Endless Options
Two people I know were having a discussion today. (Well, I'm sure everyone I know had a discussion of sorts today.) I have no idea what the details of this conversation were, only that it was on writing everyday. One of them told me this. I had just been recently considering the possibility of posting something everyday. I think I will try it. I have to take small bites or the whole will overwhelm me. So for now, it's one week of postings.
I was in my Lyft ride on my way home tonight thinking about the recent purchase I made at a small retailer chain. Upon walking inside, my five senses were instantly attacked with Christmas, with greens and reds, smells of cinnamon, Christmas music, tinsel, and heaven only knows what else. I was overwhelmed before I could even take three steps inside. I'm not even sure what the Christmas section had to offer. I had to ignore it or face an engulfment of jolly, kaleidoscopic, purchasable cheer. I only needed a simple black pen. I couldn't even find the pen section in this holiday sea.
This experience today reminded me of the curse of endless options. I don't know about you, but if I have five options before me and I cannot pick one. (Honestly, sometimes it's only two and I can't.) Grocery store item options crush me. I've lost count how many times the words, "I don't know it's just toilet paper!" have been yelled to an aisle of choices. I'd rather throw my hands in the air and leave instead of pick one. That's nearly what happened at holiday mart today. And that's exactly my point.
When you're bombarded with options, sometimes, it is impossible to choose (given that you are actually considering and weighing each option). In a way, it's as if you have no options at all, or you might as well have none, if you're paralyzed with choice. Which I often am.
So, then what? I have read and I am learning that you "throw out" some of the options. Really, just get rid of them. Or you place limits upon them/yourself. (Not that these are the only two solutions; apparently, there's options of the solutions; OK this is getting weird and hurting my brain.)
I hate limits. They're so constraining and stuffy. I'm beginning to understand their benefit, though, and maybe one day I'll love them.
Recently, I decided to limit how much time I spend consuming entertainment and social media and, broadly speaking, the ideas of others. Although, today I've done very poorly. With all the noise of their ideas and opinions, though not necessarily bad, I have no way of sifting through everyone's perspective to hear what I think or to know my own ideas. I don't want to be a conglomeration of thoughts, ideas, and opinions of other people. I want to be aware of my own thoughts, ideas, and opinions. And I think taking time to pay attention and to draw inspiration from each day in order to write will only be beneficial.
With that said, here's the limits to my self-imposed seven day writing self-dare.
1. I must draw inspiration from an experience on that given day.
2. I must post something. Quality may come later but this is for building muscle, creating habit, establishing discipline.
3. I must keep it around 500 words (or less). Otherwise, you get bored/overwhelmed and I get distracted/overwhelmed.
4. I will keep it within the realm of the ordinary (but can use it to show the extraordinary).
5. Unless, I cannot help but write of an unexpected occurrence
6. Lastly, there should be slightly more thought in them than in a stream of consciousness.
I was in my Lyft ride on my way home tonight thinking about the recent purchase I made at a small retailer chain. Upon walking inside, my five senses were instantly attacked with Christmas, with greens and reds, smells of cinnamon, Christmas music, tinsel, and heaven only knows what else. I was overwhelmed before I could even take three steps inside. I'm not even sure what the Christmas section had to offer. I had to ignore it or face an engulfment of jolly, kaleidoscopic, purchasable cheer. I only needed a simple black pen. I couldn't even find the pen section in this holiday sea.
This experience today reminded me of the curse of endless options. I don't know about you, but if I have five options before me and I cannot pick one. (Honestly, sometimes it's only two and I can't.) Grocery store item options crush me. I've lost count how many times the words, "I don't know it's just toilet paper!" have been yelled to an aisle of choices. I'd rather throw my hands in the air and leave instead of pick one. That's nearly what happened at holiday mart today. And that's exactly my point.
When you're bombarded with options, sometimes, it is impossible to choose (given that you are actually considering and weighing each option). In a way, it's as if you have no options at all, or you might as well have none, if you're paralyzed with choice. Which I often am.
So, then what? I have read and I am learning that you "throw out" some of the options. Really, just get rid of them. Or you place limits upon them/yourself. (Not that these are the only two solutions; apparently, there's options of the solutions; OK this is getting weird and hurting my brain.)
I hate limits. They're so constraining and stuffy. I'm beginning to understand their benefit, though, and maybe one day I'll love them.
Recently, I decided to limit how much time I spend consuming entertainment and social media and, broadly speaking, the ideas of others. Although, today I've done very poorly. With all the noise of their ideas and opinions, though not necessarily bad, I have no way of sifting through everyone's perspective to hear what I think or to know my own ideas. I don't want to be a conglomeration of thoughts, ideas, and opinions of other people. I want to be aware of my own thoughts, ideas, and opinions. And I think taking time to pay attention and to draw inspiration from each day in order to write will only be beneficial.
With that said, here's the limits to my self-imposed seven day writing self-dare.
1. I must draw inspiration from an experience on that given day.
2. I must post something. Quality may come later but this is for building muscle, creating habit, establishing discipline.
3. I must keep it around 500 words (or less). Otherwise, you get bored/overwhelmed and I get distracted/overwhelmed.
4. I will keep it within the realm of the ordinary (but can use it to show the extraordinary).
5. Unless, I cannot help but write of an unexpected occurrence
6. Lastly, there should be slightly more thought in them than in a stream of consciousness.
Comments
Post a Comment