilliant

I follow matchmaker and business columnist Paul Carrick Brunson on LinkedIn and he posted this video talking about his experience with being called a fool for taking risks in his personal life and career. Until he became a success and everyone switched and starting calling him brilliant.

He invested his wife’s savings in his matchmaker business. They called him a fool. He pulled his kids out of school to homeschool them. Foolish, they said.

According to Paul, he was called a fool for fifteen years before it all changed. Now, he’s interviewed regularly on television and people are incredibly impressed with his advice and the success he’s accomplished in his business.

The thing is, this praise only started in the past five years. The first fifteen, he was called a fool. If Paul had given up and listened to the naysayers, he wouldn’t have made it past “fool” status to “brilliant” where he is now.

Have the courage to follow your inner guidance

You not only need the confidence to stick with what you know is right, but the patience to reap the benefits. We all want success to happen right away but good things take time.

Paul Carrick Brunson has been at it for twenty years. I was teaching for seventeen before moving into a corporate position. Having years of knowledge and experience can help you move out or back into a career when needed.

I’d love to tell you I’m still working the copywriting job at the tech company but when the pandemic hit, a hiring freeze ruined my chances of staying on. They did extend my original three month contract three more months. Then, added on another six months.

The medical device industry is difficult to write creatively in because of all the medical and legal regulations. You have to be very careful with the words you use and make sure to back up any promises or claims.

I was frustrated and wanted to leave after a year but something funny happened. The writing and business started making sense to me. I was getting good.

Fortunately, they extended my contract another six months. Unfortunately, the hiring freeze brought on by the fear and uncertainty of the pandemic lockdown meant I wouldn’t get a permanent position. They could only keep me for eighteen months in total, so I knew my time was running out.

I didn’t regret my decision to risk working as a contractor, though. My goal was to gain corporate experience at a tech company as a writer. My writing improved, I met amazing people, and learned a great deal.

Maybe it wasn’t the secure choice, but it was worth it.

Take the “calculated crazy” risk when you can

You know what you need to do to live the life you want. I bet it’s the opinion of others that’s slowing you down or making you feel like you’re crazy.

Ignore them. One thing I’ve learned over years of taking risks that looked kooky to others at the time but ended up working out in the end is, people will give you props and respect when you succeed.

As long as you have a plan and can see how where you’re going can provide new skills to help you become who you want to be, you’re golden.

People might not have understood your vision or goals at first, but when it all comes together, suddenly, you’re looked at as intelligent and resourceful.

Fine. Accept the kind words and don’t get upset with the fact that it took the time and effort it did. Stay in the game long enough to take risks where you win or lose, and keep going until you build something you’re proud of and garners respect.

One thing is true, the majority of people are afraid to go against what’s safe and secure.

Nothing is secure.

Even though taking calculated risks may look ridiculous to the average person. You don’t have to be an average person.

Don’t listen to the noise

My final point is one Paul Carrick Brunson pointed out in his video message. Don’t listen to the noise. Your friends and family care about you and mainly want the best, but they don’t understand your path.

You know what you have to do. They might not see it but that doesn’t mean they’re right. They care about you and don’t want to see you get hurt. Give thanks for them and ignore their negativity and fear. Do what you have to do.

As long as it’s well-thought-out and doesn’t harm anyone in the process, go for it. You can always make another decision later if it doesn’t go the way you hoped.

If only this type of confidence were easy. It’s not. To make it through, you may have to:

• Deal with feeling your heart pounding in fear in the beginning of your journey at the same time you’re holding your head up high to appear sure of yourself.

• Listen to other people’s negative comments about your choices while thinking of the reasons why you’re going about it this way so you stay confident.

• Remember, when times get tough, success is a marathon, not a sprint. It will all feel slow when you’re in the thick of it, but when you look back at all you’ve accomplished, it will all be rewarding.

I’m back teaching art again. My connections from previous schools helped me get a job in education after losing my copywriter position.

