Philosophy Phriday - A New Addition
The plan this week was to release the first post about YouTubers I find inspirational. There are a few storytellers, no spoilers yet, I’ve found that put my mind in a place of wonder and amazement at what is possible. They make me think about what is possible for humans but what is possible for me in my own space. The plan was to release the first of these posts this week, but then my personal week got accelerated and then abruptly stopped. I don’t want to leave you hanging on this Philosophy Phriday.
In the process of thinking about these YouTube series, I’ve decided to make an addition to my personal philosophy and I would like you to consider how to incorporate this idea into your own personal philosophy. If you would like a reminder, here is the sticky note that lives on my monitor.
I want to add “Inspiration” to this list. There are different roads we can take from here based on the verb we attached to “Inspiration”. My preferred verb is to find, “Find Inspiration.” I have the privilege of time and life circumstances where I can go looking for inspiration. The world right now is not the kind of place that provides excess creative energy. The tar pit of a news cycle spits string after string toward us as we try to keep moving. It’s difficult to take steps forward when so much in the world feels like it has vampiric access to our creative energies.
Think about where inspiration fits into your life. When was a time you felt inspired? Was it a person, a song, or a show that moved you? I believe inspiration is something that makes us human and the openness to future inspiration is a tool that keeps us connected to the culture of one another. I feel good about adding this to my personal philosophy.
Where Have I Been?
I’ve been struggling with mild depression brought on by the news that my day job will be moving back to the office later this year. This brought on a shift in the balance of creative energy to general malaise about anything writing. My sleep pattern was thrown off in what I can only call an attempt to avoid the following day and moving the return date one sleep closer. It doesn’t feel great and at this point, there is no indication the decision will be reversed. The commute I thought I had rid myself of a few years ago, will return. There is a plethora of things I will lose that I thought would be a permanent feature of my working life. That’s what hurts the most. Existing was easier and my job was getting done. Now, I must rebuild a schedule around two hours of commuting and all the other things that come with working in the office, three days a week.
I’m not out of the woods but I had an inspiring conversation today (thanks Josh) that reminded me that I’m not alone on this island. We talked about ideas and story crafting. I found myself taken out of the haze and interested in making some notes once I got home. I hope this carries me into the next essay. It might only be a day, but this is a reminder of what it feels like to look forward to writing once again.
