In Creativity, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the psychologist who coined the term “flow,” talks about small surprises that delight and inspire:

“Try to be surprised by something every day. It could be something you see, hear, or read about. Stop to look at the unusual car parked at the curb, taste the new item on the cafeteria menu, actually listen to your colleague at the office. How is this different from other similar cars, dishes or conversations? What is its essence? Don’t assume that you already know what these things are all about, or that even if you knew them, they wouldn’t matter anyway. Experience this one thing for what it is, not what you think it is. Be open to what the world is telling you. Life is nothing more than a stream of experiences — the more widely and deeply you swim in it, the richer your life will be.”

Life as a “stream of experiences” that can enrich and enliven us—what a fruitful mindset for us as writers! When we are “open to what the world is telling” us, magic happens:

New ideas float up to the surface of our mind and energize us.

New connections emerge that can reshape our ways of thinking.

New information can transform and give us new insights.

New eyes enable us to see the world with greater creativity.

What a wonderful, magical way to live and what an amazing impact experiencing the world with curiosity and freshness can have on our writing life!

“Never assume,” a dear friend used to tell me every once in a while. Her message was simple: When we assume, we cut off exciting new possibilities and simply rely on our habits—nothing new emerges.

So let’s take Mihaly’s wise advice. Let’s be surprised by something today—and every day. Surprise creates wonder and wonder leads to curiosity and curiosity fuels creativity. Let’s swim widely and deeply in life as we all write on!

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