At first, I felt like a failure for only moving out of teaching for a year and a half and then having to go back. Then, I saw how what I learned transferred over to education. In fact, I was able to add communications onto my responsibilities by writing blogs and posting to social media for my school along with teaching art.

If I ever want to go back into copywriting in the future, I’ll always have the corporate experience I gained at the tech company to help.

Brilliant? You be the judge.

So far, it’s working well for me.

If You Could Get Married in a Pub in The Middle Ages, Why Expect so Much From Relationships Today?

Your spouse cannot, and should not, be your everything

People in medieval Europe just wanted to get it on. Or, they just wanted arranged marriages to make money for their families.

Marriage was about sex or status back in the middle ages.

We expect so much more from it now, which is lovely in some ways but can be damaging.

With the church having a great deal of power in medieval Europe, as a Christian, the only way to make sweet love to your partner without burning in hell was to marry them.

Fortunately, for couples back then, the rules were pretty loose.

The only requirement for a binding marriage was the consent of the two people involved—no need to ask your family or bring in a priest. You could get married just about anywhere at any time. Forget about witnesses. You didn’t need them.

Wanna get married at your buddy’s house down the street? At the local pub? How about in bed? Sure! No problem.

You got married so you could make love whenever you wanted and take care of each other. Plenty of relationships were arranged, sometimes before the couple even meets each other, to help the families gain status or money.

Having concerns about falling in love or fulfillment wasn’t the main focus. I believe in love, but I also feel we’re taking our ideas of what marriage can do for us too far.

We expect far too much from marriage

Discovering this enlightening bit of history made me think about how much we expect from marriage today. I believe in taking it seriously and honoring its sanctity. Still, I bet people would enjoy the bonds of marriage more with a little less weight stacked on top.

I’ve been married for over fifteen years to my amazing wife, and even though we’ve been through ups and downs, I’m glad we’ve stayed together. We both choose every day to make the relationship better or work together on issues that need improvement.

My wife and I view marriage this way because we both had divorced parents when we were kids. I think it forces us to look at our relationship every day and ask, “Is this worth breaking up over?”

We know how it feels not to have both parents together, so we constantly check ourselves over what’s most important.

Unlike in medieval times, we are blessed with so much because life is much easier now. We think marriage should fulfill us physically and spiritually. Our partners should be our everything. Having children should be a magnificent blessing that improves our lives tenfold.

Many people think uniting with another should wash away their pain and make life easier.

Until we actually do all of these things and realize that married life with children is complicated and stressful. Heck, I have only one child, and everything is crazy. Imagining raising multiple kids fills me with anxiety.

Yes, family life is more fulfilling, and you can have a great deal of fun if you work together as partners, but life is not easier. In a lot of ways, it’s more complicated.

The only way to end a marriage in the middle ages was to prove it never existed. All the experiences, time, and effort you put into building something together with someone — erased.

I know people still do this today by getting an annulment. Still, the fact that we have more choices now can make you think about what you plan to get from vowing to stay true to only one other person for life.

Are your expectations even realistic?

Lower your expectations and become flexible

Maybe you desire certain things from your partner because you watched your parents growing up doing or trying to be that for each other. Does that mean it’s okay?

Have you decided love means your wife makes dinner for you every night or your husband must make a certain amount of money?

Marriage can look the way you both decide. Try lowering your expectations brought on by childhood and talk about what your actual needs are. This might not look like a traditional marriage. Your parents might disagree, but if how you live together is safe and works for you, go for it.

If you’re unhappy with how much your partner is giving to you, try cutting in half what you expect from them. Decide what’s most vital for you to feel loved, and ask your partner for more of those one or two aspects.

Your spouse cannot, and should not, be your everything.

Do you think married couples in the middle ages were concerned their partner isn’t there emotionally for them twenty-four hours a day?

They were too busy trying to survive. Life now may feel much more manageable than back then, but the truth is, we’re all still trying to survive. In nicer homes with more comfort — but it’s survival nonetheless.

