Being outside is one of my favorite things to do. It can be hiking, running, boating, or a simple walk outside. Nature can be healing, inspiring and motivating.

Writing is something beneficial for me as well. It’s something I’ve enjoyed doing most of my life and learned the creativity involved can motivate and help solve problems. 

Back in the Fall of 2019, I agreed to be part of a project with Syllble Studios as one of five writers for a fiction book, a science fiction micro-novel called At the Helm – set in the year 2030.  Each of us wrote from one character’s viewpoint. Writing from a science fiction perspective was new to me (out of my realm…ha) and was definitely challenged all five of us. (My character is Carol, a recent high school graduate who wasn’t sure about attending college and learned about sailing from her father.)

We didn’t know each other beforehand and learned a lot about collaborating together on this writing project. Synergy was the baseline – we set a goal together upfront. The experience definitely sparked creativity and exceeded our expectations.

Fabrice Guerrier is one of the founders of Syllble, someone I met through Seth Godin’s altMBA.  I’ve written about the altMBA experience before and compared it to sailing.  Fabrice interviewed two of the writers – myself and Dora Hartman – on our takeaway of the collaborative writing experience. Both of us agreed that brainstorming upfront was fun but we also had to motivate ourselves to follow-through with the actual writing process. That takes some discipline and setting deadlines helped.

It was great to connect again with Dora and Fabrice during this pandemic. We all agreed our world has slowed down and we feel blessed. Dora and I both have been reading more and not writing much. Most people think you should find ways to be productive during this ‘extra time’ with shelter-at-home. We aren’t really getting any extra time out of this.

We viewed it as a time to pause and reflect on what you have and what life adjustments (if needed) can be made moving forward. You are in charge of your life. You are at the helm.

Here is link to the full conversation – Syllble Studios podcast: At the Helm episode  

What is something you enjoy that can help inspire or motivate?

Be well!