What do you say when you don’t know what to say? I want to let you know I care, but the words won’t come. How can we find hope in a world where we are bombarded with images of despair, misery, and death?

Then our eyes meet, two souls connecting despite the tears. I acknowledge you; I see you, and I support you. There is no caricature, no demographic, no preconceived ideas, no judgment. Two human beings. Flesh and blood. Each one special, unique, precious, and yet somehow the same. A spark ignites as I see myself in you and realize you have always been a part of me. The shared internal light is where hope resides.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Change is difficult. We find the latest technology, the newest app to simplify our lives, or an improved device to increase our productivity. We run faster, and faster trying to keep pace with the bleeding edge. We grasp at soft data, opinions, and conjecture. It is simpler to accept marketing claims and easy answers. Decisions made by the seat of our pants may have long-term consequences. Supposed perfect solutions encourage us to ignore facts. Comfortable beliefs are easier to trust than complex concepts or challenging situations, and the results can be disastrous.

As counterintuitive as it sounds, there are benefits to slowing down. It allows us to check data, verify statistics, assess our needs, and determine if we are moving in the right direction. When we allow ourselves space to entertain new ideas and envision improvements, we construct a vision of our future. Some of the best stories, great insights, and breakthroughs come when we give ourselves time to think. Thoughtful reflections of our options, and application of logic based on facts, gives us confidence in our decisions. We don’t have to second guess our choices, and that reduces our stress. Courageous, and self-assured we can zoom into the future.

Would one of your projects benefit from slowing down?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Perfecting my writing ritual is a daily focus. I find the answer to getting my work done is not waiting for inspiration to arrive. Honestly, when does genius call on us to draft a report, or update a spreadsheet?  I stack my odds for success. Each evening, I develop an agenda for the next morning, I detail the items to accomplish, and I arrange my working space. Sitting at my computer, I don’t waste precious minutes searching for the right project, I only need to type. 

The specific session goals have a particular order. I fill the number one spot with the hardest item. The first task changes daily. It may be something I have been pushing, leaving it to linger at the bottom of the list, or it might be something important. Completing my assignment can be easy, a huge challenge, but I still write for my allotted hours, or until I achieve my goal. Finishing is the key, perfection is not. The difficult days are becoming fewer, reaching my target is becoming less grueling, and I am creating more words in the assigned time.

What step are you taking to ensure your writing sessions are a success? 

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Ugly events happen in dark hours. Horrifying images assault my senses and threaten to overwhelm my mind. Disgust churns in my stomach, and I feel the blackness consuming me. Hope flees, depression rises, and I fear the future of humankind. Sleep is a hard-won escape.

Contrast rises with the sun, revealing a magical quality to early Sunday mornings. Bright red cardinals compete for fat sunflower seeds. Red-winged blackbirds, chickadees, goldfinches, and a downy woodpecker flit between the feeder and the evergreens. Squirrels chase each other through the yard, oblivious to the hawk floating in lazy circles in the crystal blue sky. It may not be Walden, but it is my slice of nature carved from a suburban landscape.  

A gentle mist rises in the chill air as the sun promises hope. A deep breath, a hot cup of coffee, and a soft breeze eases worry and clears the mind. The early morning brims with promise, and my words begin to flow.  

How do you find hope?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I have been delaying work a short story. I had a splendid idea, and the scenes played as vividly as any movie. The characters and the scene felt real, and I could pretend I had lived through the events. The narrative ran on a feedback loop, repeating each day. Somehow, at my scheduled writing session, I found more important tasks needing my attention. It was becoming embarrassing and most annoying as the deadline approached.

The truth finally dawned on me. The problem was neither the story nor the writing. I earmarked this piece, intending to enter it in a contest, and somebody, maybe several somebodies, would judge my work. The thought, buried deep in my head, paralyzed me. Fear kept me from starting until today. Today, I found my courage, sat at my desk, and began.

What will you begin today?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

My heart weeps.

The world’s population, suffering from an invisible virus, has highlighted incredible kindness and self-sacrifice. In contrast, the overt act of one individual’s inhumanity towards another is reprehensible and appalling. There is enough pain. When an individual violates social trust, we must take appropriate, measured action. Nothing good happens in demanding an eye for an eye, in the senseless destruction and burning of property, or in harming unrelated parties.  I understand fear, anger, frustration, and the desire for wrongdoers to face justice. However, exacting misplaced revenge perpetuates a cycle without a logical end.

