Writing every day for 365 days, I’ve learned that I can be creative when alone.

I’ve discovered my loneliness.

I’ve spent most of my time with my family or with my remote colleagues.

Too little time with friends. I am wondering why I couldn’t share my thoughts with my closest friends instead of writing them. It’s not the same, I get it.

Years ago I used to have long telephone calls talking about dreams, ambitions, and fears. Now I can barely send a few minutes of voice notes via a messaging app.

Why did I find the time to write and reflect on my own, in my solitude, and not the time to be with friends?

For once, most of them are far away, and it is not easy to make new good friends. But I became too much separated from events and meetings in real life for me to meet people physically.

Joys and limitation of extreme remote work (and pandemics).

Writing a lot means being alone, a lot. And when I tracked the time spent writing I realized I’ve also measured the time I’ve spent alone. It wasn’t bad. Thank you for asking. It was a totally new way of being alone. I was creative because I have been writing.

Loneliness can be a powerful way to be creative. Don’t let your time alone be wasted. Use it to write. But, please, now, call some friends and talk to them. Thanks

This is Essay 4 of 30 in the my challenge One Year Writing: 30 Lessons Learned in 30 Days

1. The Journey is the Purpose (16 Nov 2020)
2. Writing is Thinking (17 Nov 2020)
3. Write a Lot to Write Well (18 Nov 2020)
4. Creative Loneliness (19 Nov 2020)
5. Be Less Ambitious, Be More Consistent (20 Nov 2020)
6. Writing builds your networks (21 Nov 2020)
7. Connect ideas now (22 Nov 2020)
8. Writing improves your memory (23 Nov 2020)
9. Writing makes you a better observer (24 Nov 2020)
10. Writing sets the focus on yourself (25 Nov 2020)
11. Dissolve your distractions (26 Nov 2020)
12. Writing reduces your jargon and slang (27 Nov 2020)
13. Walking generates ideas (28 Nov 2020)
14. Writing is like drinking coffee (29 Nov 2020)
15. Creativity makes you happy (30 Nov 2020)
16. Be smart, let it go (1 Dec 2020)
17. Writing is a process (2 Dec 2020)
18. Automate repetitive tasks (3 Dec 2020)
19. Publish text as digital text, not images (4 Dec 2020)
20. Why asking questions? (5 Dec 2020)
21. Facilitate growth by tracking habits (6 Dec 2020)
22. Type more, type faster, type better (7 Dec 2020)
23. Transcribe your thoughts to become an effective communicator (8 Dec 2020)
24. Write daily to become a better manager (9 Dec 2020)
25. Do it small to do it better (10 Dec 2020)
26. Don’t lose your mind. Back it up (11 Dec 2020)
27. Write daily to enhance your reality (12 Dec 2020)
28. If only I could be ten, again (13 Dec 2020)
29. Writing compounds despite everything (14 Dec 2020)
30. The habit of building habits (15 Dec 2020)