They tell us success requires a laser-like focus on a single goal. Then they suggest we create a work-life balance. They say it is necessary to spend equal time on our finances, personal growth, health, career, family, relationships, social activity, spirituality, creativity, attitude, and amusement. The demands are overwhelming and the wheel of life bumps over us imitating the proverbial bus.

The creatives among us are perhaps more sensitive to the underlying need for harmony. We wrestle with the tension, channeling it into our creations. The stress creates conflict, which we try to harness and incorporate into our work. If we are successful, we convey those feelings to our readers. It allows us to form a connection and tell a story that resonates.

How do you maintain balance in your life?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Teachers and friends have counseled me, at various times, to keep a diary. Others have extolled the virtues of a journal. We use the two words interchangeably, but they serve different functions. Dictionary.com defines a diary as “a daily record, usually private, especially of the writer’s own experiences, observations, feelings, and attitudes.” It describes a journal as “a newspaper or magazine that deals with a particular subject or professional activity, i.e. a medical journal.”

I know people who maintain a record of their daily lives, and they tell me they often study their passages. I tried the exercise, and I admit I never knew what to write. The real test was when, several months later, I reviewed the entries. The blithering idiot responsible for the drivel appalled and embarrassed me. I swore no one would read the garbage, and I burned everything.

Since then, I have decided journals are much more to my liking. I log notes, plan for projects, and add inspirational references and pertinent research. I don’t require perfection and sometimes scratch out sentences. Thoughts toward the bottom of the page will crawl up the edges. Arrows and doodles cut across the text to connect ideas or highlight contradictions. Pictures, maps, and stickers add color, meaning, and creates a tether to the memories I record.

Do you keep a diary or a journal?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Life challenges us with never-ending obligations. The day job creates its own stress. Our employment provides the paycheck for our basic needs; rent, food, and a modicum of security. Family responsibilities weigh heavy on our shoulders as we strive to be good parents, loving siblings, and caring children. If we are foolish enough to presume to manage a side hustle, the demands escalate. The pressure mounts with an overwhelming task list.

Sometimes the answer to bolstering our determination and producing the biggest triumph is to concentrate on a single, modest element. One tiny accomplishment we can move to the completed column. It boosts our morale. With one detail resolved, we are free to finish the next item. The wins accumulate like pearls in a necklace. It can make all the difference.

What small win can you make happen today?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer