Latest Rabbit Hole

“The poet or the revolutionary is there to articulate the necessity, but until the people themselves apprehend it, nothing can happen … Perhaps it can’t be done without the poet, but it certainly can’t be done without the people. The poet and the people get on generally very badly, and yet they need each other. The poet knows it sooner than the people do. The people usually know it after the poet is dead; but that’s all right. The point is to get your work done, and your work is to change the world.” – James Baldwin

James Baldwin inspires me so much. I do believe we’d make great friends.

Here’s an article from the rabbit hole I just went down on The Marginalian. I felt every emotion on my way down. Enjoy!

James Baldwin on the Artist’s Struggle for Integrity and How It Illuminates the Universal Experience of What It Means to Be Human

The Magic of Writing

The magic of writing comes exactly when you learn to expect it. Has this happened to you while you were writing? Have you written and then bam, it all makes complete sense in a different way than you intended? And not only that, the new way is even better? Or have you written about something and then it happens or happened already almost word for word?

Reminds me of that movie Butterfly Effect. Not as dramatic, or maybe it is.

What do you think?

Good Finds You

“The sun watches what I do, but the moon knows all my secrets.” – J.M. Wonderland 

Some people put out shiny rocks and bottles of water.

Some people take hot baths.

Some people attempt the day as if it has no meaning whatsoever.

Some people take the evening to appreciate the moon illuminating the night sky.

Whatever it is you do during the full moon, I hope goodness finds you.

Who Do You Write For?

“Perhaps I write for no one. Perhaps for the same person children are writing for when they scrawl their names in the snow.” ― Margaret Atwood

I started out writing for excellent grades. The whole grading system really gives me anxiety, probably to prove something to my past self. Honestly, I just want to learn and be challenged in a safe place. But let me get back on topic. So yeah, I wrote for good grades, then I wrote for you, then I wrote for me. Now I don’t have it in me to put a label on who I write for. I don’t think there’s a pattern or a path that’s right or wrong when it comes to who you write for; that’s why I appreciated this quote by Atwood.

Who do you write for?

Fish Stories

“Fiction was invented the day Jonah arrived home and told his wife that he was three days late because he had been swallowed by a whale.” – Gabriel García Márquez

I’m gonna tell you what, I’m waiting for a good fish story. I haven’t heard a fish story since high school. Where are all the fishermen that come back with those robust stories? We may ask, but at the end of the day, none of us really care if they’re true. We (as in me) want to just sit around and listen, maybe over some beers and a fresh batch of fries. Let me know if you know anyone willing to share!!

Do you have any fish stories? You don’t have to be a fisherman to comment.

Freedom in Fiction

“A person is a fool to become a writer. His only compensation is absolute freedom. He has no master except his own soul, and that, I am sure, is why he does it” – Roald Dahl

I’m not sure I believe in absolute freedom. What I can say is that for me, writing is the closest to freedom I’ve ever tasted. The first time I let myself free write as a youth, like really free write, I was whisked away far from my classroom. I was whisked away so far, it took me a couple of days to appreciate my current reality again. From what I remember, even reading didn’t feel that exhilarating.

So, I’d say, if you’re feeling stuck or limited in your life, write a little piece of fiction. Let yourself bend the rules a little bit or a lotta bit. That’s what’s so great about writing; you can do whatever you want. Don’t even share it with a soul. Keep your freedom your own little secret.

Don’t forget to like share comment subscribe!! It helps my page grow! You can also follow me on Facebook and or Instagram!! I follow writers back!

Three things to write every night.

“If a writer stops observing he is finished. Experience is communicated by small details intimately observed.” – Ernest Hemingway

Three thing to write every night that will lead to a more fulfilling life.

  1. What did you enjoy today? Just jot down the highlights of your day, whether it was a simple pleasure, a peaceful moment, or something that made you smile.
  2. What are you grateful for today? Gratitude is trendy these days, but that’s a good thing. Even during our darkest moments, we can search for slivers of light.
  3. An Affirmation. These affirmations at the end of the day are a way to carry goodness into your next day. Less about “I am” statements and more about speaking positive action into the next day.

What are you writing? How’s your book coming? Poetry?

Sunday Solitude

Today was a slow day for me. On Sundays I really try my best to listen to my body. I walked, I rested, and a took time to feel my day out.

Still got things done without belittling myself or emotionally pushing myself around. I still nourished my body with delicious food and movement.

I recharged at my own pace.

This isn’t a race. I’m moving at a pace that allows me to deeply enjoy my journey. I’m spending time with my family and investing in my home. I should feel good about that, and that’s what I was gifted to reflect on today.

What do you do on your days of Solitude?

Lets Move Beyond Traditional Definitions of Success

“It’s time to move away from the demands of others—and the definitions given to us by those others around success. By focusing on putting together the unique combination of things that provide fulfillment to create the perfect life that’s right for each individual, it is easier to put down the things that make our life load heavy.” -Bronwen Sciortino, Forbes Councils Member “Five Types Of Personal And Professional Fulfillment And How To Gain Them”

I love how she said, putting together the unique combination of things that provide fulfillment! That is exactly the trick. It’s not just focusing on one thing that fulfills you. It’s really sitting down and thinking about the things that you can do for hours and not once think about the time. It’s the things that wake you up in the morning or keep you up at night. Those challenges that you keep facing even when it’s really not looking good. Make a place for the ones that light you up the most and let the rest go.

Here’s the article if you’re interested in reading more about the different types of personal fulfillment. I think this is worth journaling about in this wonderful month of August. I believe it’s the perfect time to weigh your priorities.

Welcome to August

“Fulfilment in life is the realisation of our own personal meaning of life. By working towards something that is meaningful to us we end up feeling a sense of fulfilment.” -Matthew Gibson at Center for Emotional Education

Yes, here we are. It’s August, and we get to spend August being intentional with our actions to welcome more fulfillment into our lives! Bravo!

What kind of things are meaningful to you?