But first, we jump in the lake

"What got you here won't get you where you're going." I don't know who said it (Oprah? Churchill? Thích Nh?t H?nh?), but I think we can agree they're right.

(Unless you're in the middle of a road trip, in which case, please keep driving.)

We're just back from a week at Kayte's family's cottage (they call it a "camp") in beautiful Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac, Quebec.

Yes, and the before-breakfast swim is a longstanding camp tradition.

Now, I grew up in the suburbs of Toronto. My parents are non-cottage-having urban British ex-pats. Swimming in lakes at all, never mind before breakfast, is outside my comfort zone.

But I did it (almost) every day. (It rained a LOT one morning, k?)

It was emblematic of what was, for me, a comfort-zone-busting week:

I took the week off from not just client work but also the new thing—my new passion—writing One Creative Moment. (The first break since I started writing daily in November 2022.)

I stressed about breaking my daily promise. Thought readers might leave over my lack of commitment. Thought I'd forget how to do it, lose the habit. (Nope!)

I sent my first scheduled piece (last week's Tactical Tuesday edition), which. I have to say, felt odd. Seeing an email from you hit your inbox in the middle of a week of vacation is thrilling and disconcerting all at once, it turns out.

And I reached out to a bunch of people I know on here to (finally) tell them (you) I'm doing this and ask for feedback (please, thanks!). Which was super uncomfortable. (I'm working on it!)

Much like jumping in the lake every morning.

But it's the only way to grow.

Because what got me here won't get me where I'm going.

Out of water,

James

P.S. I'm doing it all again next week, this time heading to PEI. Though I'm going to pass on jumping in the ocean in this case. Wish me luck, and see you in a fortnight :)