Life is about experiences. The moments we have. The here and now. The present.

That’s not to say we shouldn’t plan. Without a plan you’ll never get anywhere. You need to know what you want and where you’re going so you can make definite progress toward it.

But we can’t just look ahead, not when we have this time right now that we live in.

Behind are memories. Ahead is what we plan. The present is right now.

The present is a concept

I heard a program on NPR (I’m pretty sure it was on WUTC) probably a month or more ago in which the host and guests were discussing the concept of time, memories, the past, present and future. Someone (I don’t remember who to give that person credit!) used the beach as an analogy for time. The sand and sea are the past and future. The present is where they meet. It’s a line, but it doesn’t really exist. It’s always moving and changing.

I like that concept. It’s easy to visualize.

Someone on the program also said there is no present, only the past and future. The present is gone as soon as it begins, from future to past.

I get that too, but it’s not as visually appealing as the beach analogy.

Balance between past, present and future

No matter how you think of the concept of time, there needs to be a balance between past, present and future. Living only in one place is detrimental.

I’ve been trying to be more balanced in my life and with my time. I try to limit my thoughts of the past unless it’s pleasant or motivating and it makes me feel good. Revisiting the negatives doesn’t help me as much. I’ve learned lessons from the past, and I reflect on it sometimes, but I don’t dwell there.

Likewise, I don’t spend all my time on future planning. I am a planner by nature, and it’s easier for me to be thinking about what I’m going to do. But I realize it’s OK to let some things just happen and go with the flow. Being open to change can help, because what I plan may not be exactly what happens.

That leaves the present. I strive to be present in the present. To think about what I’m doing and saying. Not to be three steps ahead or letting my mind wander to what I should say or should have said. Instead I try to engage in active listening and wait my turn to provide thoughtful comments or questions. I say try because I’m not always successful. If I’m alone I try to think about what I’m doing and where my focus is. Where’s my mind? Are my thoughts in the moment or straying to the past or future?

All of it makes up life, these moments we have that we may share with others or experience alone. This is it. How will you spend your time?

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How to Be a Better Writer

Learn from your mistakes

I’ve been working as a freelance writer for a particular client for a few months. My goal is to submit content that is as clean as possible. If I could turn in copy that required no corrections, that would be perfection for me, quite literally.

Of course, even as an editor, I’m not that good. I work on fairly lengthy assignments, and it seems there’s always something I miss. But overall, my work is improving.

I credit that improvement to taking a lot of notes about my mistakes. When I started, because it was a new project, I started recording notes from my editors. Then, with each new assignment, I’d go back through my notes to be sure I’d addressed all of the things I’d done incorrectly. Sure enough, I’d find things to fix.

Even as a journalist, as both a writer and an editor, I knew which things I was likely to do wrong. Each time they came up, I’d have to look them up. But then I knew I’d get it right.

This is similar. In addition to an extensive stylebook and instructions, I’ve created my own stylebook of sorts, a cheat sheet. The result is copy that meets the needs of my client.

If you write for an editor or client who gives you feedback, take notes and take it to heart. It will help you become a better writer overall.