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Call Me Old Fashioned, but...
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Hey Friends, I often get some serious eye-rolling when I insist that writing is still really, really important. In this age of A.I., and action-packed awkwardly-edited video reels on a mini-screen, writing might feel a bit, well, antiquated. It’s just words, on a page. Isn’t that… boring? My peeps, you know I love some good modes of multi-dimensional communication. Moving images! Colour! Text! And MORE! Call me old fashioned, but the amazingness of writing cannot be ignored.Writing is a product - a novel, blog post, grant application, scholarship essay, job application cover letter, etc. And this writing product might seem a little slower. But maybe we should try to embrace “the slow” in this often-overwhelming, fast-paced world. However, writing is also a process:
All so good! Writing is thinking. It’s a kind of analysis. Writing is about communication and communication is about relationships. In our professional lives (and really, in all parts of our lives), writing is an incredibly powerful way to connect with other people and express yourself. And, in case we needed another reason, all of this writing process stuff also offers amazing cognitive and life benefits. Writing has been shown to improve memory, critical thinking, creativity, verbal skills, and general, overall health - wild! Now, don’t get me wrong - other modes of communication can also be amazing. These other things are also kinds of communication, as well as thinking and analysis. (I’ll save that idea for another newsletter…) These other things do not, however, take away from the awesomeness of writing. What do you think? Am I out in left field with this “writing is important” fixation (shakes fist at sky!)? I’d love to know what you think. Julia Julia Gray, PhDWebsite | Instagram | LinkedIn
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Creativity, culture and humanity. Join other smart professionals who receive my newsletter about building and thriving in creative and human-centred lives and workplaces.
My friends, Today’s newsletter is about love. So, let me ask you: Is there anything more important than love? I mean, once you’ve got food, water and shelter covered, I really doubt there is… Whoa, that’s a big question right outta the gate, Julia. What’s the deal? When I was teaching at the University of Toronto in the Department of Health & Society, I took over a lower-year lecture class called Introduction to Health Humanities. I have to admit - I really loved teaching this class. The crux...
Hey my friends, I’m covering a few things in this email, so it’s a bit longer than my usual fare. But I think this week’s length is worth it. First, I wanted to share some reflections on my own journey over the past month, that I’ve been emailing about.* Since January 6, I’ve attempted to break my technology habit, started to re-build my imaginative and creative capacities, and started to re-focus on human connections and cultural patterns. A big part of what I take away from this month is...
Hello my friends, This week has been, well, going. I feel almost back to my regular grind (le sigh…), but I am still working to keep these new shifts in my day-to-day. I am still: Meditating in the mornings Limiting my smartphone use Filling my time and imagination with other things like reading, listening (to the radio and music), daydreaming, walking, noticing colours and shapes and feelings in the world New for this week, I’ve also been trying to notice the different cultural groups where...