Sunday Shares : Books, Feedback and A Raccoon!
“If your heart is broken, make art with the pieces.” ― Shane Koyczan
One simple and direct statement that could explain my motivation for penning the three books that make up the "Pain-Joy-Hope" trilogy is that I wanted to create art out of the shards of my broken heart. You can read more about them on my Instagram, where I posted a brief blurb.
This past week started well with the arrival of new books on May 1st, but it quickly went downhill as I began a new position on May 3rd. As is the case with any new job, the first week is spent learning and immersing oneself in a great deal of information; it is overwhelming.
My friend is publishing a book, and she gave me the manuscript to read in exchange for my feedback. I had some conflicting thoughts going through my head at the time: I could be nice and share a little bit, but I wouldn't be honest, or I could be honest with my feedback and run the risk of hurting their feelings, given that critiquing work can be difficult and even lead to confrontations. I ultimately decided to go with the latter option.
I despise both receiving and delivering bad news, and I had to break the news that the book needed substantial revisions. I will be lending them a hand, so it’s bound to be great!
I am ending this week with Rocket Raccoon in The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3!
What I wrote this week:
On pain, joy, and hope: Our experiences of hope, joy, and pain all contribute to developing our resilience, which is why it’s important to have a balanced life. We can develop the resiliency we need to overcome the challenges that life throws at us and come out on the other side stronger if we learn how to manage the emotions we experience.
Quality time—what exactly is that? Spending quality time with the people and pursuits that are most important to us requires us to be fully present and engaged in the moment. It’s not about how much you get done or how productive you are; rather, the focus should be on the experiences and memories you make.
Our time here on Earth is finite: Happiness, fulfilment, and increased efficiency are common outcomes of doing work that brings us joy. We are less likely to give up when the going gets tough and more driven to work hard and succeed in our endeavours. Since tomorrow is never guaranteed, today is the time to pursue our passions. Time is precious, and life is fleeting; we shouldn’t squander it on pursuits that won’t bring us joy or satisfaction.
Here are a few good quotes:
Consume less, create more.
Anything worth doing is worth doing slowly.
“Take care of your body, it’s the only place you have to live.” - Jim Rohn
Create resources you wish you had when you were young.
“Beautiful souls are shaped by ugly experiences” - Matshona Dhliwayo
Thank you for today,
See you next week!