Common Discourse is a project designed to help others (and ourselves) think through creativity, focus, and intentional work—from Alex Tan & Alice Otieno.
Every Tuesday we share words from a journal, a few ideas, a quote from somebody else, and links worth sharing. On Fridays we invite a guest to share images from their camera roll and a sound that resonates with them. Words from the Journal come once a month.
Another Tuesday. Another weekly briefing. Evening edition. A few ideas, a quote, and some links.
If you care about this project and would like for us to keep going, please share with a friend who might care about it as well. The little things help.
— Alex
A few ideas
I. PRESSURE RELEASE
Imposter Syndrome is most prevalent when we trust the depth of our knowledge more than the depth of our curiosity.
Releasing pressure to be perfect happens when we:
Providing more questions than answers
Showing that what we know is less important than what we don’t know
Listening & responding to others versus waiting for your turn to talk
II. WHEN TO KEEP GOING
Most actions in life can wait. The non-urgent requests at work, a quick run to the grocery store, or a load of laundry.
But creativity rarely overstays its welcome.
When words come easily, musical notes make sense, and you’ve lost all track of time…keep going. A flow state may not have made its way onto your calendar, but it’s worth clearing the schedule for it to stay.
III. THE EASY STUFF
We often respond to emails when we first start working because it feels more immediately rewarding than searching for solutions to challenging problems.
While we may be getting things done, the issue lies in the depletion of our focus and energy, and leaves us struggling when it’s time to face real obstacles.
Solutions that move the needle require all of you and then some. Don’t get distracted by the easy stuff.
A quote from somebody else
“You read something which you thought only happened to you, and you discover that it happened 100 years ago to Dostoyevsky. This is a very great liberation for the suffering, struggling person, who always thinks that he is alone. This is why art is important. Art would not be important if life were not important, and life is important.”
— James Baldwin, Conversations with James Baldwin
Links worth sharing
🗣 A Conversation with Maya Angelou , this quote really stood out to me from the interview: “you only are free when you realize you belong no place — you belong every place — no place at all.”The price is high. The reward is great.” I love how she notes the paradox, and cost, that can come about when grappling with belonging and freedom.
🎧 What does the earth sound like? Artist Justen LeRoy’s L.A. exhibit offers an answer via the LA Times.
🖼 Yale Photo MFA is an online presentation and archive of the work produced in 2020 Yale School from the Art MFA Photography program. The exhibit is accompanied by an essay written by Carmen Winat, that poses questions for photographers on what it means to communicate through images.
🪙 Coin Chart is a website designed by Isabelle Tan, that brings together data from Jenni Ang’s South East Asian coin collection.
📺 Weirdly Specific Interests, features a collection of Youtube channels about miscellaneous and weirdly specific topics.
Thanks for consuming!
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