A place where you can be human.
What daily habits are you doing for yourself?
I’ve stepped away from social media before bedtime and first thing when I wake up. I used to allow myself to use my phone to let go of my day and settle down. I don’t feel like it harmed me but I do feel like my time could be better utilized.
If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.
Colin Powell
Art Should Comfort the Disturbed and Disturb the Comfortable
Cesar A. Cruz
I appreciate this quote as a writer and creative because I want my writing to comfort those who need it. I’d love it if everyone liked my novel but what’s most important to me is that someone feels less alone after reading it.
The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can.
Neil Gaiman
All work and no play is no fun! I truly got to appreciate a moment of play today after work. It really lightened my mood and brought me joy. I want to say that I live for these moments but the truth is I forget to have these moments nevermind live for them. That’s why I wanted to write about my evening, to remind myself to play.
I was packed up to go home with not very much motivation to drive. Since I wasn’t eager to drive, I took my sweet time to head out the door. On the way out, I had to pass a brand new corn hole game just built and donated. You know what’s awesome, we got to break it in. We cheered each other on, I got one bag in the hole, and I even got some coaching! It was fun. I’m terrible at corn hole but it really broke me away from the grind.
What ways have you made time to have fun this week? Did you forget?
As long as you keep going, you’ll keep getting better. And as you get better, you gain more confidence. That alone is success.
Tamara Taylor
This is meant to be encouragement to keep going. It’s ok to be new at things. It’s ok to work on getting better by making mistakes. Let yourself get better. Let yourself gain the confidence over time. New behaviors, skills, crafts don’t happen just cuz we want them to. They happen because we invest in them. Keep going, you got this.
If you’re offered a seat on a rocket ship, don’t ask what seat! Just get on.
Sheryl Sandberg
I’m inspired by this quote today. I haven’t been asked to take any rocket ship rides lately (or ever). Tomorrow, it could happen and reading this quotes has just expanded my world from impossible I’ll never ride a rocket ship into, Yes, I’d love to ride in your rocket ship. Life is supposed to be filled with hopes and dreams. We’re supposed to have some impossibilities in our imaginations that we desire that could only slightly possibly probably not but maybe be fulfilled. We have that ability as kids and over time the world kinda destroys our ability to have hope in our dreams. This quote reinvigorates me. It reminds me that my impossible dreams are worthy and I’m worthy enough to dream of them.
Would you say yes to riding in a rocket ship? What are the dreams you have that feel impossible? I’m interested to hear from you.
A tiny ripple of hope.
These words remind me of The Butterfly Effect. To summarize, The Butterfly Effect is when something as small as a butterfly flapping it’s wings can create something as mighty as a tornado weeks later. I share that to say this, a tiny ripple is enough. Your small acts of kindness are enough no matter how tiny and inconsequential they seem.
I had to make my most favorite writers human.
I have the tendency to place great writers behind glass, where I can’t touch them. When I sit down and read words that touch my soul, it makes me feel so small. Words do mean a lot to me. I often make them much bigger than what they are on first read( or first listen). So over the past few years I found myself in love with the writers who didn’t hide their humanity. In fact, they used their humanity as the basis for their works. I love Henry James and his eloquent writing. I got his journals and was slightly disappointed at his lack of elegance when it came to daily writing. One day he collapsed and simply described it as a “bad day.” There was no coquet. No romantic gesture by some well dressed woman who saw him go down. I realize that fiction isn’t supposed to be a mirror of our realities, but I couldn’t help but expect him to be as romantic as his stories. I think we all have these moments where the people we look up to aren’t what we expected. At the same time, it helps me to appreciate writers who share their humanity, the good, bad, and ugly that we stow away to fit the part. Bukowski, Rimbaud, Plath, and throw some Hunter Thompson in there, and a few other writing mentors that walked beside me, they all liberate me with their authenticity. I hope that I can liberate others the same way they did for me.
To lose our connection with the body is to become spiritually homeless. Without an anchor we float aimlessly, battered by the winds and waves of life.
Dr. Anodea Judith
I like to have plans with my editing sessions. 65k words is hell to edit with no guide on what to look for. I know the quote is talking about about more spiritual connection with the body but it helps to not float aimlessly in novel writing too.
How do you edit your novels?
Writing doesn’t take up enough of my life but I haven’t gone a day without doing it. I used to have writing dreams of going off to a cabin in the woods and writing my days away. I stopped dreaming about them for a while but right now an away writing sesh sounds amazing. I think I’d sleep for the first three days then write my heart out the rest of the time. Throw in some ice cream and take out, ::deep sigh:: -dream come true. Sounds peaceful and adventurous sprinkled with a bit of productivity.
When you encourage others, you in the process are encouraged because you’re making a commitment and difference in that person’s life. Encouragement really does make a difference.
Zig Ziglar
Words of affirmation are important to me. But let me explain where I learned it from. I learned it from watching mentors around me and by making my own decade worth of mistakes that using encouraging words and gentle guidance lasts significantly longer than using fear based learning. Fear based learning is quick and powerful. You could even see instant results. Unfortunately, those results don’t last and often lead to other long term behavioral issues.
First of all, it’s embedded in our society so it’s not only accepted it’s expected. Let me rephrase that, it was expected. Things are changing though. A lot more leaders are leaning more toward gentle and encouraging teaching methods. It brings me so much joy.
Jayne.press