Day one of my four-month journey to write my first book. I planned to get out of bed at 5:30 AM to make coffee, get settled into the couch, and begin capturing what’s in my mind. The alarm greeted me at 5:30 AM after an interrupted night of sleep. I stumbled out to make coffee.… Continue reading Give change a few days
Category: Thoughts
Misinterpreting my weaknesses
I’m stubborn, obsessive, and opinionated; I always thought these traits were weaknesses. Year upon year, day after day, I hid them from others and shoved those feelings aside in order to fit into a box, a genre, a lane. What I didn’t realize as I fought to find and blaze my own trail through life,… Continue reading Misinterpreting my weaknesses
A New Story of Collaboration
Tonight I’m participating in a workshop led by my friend, Diane Gibbs, in which the participants answer the question, “What makes a great collaboration for you?” At first glance, my answer reveals an old story that finds its roots in events that happened decades ago: “I don’t collaborate. I’m not a good collaborator. I’m not a… Continue reading A New Story of Collaboration
How do I feel about listener statistics?
My podcast host recently made a change to listener statistics to include partial listens, in addition to full listens. If I so desire, I can go down the rabbit hole of seeing how many partial listens were in the first few seconds, 25%, 50%, or 75-99%. For the data-obsessed, like myself, this is fantastic information.… Continue reading How do I feel about listener statistics?
What does it mean to listen?
I finished the chapter in See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love by Valarie Kaur about listening. It got me thinking: What does it truly mean to listen? To not only hear the words being said but to feel the emotions present—and simultaneously hidden—in the infinite moments of our lives. As a… Continue reading What does it mean to listen?
“Infinite Creative Source”
I find it’s always the simplest phrases that capture my attention, stick in my mind, and drive me deeper into understanding what they could mean. During my morning reading time, I came across the phrase “infinite creative source” in the book Creative Authenticity: 16 Principles to Clarify and Deepen Your Artistic Vision by Ian Roberts.… Continue reading “Infinite Creative Source”
A Time and Space to Listen to Stories
My story. Your story. Our stories. It feels simple to write these words, but it takes an enormous amount of time, energy, and space not only to tell stories but to listen to them. If we are chronically busy, as most of us are these days, we have to find ways to optimize our time.… Continue reading A Time and Space to Listen to Stories
Diving into the world of story
I think of stories in three parts: 1) my story; 2) your story; and 3) our story. I don’t believe we can ever truly get to our collective story without first excavating the story within each of us. What will we find in the deepest parts of ourselves? In the darkest depths of pain, despair,… Continue reading Diving into the world of story
Are you willing to be mocked, misunderstood, and hated?
Good morning, dear reader. My name is Chris, and I am a people pleaser. Chances are, I haven’t met you, and I already have a deep-rooted desire for you to like me because of these words. And that is a problem. It’s not only my problem that I deal with daily; it’s a societal problem… Continue reading Are you willing to be mocked, misunderstood, and hated?
Tracing the lineage of influences
What leads us to make decisions about our lives? More personally, why am I the way I am? Who shaped me to become the man I am? As AC/DC shrieked into the universe, “Who made who? Who made you?” The voices in my head have been loud lately. They’ve been waking me up in the… Continue reading Tracing the lineage of influences