Giving your marriage all you’ve got but at the same time relaxing your expectations is challenging but possible. Most relationship issues can be worked out by being open with your partner and having uncomfortable yet honest conversations.

An exception will be if you’re with someone physically or verbally abusing you. That is a reason to leave. No one should keep trying to keep a relationship alive with someone who treats them like trash.

Of course, sometimes a marriage should end. I get it. I’ve had relationships back when I was dating, where we parted for various reasons. Breakups are hard. I believe most bad marriages can survive, though.

Let’s say you both want drastically different things out of life, and you’re moving in different directions. I can see that pulling a marriage apart.

Being open with each other about your needs and where you’d like to go in life makes it easier to figure things out. I bet you could work something out if you’re both committed to being flexible.

You could decide to follow and support your partner as they pursue their needs for a set number of years, and then you get a chance next, and then they help you. This means you’ll have to slow down what you’re pursuing for a time, but when your spouse moves forward, you’re there with them, knowing you helped along the way. Then, it’s your turn to push ahead.

When you take the commitment aspect of marriage seriously but keep an open mind about how it should look and feel depending on your needs, you’ll make better decisions.

Married life may be more complicated today compared to the middle ages. But with more freedom and choices in our society, we have to choose to take full responsibility.

Get better at choosing what marriage will look like together with your partner, and you’ll be centuries ahead of the crowd

This Quote From Seth Godin Could Change How You Think About Pursuing Your Passion

Photo by Adrian Dascal on Unsplash

Do what you love, and the money will follow. Wasn’t that the name of a book?

It’s become an idea that fills creative people with hope, and more often than not, leaves us broke and disappointed.

Doing what you love doesn’t always lead to success and financial freedom. It can. I know there are people out there who have done it, but it’s rare. Taking something you enjoyed as a kid, a hobby you love, or a creative skill like writing or drawing and turning it into a successful career is a considerable risk.

One most people fail.

Was that too dramatic? My apologies. It’s because I’m a creative person who’s learned this the hard way. I’ve been working towards making a full-time living from cartooning and writing for many years. Fortunately, I’ve been able to make it work with the help of teaching art and multiple day jobs.

But I’m still doing everything I can to make a bit of part-time income from creative work.

The hard part for me was accepting that every passion isn’t made for success. At least, what you’re putting out into the world might not become something big exactly when you want or need it to.

Not only because it’s challenging to make money with, but because it might not get the attention of a broad audience right away. If you’re a writer, maybe your voice or ideas aren’t resonating on a large scale yet.

Unless you think of “Following your passion” differently.

Having a passion for something isn’t enough. In fact, your love for it might be holding you back. There could be new pursuits you could try and ultimately fall in love with that you’re not because of being dead set on something fun but not working for you.

That’s why this quote from

Seth Godin’s new book “The Practice: Shipping Creative Work” made me stop and take note.

“Do what you love” is for amateurs. “Love what you do” is the mantra for professionals.

-Seth Godin

You can learn to love new jobs and skills when you practice Seth’s advice and use it as your mindset. Sometimes it comes down to just loving the work you do — even if it’s not your favorite, dreamiest, best of the best work you’ve ever done in your life.

Discovering what I want and learning how to think less like an amateur and more like a professional has taken time.

Here are a few ideas that helped:

Doing what you love for fun, not money

When it comes to the hobbies and activities you engage in for fun, doing what you love is excellent advice. As long as you don’t expect to make money.

If you end up striking it rich from your hobbies, awesome! Good for you. Either way, enjoying the process of doing or creating should be the end goal. It shouldn’t be something you hope will bring you millions of dollars.

Playing video games is a lot of fun. Some may even feel like it’s their passion. Enjoy playing and use it as your escape. Sure, you could record yourself playing and post it up on YouTube so others could watch, and that might become a hit for you. You could become a video game tester or designer.

If you do, though, how your hobby feels might change. For example, do you want it to feel like work?

I’ve learned that some things should remain hobbies. Having an outlet, you love to dive into when you need something to make you smile.

