Three-minute Read:
If one universal truth exists, it is that only we know our true selves, and even that can be murky. Others have ideas, theories, and oblique references about us. Only we know what we represent, and those self-beliefs can also be fleeting.
My Unexpected Life
Grappling with keeping my writings engaging, but somewhat thought-provoking is challenging. Fellow writer Joe Shackley, author of “Being & Niceness,” delves into some great philosophical underpinnings of our inner and outer lives. Roger Peterson, author of “Mind and Love,” also explores the human psyche in an open, humanistic manner. I don’t dare dig into those territories, as I am not equipped to do so without copious research.
What I have learned in the beginning stages of what I like to think of as my starting point of “writing for writing’s sake” has been how prescient the title of this website was. “My Unexpected Life”: so general, but so true to myself. Almost by accident, the very first, original title intersected with my goal as an author.
Every story that I have written is the result of something truly unexpected. Originally intending to write about overcoming fear and adversity, there have been myriad twists and turns. Straggling the social media tightropes of “travel”, “food”, “lifestyle”, and other such topics has been a learning experience in and of itself.
Uncertainty
The one thing that I am more certain of than ever is uncertainty. And the other is learning, through writing, about the difference between being self-centered and centering myself.
An avid non-journal keeper, this new foray into writing has tested my memory and also my values. Just another of life’s tightropes between self-expression and self-aggrandizement.
Ironically, a friend put this into words very early in my Internet writings. He asked about my writing process, which was met with a bit of silence, as I hadn’t considered the question. I answered as best I could. Our follow-up conversation was prescient. How does one write posts meant to inspire others without being self-absorbed?
Beyond Versus Within
Filling you in about something generally personal, but not of any grave concern to those who know me well; the past few months have been a clear challenge. They have required dignity, self-discipline, and pride. As an aside, those words happen to have been part of our music department motto in my high school years: “Excellence through Dignity, Self-discipline, Dedication, and Pride!” Oh, what we remember from our youth…
Self-Compassion
The bottom line are two important lessons I have learned by writing for others:
1. Look BEYOND one’s being to inspire others.
2. Look WITHIN one’s being to practice self-compassion.
The past few days that led to writing this post have been extremely rewarding after a fairly sustained period of general negativity in my life. It is my hope that those who read this will feel the confidence to center themselves without being self-centered.
I offer no magical formula. We do as we always do: figure it out as we go along, while being as real as we can be.
If, by some chance, you are having a rough day, week, month, or longer—you are not alone.
It is not self-centered to center yourself…
~Kevin
In My Unexpected Life, I will share stories, thoughts, and simple ideas to entertain and maybe even inspire others to engage with new food, travel, and more…no matter how big or small those experiences may be.
Even if my writings do not produce the desired result—please enjoy the blog!