Life, Writing, and the Rubik’s Cube: Solving One Layer at a Time

Recently, I learned to solve the Rubik’s Cube, and in the process, I uncovered a powerful metaphor for life, personal growth, and even the art of writing. At first glance, the Cube is a daunting puzzle—a chaotic mix of colors seemingly without pattern or solution. It’s tempting to focus on the entire mess, hoping to fix everything at once. But as anyone who has solved it knows, that approach doesn’t work. The Cube, much like life, can only be solved one step at a time.

The key lies in breaking the problem down into manageable layers. You focus first on solving the foundation—the base layer of the Cube—before moving on to the middle layer, and eventually the top. Each level builds on the one beneath it, and skipping ahead is impossible. If a mistake is made early on, it ripples through the rest of the process, and sometimes, you have to start over. This can feel defeating, but with perseverance, patience, and trust in the process, the solution begins to emerge.

This process mirrors not only life but also reflective journaling and self-authoring. When we reflect on our experiences or work to author our own story, we must tackle each challenge and insight layer by layer. Just as with the Cube, clarity and resolution come from addressing the building blocks of our lives: understanding our emotions, processing past experiences, and setting intentions for the future.

Sometimes, in life or in journaling, a mistake requires us to go back and adjust what we thought we had already solved. It’s frustrating, but every setback is an opportunity to deepen our understanding and refine our approach. And with each adjustment, we learn. Over time, the seemingly random pieces of our lives begin to align. Patterns emerge, and a bigger picture takes shape. The chaos turns to order.

Solving the Rubik’s Cube is ultimately a journey of trust. You trust the algorithm, the steps, and your ability to persevere. Reflective journaling and self-authoring require the same trust—trust in the process of self-discovery, trust that the effort is worthwhile, and trust that the pieces of your life will eventually fit together into a beautiful, cohesive whole.

This lesson is deeply personal to me. In my own life, I’ve often found myself staring at a chaotic mix of circumstances, unsure where to begin. But by focusing on one "layer" at a time—journaling my thoughts, reflecting on my journey, and making incremental progress—I’ve begun to see the bigger picture take shape. Life, like the Rubik’s Cube, rewards those who embrace the process, one step at a time.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the “puzzle” of your life, I encourage you to start small. Reflect on one area or moment that feels solvable, and focus your energy there. Over time, as you build on that foundation, you’ll find the pieces beginning to align, and what once felt impossible will start to make sense. It’s all about trusting the process and solving it layer by layer.