Make learning valuable skills fun

Convincing yourself that it’s valuable to fall in love with skill-building will help you move forward in anything you pursue. If you enjoy learning to write and communicate better, improve your public speaking and event organization skills, they’ll cross over into any work or job you have.

Learning several skills at the same time could be overwhelming so narrowing them down to one works well. Once you’ve become pretty good at that one, move on to the next. Make that feeling of mastering a skill something you’re passionate about.

If you’re developing skills in very different areas, like music, then writing, and video editing, it might help to combine them, so you don’t get scattered. For example, I like putting my interests under an umbrella term like “Storytelling” to combine my love of writing, drawing, and teaching.

When I learn a new way to illustrate comic pages, it fits with my goal of improving as a visual storyteller. Of course, this may be different from improving as an article writer. Still, I know improving my writing skills will help me make more relatable comics.

Learning can be fun, but you won’t know if you’re growing if you don’t put it out there for an audience.

Sharing your passions with the world

Sharing your work with the world is how you make a name for yourself and refine your skills. Do you want to reach a professional level? Write online, post your performances on YouTube, and air your podcast so that others can be inspired and entertained — not only for exposure but for feedback.

You’ll get a chance to see which pieces of content people respond to and learn more about what they want. Hearing feedback can be challenging, especially if most of it is harmful when you first start out, but take it and make adjustments. If it hurts, ask yourself why, and stay open to making changes.

You can practice the skill by doing it as a side-hustle while you work your day job if it’s something you decide to earn money from in the long run. If money is a goal, make sure to post as often as you can every week to attract fans and stay consistent.

Conclusion

If you produce your work online and even post it to friends who share your interests, you’ll watch your passion for it bloom.

So why not try an experiment?

Decide on a skill you’d like to improve on and take an online course or practice regularly at a scheduled time each week. Maybe it’s something you want but doesn’t quite feel like it’s your “passion” just yet.

I bet, after a few months, you’ll improve and start feeling passionate about it in a way that might surprise you.

It all comes down to learning to love what you do. After that, picking what you do is up to you.

4 Signs You’re an Unapologetic Introvert

Illustrated by the author.

Who won’t let extroverts get in your way

Do you have what it takes to be introverted and still succeed?

Our society places a load of respect on extroverts and the importance of breaking out of your shell. But is being a social butterfly really the height of human existence?

If you’re the type of person who wants to hide away from it all and spend your time working on projects, it’s viewed as a negative that can often hurt introverts.

I’m an introvert, trained to be more social and extroverted because I thought it would help me succeed. Now, I’m discovering I don’t need to put myself out there as much as I once thought.

Being an introvert doesn’t mean you’re weak.

I’m sure there are introverts with more confidence than me. Living extraordinary lives — working behind the scenes and staying comfortable in the shadows — being who they are meant to be.

And not apologizing for it at all.

I believe the idea of whether or not you’re extroverted or introverted is a relatively new concept in our society. So when I asked my parents which one they are, they were surprised by this distinction, and I had to explain the differences to help them pick.

An extrovert is outwardly focused and not only enjoys socializing with others but gets energized by attending significant events and parties. Spending a great deal of time in groups and talking with someone else brings them to life. They need the time together with people to fill up their tanks and to feel fulfilled.

On the flip side, an introvert is more inwardly focused and might enjoy social activities. Still, it gets their energy sucked out of them by spending too much time around others. It doesn’t mean they’re just shy. I actually love talking with friends and going to fun events. Still, I can only stay for a certain amount of time before I’m exhausted.

For an introvert like me, going home and having quiet time alone helps to recharge my batteries to feel like myself again. Relaxing with a good book or having a chance to be in my own head while writing or drawing feels like heaven.

Let’s decide right now to not let extroverts put us down.

This looks like a black and white type of issue, but it isn’t. The degree to which side you fall on varies. You could have a little more extroversion but love your time alone to think and process your experiences.

Wherever you may fall on the introvert/extrovert spectrum, you should feel good about it. Some studies show introverts don’t need to behave like extroverts.

