The best and worst advice -

“Don’t force it”

is as unhelpful as it is true

too much structure, rules, organisation

put on ourselves or others -

and relationships fade,

creativity is stifled,

and our spirits call for rebellion.

too much chaos, disorder, aimlessness -

we will also wilt.

pressure is like water -

too little or too much, both excesses kill.

“between two extremes, the truth is always somewhere in the middle”

it’s been a long time since I’ve written with an explicit audience in mind, but yesterday I wrote this piece for today.

try too hard to please the crowd, and you lose your voice;

ignore them altogether, and your words fall flat at best,

draw ire at worst.

“dude, read the room.”

the ritual - open my notebook, write for myself - then collect and structure the pieces I want to share.