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Wlaf1450OAK RIDGE, TN. (WLAF)- Every summer, three generations of our family gather for a week at the lake. The rituals return effortlessly: morning coffee on the porch, long swims, afternoon naps, games, laughter, and books stacked beside every chair. Many vacation memories fade with time, but the books always seem to follow me home.
This year, a sentence from Ernest Hemingway’s non-fiction work, A Moveable Feast, has stayed with me: “All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know.” I love that sentence. He continues: “So finally I would write one true sentence, and then go on from there. It was easy then because there was always one true sentence that I knew or had seen or had heard someone say.”
What strikes me about Hemingway’s advice is its simplicity. When he felt blocked, he didn’t search for brilliance. He searched for truth. One honest observation. One thing he knew for certain. Then he built from there.
Over the years, I’ve discovered that Hemingway’s advice applies to far more than writing. I’ve returned to it during seasons of uncertainty, when decisions felt overwhelming or when I wasn’t sure what the next step should be.
Feeling stuck is not uncommon. Most of us encounter it at some point—in our work, our relationships, our finances, our health, or simply in trying to determine what comes next.
So, what are we to do when we feel stuck or uncertain? Like Hemingway’s observation, maybe what is required is something true, honestly observed, or deeply known. It was easy, he wrote, because there was always truth he had seen or heard.
In a world filled with noise, opinions, and endless distractions, identifying what is true can feel surprisingly difficult. Yet there is usually something we know with certainty—a next step, a value we hold, a person we trust, a reason to keep going.
When I feel stuck, I return to Hemingway’s advice. It helps unclutter my thinking and focus on what I know to be true right now. Not forever. Not for next year. Just today.
So, what is your one true sentence?
Maybe it’s, “I need help.”
Maybe it’s, “I can’t do this alone.”
Maybe it’s, “Tomorrow can be different.”
Sometimes one true sentence is enough to help us take the next step forward.
When I’m feeling stuck, I think of Hemingway’s passage. It unclutters and pinpoints my thoughts. I know that my truth is sure to change, maybe tomorrow, maybe later today, but it is key to change, agency, and getting unstuck.
For some, feeling stuck becomes overwhelming, and professional support can help. At Ridgeview, people find compassionate care, practical support, and a path forward when life’s challenges feel impossible to navigate alone. Sometimes the journey toward healing begins with discovering—and believing—one true sentence.
For those who find anxiety, isolation, or fear becoming overwhelming, it is important to remember that help is available. Local organizations like Ridgeview stand ready to help individuals and families find a path forward with tools and support for navigating difficult emotions.
If you or someone you know is in need of professional support, Ridgeview is here to help. Care can begin today through Ridgeview’s Walk-in Clinic locations in Anderson, Campbell, Fentress, Morgan, Scott, and Roane counties. Visit www.ridgeview.com to learn more.
For anyone experiencing a mental health crisis, Ridgeview’s Mobile Crisis Line is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at 1-800-870-5481.
Michael Yates is the Director of Development at Ridgeview Behavioral Health Services
Ridgeview is a private, not for profit community mental health center serving Anderson, Campbell, Fentress, Morgan, Roane, Scott, and Union counties.
(WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED 7/14/2026-6AM-PAID)