As introverts, we have what it takes to be successful in business and in life. But it just might look a little different.

Maybe even better.

Here are four signs of unapologetic introverts and how you can be more like them:

1. They stay quiet and keep their heads up

Being introverted is fantastic. Accepting that fact with confidence and pride is essential for success. But, of course, there’s nothing wrong with acting like an extrovert to properly introduce yourself to new people and engage in exciting conversations.

Still, it doesn’t mean you have to be outgoing at all times.

How to do it:

When you feel like leaving — for time alone to recharge — do it. Think about how vital it is for you to have time to yourself and figure out a thoughtful way to say, “Thanks, but I gotta go.” then escape.

No matter how tempting it is to try forcing yourself to speak up in meetings, for example, when you’d rather listen, go with what your gut tells you. You can say to yourself, “There’s power in silence.” to give you the confidence to stay quiet.

If you have something to say, share it, but don’t feel obligated.

2. They know what they want ahead of time

Unapologetic introverts think ahead and know how they’ll behave around others because they’re comfortable being themselves. They understand that sometimes they have to do extroverted activities and be more outgoing. Still, they can put a limit on how often.

Did you know, introverts excel at problem-solving, academics, regulating their behavior, and taking fewer risks that may cause harm compared to extroverts. In other words, they’re thinkers, and I would guess, planners.

Use this to your advantage.

How to do it:

Prepare for the situation you are about to enter and decide how you’ll handle things. Know what you want to receive and how you’d like to be perceived and be ready with responses based on your personal beliefs. This may be you deciding on boundaries of what you will and will not do or how someone will treat you.

Begin with the end in mind. Even picking work or a business that doesn’t require you to be around a large number of people for hours on end takes knowledge of self and forethought.

I like choosing to spend time talking with one good friend instead of several together at a large gathering. Studies have shown that the connection and meaning I and other introverts get from more intimate conversations helps bring them joy.

If you’re someone who values the individual person you’re with, the other person will sense they have your full attention and feel special.

3. They protect their solitude

Courageous introverts know when to say “No” and are not ashamed when they need time away. True solitude must be scheduled when you have a busy life and a load of responsibilities. Alone time and creative thinking breaks are like that precious pot of gold they guard with their life.

Come to think of it, they take time for fun, not just make time. Introverts do the work that makes money and the side hustle that is their passion but will make sure to spend quiet time on activities for sheer fun and enjoyment.

How to do it:

Taking away from other activities or chores for what brings you joy is a start. In addition, learning to manage your time better is a massive help and can free up more space for quiet reflection.

Add your solitude retreats to your calendar. Make them just as important as a meeting with a client. The more you see it on your list of to-dos for the day, the more you’ll take them seriously.

If someone tries to cut into your solitude time, tell them no, unless it’s an emergency, then add another solitude entry on your calendar right away.

4. They let others know what they need

What if someone doesn’t understand your decisions? No worries. Introverts worth their salt are not afraid to explain who they are when deemed necessary. After all, who else will look out for them?

The default behavior in society is extroversion, so if you’re moving in the other direction, let ’em know.

You can be direct and clear about what you need and why.

How to do it:

Share, openly and honestly, when you’re not comfortable doing something and let people know why. Then, the other person will see what you need and get to know you as an individual.

Suppose I need time to myself to draw, for example. In that case, it’s better to talk to my wife about possible times in the day where I can have a couple of hours to illustrate a comic strip.

She knows me well, but I can still tell her I’m feeling emotionally drained and need time to refill my creative spirit. That way, she gets that I’m not trying to run away from her, but the time is for helping me stay balanced.

When you’re an unapologetic introvert, you teach people how to treat you and show them who you are. Give them the reasons for your choices but add how they will benefit you and how not doing it could possibly hurt.

One example, if you’re uncomfortable with a crowded gathering, you have no problems saying, “No, thank you. That event will be overly stimulating for me and drain my energy.”

Naturally, there are times when you must put yourself out there for business or help family and friends. If the person cares for you, though, they’ll understand if you decline. But, on the other hand, if they don’t understand, well, you know that living authentically as an introvert means there’s no reason to apologize.

Final thoughts

Let’s value our quiet alone time more often and embrace solitary thinkers. Hiding from socializing doesn’t mean you’re weak. Instead, accept the power of being who you’re truly meant to be.

You don’t have to be the center of attention to gain respect. In fact, if you’re someone who listens and asks pointed questions well, people will admire your attention and care for them and the situation. Especially if it’s clear you don’t need to be in the spotlight.

You’re fine speaking only when necessary.

When you’re proud to be an introvert, you’ll discover your quiet confidence has value and will garner respect. So go forth, and be the introvert you were meant to be today.

How Observing Your Hands Can Spark Mindfulness

You don’t need a lot of time to be aware of the present moment

Photo by Emilio Williams on Unsplash

Remember that time you were writing and feeling stressed out? Perhaps, you thought of taking a few deep breaths to calm yourself down. Great idea. I love breathing exercises, but I’ve added one more practice to my “instant mindfulness” routine I’d like to share with you.

Observing your hands.

It’s as simple as it sounds. When I feel overwhelmed or stressed, I look at my hands and appreciate whatever they happen to be doing.

Watching your hands and appreciating your actions

Let me tell you how this hand observing idea came to me. I enjoy doing a few yoga poses in the morning, like upward and downward-facing dog and warrior poses. I noticed how focused on my hands I needed to be for proper form.

Why not pay attention to my hands while doing other things in my day? Like, when I write something with a pen, a rare activity nowadays. Or when I’m holding hands with my wife.

This tiny bit of gratitude ends up expanding and going further than you can imagine.

As a teacher, cartoonist, and writer, there’s so much to get done and keep up with each day. I have trouble slowing myself down sometimes. Even though I love it, I don’t always have time to do yoga. When I get a chance, I appreciate it more and see how my hands move and support me while holding poses.

Accepting that, as a parent, I’ll get very little quiet time for myself at home, finding quick ways to experience mindfulness is vital.

Getting in the mindset of “Even a little time for being in the moment is better than nothing.” helps lift away stress. You don’t need to spend twenty minutes meditating or thirty minutes of yoga to be mindful. Just noticing what your hands are up to can pull you back to your center.

Observing your hands leads to gratitude

If I’m at my laptop writing an article, I watch my hands typing for a few seconds. Then stop to give thanks for this opportunity to write and be a creative person.

Opening up this type of awareness often leads to breathing slowly and deeply and feeling gratitude for other blessings in your life. Your mood can change instantly. A smile might slide across your face. Become aware of the truth. You’re practicing mindfulness.

“The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it. (21)”

― Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life

Believe it or not, even folding laundry can be a time for taking note of what your hands are doing. You’re taking care of your clean clothes, and having those clothes and the ability to wash them with relative ease is a blessing. Folding for your family could lead to a flood of emotions as you feel gratitude for being able to provide and care for them.

Rarely are we paying attention to all our hands can get done in a day. Using this “Observe Mindfulness Skill,” you can expand to other parts of your body. Notice where your feet are walking during the day. How they look without socks as you wiggle your toes.

In short, pay attention. It takes very little time and even less effort.

Final thoughts

Clearly, observing your hands is a great way to turn inward for mindfulness throughout the day, but how do you remember to do it? This may seem childish but, write something on your hand.

It could be a word like “Breathe” or “Relax” written in big black letters on your palm or on the outside of your hand. This will get you into the habit of paying attention — and possibly embarrassing you enough around others — to remember to make time for mindfulness observation.

I know you’re thinking about all the tech gadgets that can send you alerts to remember to be mindful. Go ahead and use those if it works for you. The low-tech reminders tend to work better for me, like putting post-it notes all over. Try to make it fun, so you enjoy the idea of finding peace in your day.

Remember, taking time for gratitude and mindfulness doesn’t have to be a chore. All you have to do is look at your hands.