This week’s 10 Things is from a special member of our team, Melanie Davis. Melanie is the head copywriter for BatesMeron Sweet Design. She’s been instrumental in giving our brand a voice, and she’s a great teacher and sounding board for our creative department.

10 Things I Know to Be True:

1) The secret to being creative is being curious. There’s something interesting about everything, even if you need to pore through a 75-page technical manual to find it.

2) Don’t take yourself too seriously. You’ll miss out on all of life’s great opportunities to laugh until you cry, have silly adventures or dance like you’ve lost control of your limbs.

3) You’re never as busy as you think. Make time for your family (and the friends who are so close they’re like family).

4) To write well, write like yourself. It’s 100 times more compelling to read a piece written in the author’s authentic voice than a piece where the author is trying to sound professional or intellectual or cool. When I get writer’s block, I sometimes pretend like I’m being interviewed for a magazine article. This may also be a sign that I’m super narcissistic, who knows?

5) Running is a cheaper form of therapy.

6) Having a variety of experiences makes you more interesting and makes you better at your job. Put down the laptop and read a book. Try a new hobby. Travel.

7) Embrace your inner nerdiness, but not to the point where you bring War and Peace on vacation because your friends will never stop making fun of you for it.

8) Volunteering is the most selfish unselfish thing you can do. Share your time and talents, and you’ll be rewarded with fulfillment and warm fuzzies.

9) Market in the way you’d want to be marketed to. Educate, entertain, assist—don’t annoy.

10) Sleep is the best. Life is too short to go through it feeling like death warmed over.

10 Things We Know to Be True is a series of posts sharing the accumulated wisdom of our partners, peers and colleagues, as well as members of the Investment Answers team.