Memory Seeds

Happy 2023!

“The sun rises on a new day scattering yesterday into memories. No matter what troubled you in the past, the future is full of opportunities, full of hope.” —Stuart & Linda MacFarlane

I read this on a quote-a-day calendar and loved the imaginative language of “scattering yesterday into memories.” Scattering as in seeds that will grow inside you to create a new, future you. Memories as in nutrition for personal growth. I’ve been thinking about these ideas in relation to living a creative life.

Often, living a creative lifestyle is about balance: working a mundane job and finding space for creative expression, helping friends and family while carving out time for that project that longs to be born. And sometimes we procrastinate because we don’t believe we deserve time for our creative projects. All of these exterior and interior forces work against us, and balancing the different parts of our lives can be difficult. And often the word difficult is equated with impossible. Feeling tired at the end of a long working day makes sitting down to write, paint, or play guitar seem impossible. Rest is important, of course, and shouldn’t be ignored. But if too many rest days accumulate, what kinds of memories will you have at the end of the year? Before settling in for a nap or binging on chips and TV, pause and think about the passage of time. Wasn’t it just last Monday you told yourself you were going to finish chapter one of that novel? In the context of memory as nutrition for the future, each moment becomes weighted. In the pause between chips and project, we have a chance to create a memory, and therefore nurture our creative selves. Each decision is an opportunity to step into the future. The result is a creative lifestyle.

If you decide to write a novel, for example, and decide to slice your social calendar in half for one whole year, who will you be at the end of that year? Snowy days with cups of tea or coffee steaming in front of the icy window, the sound of a roaring fire punctuated by the tap of computer keys, the scent of salt water, a sandy towel, and the line of red pen over paper like a cut in the skin, sobs in the middle of the night while doubts shiver and creep in every dark corner—these memories will sink deep into your soul. And when your novel is born, you will be someone else. You will have lived your creative dream.

Time ticks by. I’ve experienced years of looking back and thinking—what the hell did I do?

To combat time slipping by unnoticed, I’ve decided to be more proactive in my creative life. Here are some strategies I’m using in 2023:

1. Make a list of goals to accomplish hourly, daily, weekly.

2. Make a habit of checking the goal list. So often I’ve created one of these lists, but then “forget” to check it. Making it a habit, like brushing my teeth, helps me focus.

3. Do something on the list, even if it’s small. It could be research for my next short story, or something pleasurable like looking through magazines to find the perfect embodiment of one of my characters. As long as it’s creative.

4. Each creative project will have its own unique challenges. Don’t be afraid to change your goal list to better suit each project. Observe your habits. Try to understand how procrastination might be covering for fear of moving forward. The best way to start a new project is to begin with a small goal you can accomplish easily.

5. At the end of the week, give yourself a gift for accomplishing something on your goal list. An example might be a set of glittery pens for writing the first chapter of your novel or a new sketchbook for finally drawing out that idea for a painting. It doesn’t have to be an expensive gift, just something that makes you happy.

6. Keeping a journal of accomplishments, difficulties, and ideas is a great way to keep track of your memory seeds. At the end of the year, flip through the journal and see if the memories you created got you closer to living the life you want to live. What still needs adjusting? What surprised you? What was left behind? What’s worth saving?

Resolutions don’t have to be slated for New Year’s Eve. They can be a commitment for the day, for the next hour. If you feel like you’re drowning in failed plans, take hold of the hours you have left today. Begin, work on, or finish one small creative project. It will feed your tomorrow. That little piece of a day well-lived will be a part of you forever.

May 2023 be full of experiences you will treasure at the close of the year.

Until next time,

Jan

Drops from the Quill: This January I submitted two stories to literary magazines. I haven’t done this in a few years, and decided I wanted to go back to it. While this process is long, and very much like watching the sea erode rock, I will share my experiences, the highs and lows, the frustrations and triumphs, in hopes that you will get something out of it. It’s comforting to share with other writers and readers, so when I have something to report, I will. Thanks for reading today!