And here’s the trick: Take all of your first reactions — all of them — and don’t let them come out of your mouth.
Your replies, your first thoughts, your first facial expressions. None of them are original. They’re too ingrained. They’re expected now. Stop doing them.
That small thing, the act of shutting the hell up, forces you to have another thought. It may not be any good, but that’s not the point. One day they’ll be good. With practice we get better.
This is my advice to me, but you’re welcome to listen if you like. This should have been a resolution for 2010, but I probably said something rote instead.
