You are your actions. Your actions are you. Your self-image doesn’t matter as much. When you realise what you need to do, it doesn’t mean that’s who you need to be. You can just pretend.*
Derek Sivers

I learned so much about art from watching a kid draw … kids don’t call it art when they’re throwing things around, drawing – they’re just doing stuff.**
John Baldessari

Rehearsing our self-stories into action–
Pretending is how we begin–
It’s how we learn–
It’s practising doing stuff–
Without permission–
Life is all pretend and practise–
The list of what we can do becomes endless–

*Derek Sivers’ Useful Not True;
**Quoted in Austin Kleon’s Don’t Call It Art.

SOME RANDOM THIN|SILENCE
THIN|SILENCE FROM A YEAR AGO

Don’t forget to ask
that really important question
before you leave–

SOME RANDOM THIN|SILENCE
THIN|SILENCE FROM A YEAR AGO

The main thing in life is to keep the main thing the main thing.*
Ryan Holiday

Fashioning a personal myth is not an exercise in narcissistic delusion, or a paranoid attempt tp establish oneself as God. Instead, defining the self through myth may be seen as an ongoing act of psychological and social responsibility.**
Dan McAdams

A myth comes to our aid,
Carrying us beyond ourselves
to others.

Whilst stories tend to follow
our lives, myths more often
lead with intent.

Their images of journey
and special-world^ language hold us to
our true Self.

What’s your main thing?
What’s your intention?
What’s your myth?

I have always thought of a myth as something that never was but is always happening.^

*Ryan Holiday’s Discipline Is Destiny;
**Dan McAdams’ The Stories We Live By;
^In Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, the protagonist crosses from the ordinary world into a special world of threat and challenge that is the making of them, identifying the boon for others they return with;
^^Jean Houston’s The Possible Human.

SOME RANDOM THIN|SILENCE
THIN|SILENCE FROM A YEAR AGO

Meanings are useful, not true.*
Derek Sivers

“This might not be for you,” is a fine slogan.**
Seth Godin

Each finds their meaning–
Wrapped in myth,
They guide our lives, and,
Enriched with
love
joy
peace
patience
kindness
generosity
faithfulness
gentleness and
self-control,
They may be useful
to others–
No pressure, though.^

*Derek Sivers’ Useful Not True;
**Seth Godin’s blog: For people who don’t care that much.
^Galatians 5:22-25.

SOME RANDOM THIN|SILENCE
THIN|SILENCE FROM A YEAR AGO

To my surprise, when I was given permission to doubt the factuality of my beliefs, I discovered their actual life-giving purpose.*
Brian McLaren

There’s a time for certainty
and a time for doubt–
How do you know this isn’t
a time to doubt?

*Brian McLaren’s Faith After Doubt.

SOME RANDOM THIN|SILENCE
THIN|SILENCE FROM A YEAR AGO

When you live a life of obligation it steals from your strengths. Wisdom allows you to harness your strength.*
Erwin McManus

Life is short.
Be good. Do good.
Love and be loved.
Try to leave the place better than you found it.
Do the right thing.
Right now.**
Ryan Holiday

Wrong people,
Wrong path,
Wrong cause,
Wrong self–

Right people,
Right path,
Right cause,
Right self–

More than enough,
A noble life,
Living obligation,
Bringing your alchemy–

*Erwin McManus’ The Way Of The Warrior;
**Ryan Holiday’s Right Thing, Right Now.

SOME RANDOM THIN|SILENCE
THIN|SILENCE FROM A YEAR AGO

Contemplation is meeting as much reality as we can handle in its most simple and immediate form – without filters, judgements, or commentaries.*
Brian McLaren

Familiarity breeds love, not contempt.**
Edward Slingerland

Aw, but I like my shortcuts
to understanding and knowing;
Oh well, maybe getting lost
in something or someone
will have some benefit–

*Brian McLaren’s Faith After Doubt;
**Edward Slingerland’s Trying Not To Try.

SOME RANDOM THIN|SILENCE
THIN|SILENCE FROM A YEAR AGO

Spirit needs form.
That was the giant truth I was feeling my way into.
Spirit needs form,
and form needs Spirit.
That was the other truth I was finding my way into.
Both are needed.*
Rob Bell

This may be the hardest of skills
I am learning:
That what comes new to me
and what prompts change for me
appearing in pictures or words
must become a first expression
and eventually an openness of form
urging more pictures and words–


*Rob Bell’s Everything Is Spiritual.

SOME RANDOM THIN|SILENCE
THIN|SILENCE FROM A YEAR AGO

Shallow happy is pursuing pleasure.
Deep happy is pursuing fulfilment.*
Derek Sivers

When we lose our tolerance for discomfort, we lose joy.**
Brené Brown

Strange how happy starts me full and leaves me empty
whilst joy starts me empty and leaves me full–

*Derek Sivers’ How To Live;
**Brené Brown’s The Gifts Of Imperfection.

SOME RANDOM THIN|SILENCE
THIN|SILENCE FROM A YEAR AGO

Great teachers set it up, and great students find the aha.* Sooner or later, we’re all self taught.**
Seth Godin

Use other people’s ideas.
Ideas are worth almost nothing.
Execution is everything…
Better to be filled with action than ideas.^^
Derek Sivers

To open ourselves up
to learning in body, heart, and soul
(as well as mind)
is one of the most
powerful things we can do.

*Seth Godin’s blog: Don’t steal the revelation;
**Seth Godin’s blog: Aha!;
^Derek Sivers’ How To Live.

SOME RANDOM THIN|SILENCE
THIN|SILENCE FROM A YEAR AGO