How Visiting Friends Helped My Writing. It Can Help You Too.

Summary

The author finds that visiting friends and family rejuvenates their mental energy, provides inspiration for writing, and offers valuable life insights.

Abstract

The article discusses the personal benefits the author has experienced from accepting invitations to visit friends and relatives. Despite a draining workweek in a doctor's clinic, the author has recently started to embrace these social engagements as a form of mental escape. The journeys to different locations, often involving scenic routes, serve to "rewire" the author's brain, offering new perspectives and story ideas. These visits are not just a respite but also a source of courage and insight, as conversations during these times can lead to personal growth and the development of SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals. The author emphasizes that these time-outs, which now include visiting loved ones, are crucial for mental stimulation and creativity, significantly influencing both their personal life and writing endeavors.

Opinions

The author believes that visiting friends and family is a form of self-care that aids mental stimulation and provides a break from the monotony of a predictable workweek.
Engaging in conversations during these visits offers more than just social interaction; it provides story ideas and life lessons that can be transformative.
The author values the SMART criteria for goal setting and has found motivation through discussions during these visits to pursue professional exams.
Traveling to new places, even if it's just to visit someone, is seen as an opportunity to experience new scenery and perspectives, which is beneficial for creativity and writing.
The author has integrated this practice of visiting friends and family into their routine as a means to enhance their writing and personal development.

“Once a year go some place you’ve never been before,”

There are writers who gain inspiration from their lives and other people’s lives, while there are those who find a way of telling stories from an uninteresting life. Either is valid. I tick both boxes. Recently, I shared a story where I talked about a new habit. In the past, friends, relatives, and acquaintances invited me for visits and sleepovers at their homes. Many times, I didn’t honor those invitations. Recently, I decided I would begin honoring those invitations. Why?

My work weeks are draining. I work in the administration of a doctor’s clinic. Usually, by the time it’s the weekend, I need serious time-outs. I don’t mind Netflix chilling and playing chef. However, I have added playing home guests to the list. Almost every weekend, I respond to an invitation for a sleepover or a house visit.

My work week is kind of predictable. While that ensures I can pay my bills, it drains me physically and mentally. I honor these invitations to help my mental stimulation. My stimulation starts from the journey itself. If my host lives out of town, it means I travel farther. I make these journeys by buses and trains. I literally choose travel routes that guarantee me the most scenery.

As I travel and enjoy the scenery, this rewires my brain. Then, of course, I gain more mental stimulation at the sleepovers. There are always conversations. I learn from these conversations. People share stories of what they have been up to. I make mental notes. Sometimes, I get ideas for stories, and other times, I gain insight into life itself. There are other times when the lessons only hit home after the visit. Here and here are examples of visit-inspired stories.

There are ideas I get from conversations that make it to my to-do lists. Many times, people share stories of how they dealt with personal challenges, and I gain courage and insight for dealing with mine. Believe me, there are conversations that steer you towards life goals.

For instance, you might have been toying with accomplishing a specific goal. Basically, that is how far you have gone; just thoughts. Then you find yourself either taking part in a conversation or listening to one where someone talks about accomplishing a similar goal.

Your eureka moment comes and you know that this goal meets the SMART criteria. You take it from there. It was at one of these conversations I gained momentum to write my professional exams. Now, it has made it to the top five of my to-do list. I resumed morning classes a few weeks ago.

Takeaway

Timeouts are good. For many people, these may take different forms. Before now, time-outs for me were taking a break from my work week to nourish my body and soul at home. Now, I have adjusted it to include honoring visits to family and friends. While at these visits, I get stimulated mentally and gain fresh ideas I use for life and of course, my stories.

“Once a year go some place you’ve never been before”- Dalai Lama