Hold That Thought
Hello Reader,
This week I've been thinking about storytelling — how to do it, how it's changing, and what it means for our future actions. Here are three things on that theme to turn overthinking into expert thinking:
- “Between a natural aversion to discomfort and awkwardness, and devices that offer infinite novelty, we tend to go wider, rather than deeper.” — There Are Many More Worlds Than These by David at Raptitude
- “A story is something else entirely. A good one changes you. A great one changes all of us.” — What I learned from Matthew Dicks about storytelling
- “When you write a story, you’re telling yourself the story. When you rewrite, your main job is taking out all the things that are not the story.” — from page 41 of On Writing by Stephen King
This week's underthinking link is PlayPhrase: give it some words, see it in film clips. Thinking score: 4/10.
Extra thoughts…
My Aunt Leslie illuminates stories, too:
“Graphic Recorders are visionaries, scribes, teachers, learners, illustrators and historians and — just as cave artists were — keepers of the precious written word and imaginings of voices and hearts. Our practice has roots in ancient traditions of paying attention, reflecting, storytelling, recording and ‘remembering for the future’. We surface insights, deepen conversations and elevate ideas into actions. We bring generative ideas forward, further collaboration and help direct light to the individual and collective wisdom in this world.” —
Leslie Salmon-Zhu, 1995, Founder of the
International Forum of Visual Practitioners
Both she and Graphic Recording were unknown to me the first four decades of my life. I discovered her and what she does shortly before the pandemic. Both continue to be an inspiration.
Who are the hidden gems in your life? The ones creating, storytelling, recording and “remembering for the future”?
How might you let them know that you see and hear them?
Kim
ps.
As the year winds down, I'm shifting focus to wintering and writing. If you're thinking similarly and would like some support with efficiency and focus as you aim to do less, I have a few spaces available before I close my calendar for the year.
Or, simply hit reply and share a little bit about the story you're telling (yourself or others). Or the one you wish for future you. Or what you're reading.
If you have been enjoying this newsletter, here are three quick ways you might support me: share a thought, send me a pebble, or forward this email to a friend (and encourage them to sign up):
Hello! I'm Kim and I’ve spent over four decades overthinking absolutely everything. Here's how I made sense of it all.
