Category: Thoughts

For all my ranting about bloggers being repetitive and saying the same things over and over in different ways, there’s a hard fact I must face. King Solomon said it well when he said, everything is meaningless. We humans are funny creatures of habit. And like the sun, the moon, the waters, and the winds, here I go again, recycling thoughts. We work in loops.

The creative journey can be both a blessing and a curse. That spark that happens every time a new idea surfaces can bring much joy. But how many of our thoughts and ideas are truly novel? Everything’s been said. It’s true that bloggers pick a single niche and write about the same things in 100 different ways. And although as a creative, I’m taking a step away from that kind of writing, I often find myself stuck in a loop.

As I shut down my four old websites, I’m archiving all of my old writing. As much as I tired from the endless cycle of the traditional blog, I’ve accepted the fact that something very similar happens to the artist. Nothing is new under the sun. Don’t be surprised to see some essays here, that I first wrote in other places, recycled. Loops.

Perhaps, recycled thoughts are a healthy part of the creative process. If we’re honest with ourselves, original thoughts are rare, true literary or musical genius even rarer. Sometimes it’s those rehashed ideas that spark the new ones.

King Solomon was wrong. I don’t think everything is meaningless. Thoughts and ideas only become meaningless if we believe they are. But loops can lead to greater loops. Loops help us to grow. If we believe that everything we create is part of something greater, a spiritual journey, recycled thoughts have purpose. – dse

Slowing down might not always be doing less but rather creating things at a higher standard of quality.

The infamous writer, Charles Bukowski, had the words don’t try etched into his gravestone. That might sound a bit defeatist and depressing, but it may not mean exactly what you think. Buk’s point was simply that writing, and any creative endeavor for that matter, should come naturally. If you have to try, don’t, because the creativity becomes forced, and forced creativity is more likely to lack honesty.

I don’t want to sound cocky, but I completely understand where Bukowski’s coming from, because like he, I often don’t try. I’m naturally creative and prolific. In fact, sometimes that feels like a negative. I can pump things out way too fast. That incessant motivation may seem great at first glance, but it can also lead to an overall lower quality of work.

This is why I’m slowing.

Sure, I’m getting older, but that’s not why I’m making the decision to intentionally slow my public output. Instead, I’m becoming more particular with the quality and the aesthetic of the work I do share. This is why I’m minimizing from four blogs to a single website. It’s also why I’m quitting stock photos. Everything I post here represents who I am as a human being and as an artist. Honesty is important.

In the past, I’ve always been willing to hit the publish button with little hesitation. I’m still not afraid to do that. However, I want to make a stronger point to only share my best work with my audience. So, I’m going to be a little slower to push.

Behind the scenes, I might still be working hard, but in the public eye, I’ll be slowing. It’s a good thing. – dse