Perhaps I am naïve to believe most people do not act with malice in their hearts. When we connect with each other, I find we have more in common to unite us than differences to separate us. We want to live in peace, provide for our families, preserve dignity, and command respect.  Calm and candid conversations advance understanding highlights differing viewpoints and reveals core similarities and common ground. Together we can confront human issues. Together is the only means to forging a way forward.

Love, compassion, and a willingness to treat others as we wish to be treated move us toward a better world.

How will you show kindness?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Few things happen overnight. Okay, you can have your orders delivered in twenty-four hours, your movies play on-demand, information is available with a quick search, and the world spins at a breakneck speed. It is easy to get caught in the whirlwind, racing to perform jobs faster, and faster. Our anxiety builds when we can’t complete every task on our lengthy lists.

There are advantages to ambling along at a leisurely pace. We can make minor mistakes without dire consequences and adjust our course as needed. It also grants us time to spend with family and friends and honor other obligations. By moving deliberately, we build strength, and we gather momentum. The work moves forward with less effort, and we find ourselves carried across the finish line. We grant ourselves precious moments to savor our journey. Dripping like water, we carve deep impressions on solid rock.

How will you make your mark?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Action. Get up. Get moving. Level up.

We’re all guilty. A thought forms, generating an urge to start something. Perhaps I should write a few words in my diary, run the dishwasher, or exercise. But I hesitate. The couch is comfy. Besides I don’t feel like writing, I’m not inspired, and my journal is in the next room. The dishes can wait for another commercial break, and didn’t the weather forecast call for rain? A must-see episode is starting, so I’ll settle in, stay warm, and nothing awful will happen.

The problem is nothing good will happen either. You won’t advance towards your cherished dreams, inspiration and opportunities won’t be knocking on your door, and your dignity will disappear into a dark basement corner. It’s not your fault. It is your brain’s primal impulse for survival. When you pause, your brain senses uncertainty and fear and creates reasons to stop. We’ve all heard Isaac Newton’s quote about a body in motion. The trick is overcoming inertia. In science, the amount of energy required to initiate a reaction is greater than the energy needed to keep it going.

A study at Harvard Business school concluded that progress is key to productivity and happiness. Tiny steps in the right direction start a positive feedback loop. Even small successes can build your confidence and forge a link to a constructive habit that interrupts a cycle of bad habits. The chain reaction predisposes you to action, and your self-esteem returns. Get your body moving, and everything changes.

Are you ready for action?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Working on project deadlines, while keeping current on the normal everyday grind, means hours turn into days of sitting in front of computer screens. Headphones stream my favorite music to keep me centered as I flip from one screen to the other, and words fill the page. Mandatory conference calls and essential webinars punch holes in a tight schedule. I download files, manipulate, massage, update, and verify before I push them to the end-user.

The room rocks, the thunder rolls, and the reason for the room’s darkness slowly dawns on me. They predicted late morning thunderstorms, with clearing skies and moderate afternoon temperatures. Pulled from the fog, I realized my body is stiff from sitting. My shoulders ache from tension, and I decide other people’s deadlines must wait.

Outside, the world smells fresh and clean. The sun sparkles, and the breeze shakes raindrops from tree leaves. The pressures disappear, I remember the reasons I chose this path. I stretch, breathe deeply, and enjoy a few more minutes of bliss before I return, refreshed, to work I love.

How will you connect with nature today?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

This year our definition of the word hero expanded exponentially. Every perilous situation confronted by humans tests the core values of humanity. Far from the attainment of admiration, glory, and fame lavished on the classical god-like hero, our modern-day heroes are forged from simple, obscure, and ordinary people who perform extraordinary feats. Try to laud them for their remarkable efforts, and they will respond by saying “I only did what anyone would do.”

True heroes see beyond the limits set by the timid. They somehow surmount impossible obstacles, to follow their rock-solid belief that the world can be a better place. Their hearts know that freedom and responsibility are inextricably linked. They dare to confront the unknown, blaze a path, and light the way to an improved future.

This Memorial Day, remember the heroes who have given the ultimate sacrifice. By their example, we discover the struggle for humankind is worthwhile. Heroes create a higher standard of acceptable human behavior and challenge us to honor their memory, by altering our thoughts and actions.

How will you remember your heroes?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer