Jayne.press

Ways to Decompress

Just had to use some of these myself today.

Take a warm bath or shower: Soak in a tub with Epsom salts or essential oils, or take a relaxing shower. The warm water can help ease muscle tension and promote relaxation.
Listen to calming music: Put on some soothing music, nature sounds, or white noise to block out distractions and promote relaxation.
Deep breathing: It’s a simple but powerful technique. Breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose, hold for a few seconds, and then exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat this for a few minutes to calm your mind and body.
Set boundaries: Let people know you’re taking some time for yourself and won’t be reachable immediately.

Experiment and find what works best for you. The key is to find healthy ways to manage stress and create some time for relaxation in your day.

Life’s Grand Adventures

Going from Stay at home mama to working full time mama has been a fantastic adventure. I’m changing so much. The things I need and desire are completely different.

My confidence is different. My focus is different. To be honest sometimes the change feels wrong but I just take time to remind myself that change is all part of this adventure.

Most of us don’t just wander into dream careers. It takes intentionality and a roadmap, and that’s where career advancement goals come in. This blog will be your one-stop shop for crafting a plan that propels you towards success.

First things first, start journaling about it. Remember, journaling is a personal exploration. There are no right or wrong answers. The most important thing is to be honest with yourself and let your thoughts flow freely.

Here are a few journal prompts to get you thinking about your career.

Action Plan Breakdown: Break down your bigger goal into smaller, actionable steps. What specific things do you need to accomplish in the next month, quarter, or year?
Roadblocks and Solutions: What potential obstacles might you face in achieving your goal? How can you overcome them? Consider potential solutions and contingency plans.
Daily Wins: Track your daily progress towards your goal. This could be completing a task, learning something new, or making a valuable connection. Celebrating these small wins can keep you motivated.

Next is Finding Your North Star: What Does Advancement Look Like for You?

It takes intentionality and a roadmap, and that’s where career advancement goals come in. Before diving into specifics, think broadly. What does career advancement truly mean to you? Here are some questions to spark your introspection:

Position and Power: Is your goal a specific title or leadership role?
Expertise and Skills: Do you crave mastery in a particular area or development of a new skillset?
Impact and Influence: Do you desire to make a bigger difference or have a wider reach in your field?
Financial Security and Growth: Is financial stability or a higher salary a key motivator?

Control

What things are currently within your control?

I was listening to a new podcast about affirmations this morning and the speaker gave us a moment to work through some of our self talk. One of the things that came up for me was that I felt like I had no control so I take my time. There’s no sense of curiosity or urgency for me. I feel like I could plan out every detail and devote a lifetime of hours and still it feels as though I don’t have a sense of completing the task. So I’m not very pumped about it.

So I want think about that some more and find ways that I can still be inspired by curiosity. I remember learning that when we feel out of control, it’s a great exercise to focus on what you can control. That’s the first place I’d like to start.

Here’s a short list of things I can control.

Words of Affirmation -I have more control than I think.

Physical Activity -I can get up and move in nature to spark my inner creative.

My Schedule -I can set aside time that’s just to spark my curiosity

My Thoughts -Avoid negative self talk.

The Company I Keep -I will not surround myself with people who make me feel bad about my art.

This is awesome so far!

Another one that came to mind that we don’t necessarily have control over but we can bring to focus to is our breathing.

There’s so much more. What did you think of while reading my list?

Writing Inspo

I found some awesome writing inspo from RocketExpansion.com!

I have days when find it hard to come up with something to blog about, but thankfully, there’s other writers out there who find ways to keep their fellow writers writing! I had to share a little from the page. Below is a small section focused on finding inspiration by asking yourself questions.

Ask yourself questions

The old improvisation trick that comedians use to find comedic gold. The ‘what if?’ questions.
It can work for authors too! You need to ask as many ‘what-ifs’ until you hit the jackpot.

What if I came home and my door was left ajar?
What if people could shapeshift in the 1700s?
What if I could fly?
What if I could fly….and I ate bugs every time I opened my mouth while doing it?

I think these are some fun questions!

As writers, what kind of things do you do or have you done to help fellow writers along on their journey? How do you help yourself?

Clear Psyche

“Just as a good rain clears the air, a good writing day clears the psyche.”
― Julia Cameron, The Right to Write: An Invitation and Initiation Into the Writing Life

This is sooo true. There are days when writing is the relief. I gain more than relief thought, writing brings me so much. It didn’t always. It’s the commitment to it mostly. But to get back to the quote, things can get so jumbled in my brain that writing it out can clear everything up for me. An unjumbled and clear mind will always be a great reward.

Tell Stories

“To survive, you must tell stories.” – Umberto Eco, The Island of the Day Before

What a valuable quote. I am so grateful that we have the stories of survival that were handed down, whether through art, song, or storytelling. We easily lose so much, but the thousands of stories of survival that have lasted lifetimes inspire me deeply. How courageous so many men and women have been in the past, are today, and will be in the future. So many mere humans have make sparks in the darkness, light up the world in their time, and will continue to light the hearts of millions. These are the things that make me feel grateful to be alive.

Intuitive Writing

There’s different types of writers. I wanted to look into intuitive writing so I found a pretty interesting article about The Intuitive Writing Process from a website titled The Writing Cycle.

The article was interesting but what I appreciate more is that having an intuitive writing process is a thing. I think technique and skill are important tools along side an intuitive writing process. Maybe we don’t talk about this process enough because I don’t think I’ve read anything about it before.

Have you heard of the intuitive Writing Process?

Wanna Write a Screenplay?

Did you say you wanted to write a screenplay? I have great news for you! Today is the number one best day to start writing it!

Guess what, there’s free good quality screenwriting software that you can use to get started. It’s called Celtx.

There’s always a million good reasons to write a screenplay. Here’s a few: To create something new, preserve a moment, or share a message.

Never read a screenplay?
That’s ok you can access thousands of free Hollywood screenplays right on the internet!

Have fun writing.

Stream of Consciousness

I found this article I tucked away that’s titled “10 Writers Who Use Stream of Consciousness Better Than Anyone Else.”

For those who don’t know Stream of Consciousness is a literary style in where a character’s or writer’s thoughts, feelings, and reactions are depicted in a continuous flow uninterrupted by objective description or conventional dialogue.

This article gives more then the list of writers names. It gives a brief description of the writer and an excerpt from one of their writings. I’ve done a lot of Stream of Consciousness writing but I kinda let it fall away. I’m glad I found this article, it inspired me.