Halloween and Creativity
Today is Halloween. It’s a day when creativity can be seen in many places, but it may not usually be so evident. At work, your colleagues may dress up as their favorite characters. You’ll see kids (and their adults!) dressed up and wandering down the sidewalks in your neighborhood, happily going door to door asking for yummy treats. Houses may be decorated with pumpkins and other spooky elements meant to delight and scare you just a little bit.
Those same colleagues and kids are just as creative every other day of the year. The difference is on Halloween we’ve all decided that it’s okay to show who we are, to share our fun and creative ideas with the world around us.
Whether or not you’re dressing up today or have little kids, adult kids, or no kids at all, whether you’re handing out candy or shutting the light off and going to bed, let’s keep the creativity going. There’s a connection to it, and we do well to celebrate that as much on November 1st as we do on October 31st.
This reflection originally appeared in The Journaling Guide. Delivered every two weeks and packed with real-life stories of history's greatest journalers, reflections from my own experiences studying how journaling helps improve our lives, and actionable insights for you, it's like having a close friend guide you on your journaling practice.
Sign up today and I'll send you my valuable quick guide, Seven Thought-Provoking Prompts for Your Journaling Practice, when you confirm your email.
600 Days of Gratitude Journaling
Yesterday, Day One let me know that I had written my 600th consecutive entry in my daily gratitude journal. I'm proud of this achievement and hope it inspires some of you to start your journaling practice.
Like many apps, Day One likes to celebrate streaks to stay motivated and keep going on a goal. Streaks have a place in helping us build the version of ourselves we most want to be, although I have mixed feelings about them.
I'm sending more thoughts on the pros and cons of streaks to newsletter subscribers next week. You can subscribe below, and I'll send you my quick guide Seven Thought-Provoking Prompts for Your Journaling Practice, when you confirm your email.
If you haven't checked in on the newsletter lately, you’ll note that I’m refocusing it on journaling and working towards sending something to subscribers every two weeks. I'll have more on that soon.
Join the 24 Letters Newsletter
The latest newsletter will be going to subscribers on Monday. I'm writing about Threads, sharing more thoughts on time blocking, and offering a media recommendation that illustrates what can happen when talent and luck find each other.
You can subscribe here and also take a look at some recent issues. As a thank you, when you join, you'll receive an email with some of my favorite and the most popular posts I've shared since starting this site in 2021.
The May Newsletter Arrives this Week
The May newsletter will be heading to inboxes on Wednesday. This month I’m sharing thoughts on the importance of getting out of the house and taking a break, as well as more insights into my new M2 Mac. I’ll also have a media recommendation featuring a show with a season finale that left me eagerly anticipating more.
If you’d like to become a part of this, you can check out recent issues and subscribe here.
The March Newsletter Arrives This Week
The March newsletter will be going to subscribers on Thursday morning. This month I'm writing about the power of kindness, asking for your quarterly review best practices while sharing a few essential tips of my own, and recommending an award-winning show I'm watching for the second time nearly two decades after it premiered.
You can subscribe here. If you do or already have, thank you, and I hope you enjoy it!
The February Newsletter Arrives Next Week
The February newsletter will be going to subscribers on Tuesday. This month I’m writing about wishful thinking verses planning, sharing some new gear in my studio and recommending a show that has definite Ted Lasso vibes.
You can join here. If you do or already have, thank you, and I hope you enjoy it!
From the Newsletter: 3 Tips for Starting Again
Every month, I send a short (approx. 5-minute read time) email with behind-the-scenes insights into what I'm working on, share a media recommendation, and offer tips, ideas, or quotes that can help keep you motivated. If that sounds like something you’d enjoy, you can subscribe here.
To give you an idea of what to expect in your inbox if you do subscribe, you can read the December issue in full here. Additionally, I'm sharing a piece from the November issue that may be helpful if you've fallen off a little on those new habits you're trying to build in 2023. The backstory is that I had just come through a tough month with my entire family getting sick, and I wanted to share three simple tips I used to get back on track.
Here you go:
1. Be Kind to Yourself
Start with this idea: Everyone goes through periods like this.
Even the most organized and accomplished person sometimes loses the thread through no fault of their own. Practice being kind to yourself and those around you. You will be tired, so negative self-talk will get louder. Prioritize sleep when you can, and try to maintain even a tiny aspect of your daily routine. That journaling habit I keep talking about can also help keep you on track.
2. Pick a Date to Start Back up
Once things return to normal, pick a day on the calendar and get back to some form of your normal schedule. Once my kids started sleeping again, I got back into getting up early to spend some time writing. If my job right now weren't a stay-at-home dad, I know I would have less control over this. Even if you work full-time, picking a date to anchor yourself is a good idea.
3. It Will Happen Again
The return to normal will probably be temporary. Things do not always go the way we plan, and how you deal with that matters. Practice the first principle of Stoicism (see the quote below); you cannot control what happens, but how you react is up to you. I'm only sometimes great at this, but remembering this helps me reset my perspective when things are challenging.
You can do it. Just remember to be kind to yourself, give yourself a break, and get back to it.
I’m enjoying the creative process of building the newsletter as a companion for the blog, and I’ve gotten some nice comments about it from readers which I so appreciate. If you’re interested you can join here to get it delivered to your inbox at the end of every month.
The November Newsletter Arrives This Week
The November edition of the newsletter will be coming out later this week, and now is a great time to subscribe. This month, I’ll be sharing some tips on how to pick up the pieces and get started again when things fall apart, as well as a media recommendation and some ideas about year-end planning. I hope you’ll check it out!
Introducing the New Monthly Newsletter from 24 Letters
I’m excited to announce the launch of a free monthly newsletter that will bring additional content to readers who choose to subscribe.
I’m choosing this schedule because I think a once-monthly check-in with new ideas, behind-the-scenes stuff, links, recommendations, and reviews is the right fit for the pace of this site.
You can sign up here. If you do, you’ll receive the first issue in October.
Thank you for your support
I am excited about what I want to share with you via this site, the newsletter, and other projects that are currently brewing. I appreciate all of you and look forward to bringing you more content that you find useful and interesting!