Tuesday Tickle: Creative Ways to Stay Positive

 

Continuing to support “National Positive Attitude” month, here are a few ideas for creative ways to stay upbeat in spite of the natural pitfalls of daily living.

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1.Health-get a check-up. Schedule an appointment with your health care practitioner and ask for a full work up. It helps to know exactly where we stand in the areas of dental and overall health. If something pops up in the test results, address it as soon as possible. This is a great way to feel good about our health and gives us a reason to feel positive. A regular mammogram schedule saved my life by identifying a problem well before it got out of hand. Good health is everything.

 

2.Donate-give some time, money, or resources to a local charity. Clean out a closet and deliver unwanted items to the Salvation Army, Goodwill, or your church. Offer your volunteer services to work office hours for a non-profit or read to children. Send a financial contribution to your favorite charity or hospital research center. Don’t know who to support? Try the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, P.O. Box 6025, Albert Lea, Minnesota 56007-9832.

 

3.Gratitude journal –it’s an amazing process to take the time to sit down and write out everything we’re grateful for. From the smallest (our pets) to the largest (our health, our freedoms), everyone has a few things to be thankful for. Write them down and carry the list around with you for a few days. The smile on your face will catch on with others.

How do you plan to stay positive this month and always?

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

http://amyshojai.com Amy Shojai

Check out my new website Joy E. Held

Have you subscribed to this Writer Wellness blog yet? Get email updates when a new post is added. Click “subscribe” and leave your email. That’s it and thanks in advance!

Be well, write well

Thursday Thought: Guest Post CLAUDIA TALLER on “Balance”

When I stepped off the bus this morning, it was pouring down rain.  A complete stranger put an umbrella over my head and we chatted easily for the five minutes it took to get to the building.  After I thanked him and went on my way, I thought about the nice surprise of spending time in conversation with a good-looking guy first thing this morning.  It felt like the universe was telling me to live in the moment.

During last evening’s religious study class, we talked about how important it is to have a Sabbath so we can refuel.  I have been struggling with all the social networking I have to do to communicate about my events—it’s keeping me from getting my writing done.  I need balance, not just in my life but also in my writing.

I journaled this morning.  A planned stay at a hermitage at a monastery awaits me in October.  I have allocated some blocks of time for social networking and keep my “real” writing time sacred.  This morning proved I’m open to possibility and synchronicity, which are important for ideas, and zest for life, and trudging forward.  And my walk at lunch time allowed me to let my worries go, a form of meditation.

Interesting how I can hold the tree pose for ten minutes on each leg and feel totally centered and balanced, but once my day gets going I soon feel like I’m going in a million directions.  Julia Cameron had it right in The Artist’s Way when she recommended Morning Pages, Artist’s Dates, and attention to synchronicity.  In her second book, she added walking.  If we add sorting out priorities to her formula, we can achieve balance. 

When life feels out of control, we just need to do tree pose and go for a walk to ruminate on our morning journaling, retreat time, and life’s surprises.  Writing then becomes what we dream it should be—a bit of ourselves flowing through the keyboard and out into the world.  It happens when we’re in balance.

Claudia Taller writes about writing, living well, and striving for excellence for a number of publications. In 2008, she launched Igniting Possibilities (http://www.ignitingpossibilties.blogspot.com/), which seeks to encourage unbounded creativity and personal exploration in others. Her Word Lovers retreats are held twice each year in Lakeside, Ohio, and memoir writing, spiritual quests, and other events are sprinkled throughout the calendar. She published the book Ohio’s Lake Erie Wineries (http://www.ohiolakeeriewineries.blogspot.com/) in June 2011.

 

 

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

 

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

http://amyshojai.com Amy Shojai

Check out my new website Joy E. Held

Have you subscribed to this Writer Wellness blog yet? Get email updates when a new post is added. Click “subscribe” and leave your email. That’s it and thanks in advance!

Be well, write well

Tuesday Tickle: Two Things Art Journaling Has Taught Me

I recently discovered art journaling when I stumbled across a magazine dedicated to the concept. It fascinated me by combining things I’d done separately for years. Art journaling combines writing, scrapbooking, and art into one satisfying activity that has taught me a few things about what it means to be creative.

 

The term “art journal” has more than one definition depending on who’s doing the talking. An artist is never without her sketch pad much like a writer is never without a small notebook for jotting down ideas. The new twist on the phrase is the inclusive nature of the activity. Practically anything goes as long as it can be applied to the page. Art journalers are very resourceful when it comes to getting something to stick to a journal page. Glue, brads, staples, needle and thread, masking tape, and adhesive bandages are just some of what’s possible to use when affixing something to a page.

 

This is an early attempt at art journaling when I was learning to incorporate different textures.

 

 

 

The freedom of art journaling has taught me two valuable lessons that I’ve carried out into the world.

 

1. Although I have great respect for the study of art, you don’t have to have an art degree or be really talented in art to succeed. The goal for me is an artistic interpretation of something written. This has given me confidence and expanded my ideas about what creativity is and made me more accepting of other people’s creative efforts.

2. I’ve learned that it’s not enough to be brave enough to write down difficult things. What counts is being brave enough to really face the difficult things in writing and then the make changes.

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

 

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

 

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

 

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

 

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

 

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

 

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

 

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

 

http://amyshojai.com Amy Shojai

 

Check out my new website Joy E. Held

 

Have you subscribed to this Writer Wellness blog yet? Get email updates when a new post is added. Click “subscribe” and leave your email. That’s it and thanks in advance!

Be well, write well.

Friday Feast: Egg Salad and Blog Mash-up

 

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

I promised this egg salad recipe to a good friend who shared a recipe with me last FF for guacamole.

“Joy’s Egg Salad Delight”

 6 hard boiled eggs, peeled, mashed

3 Tablespoons light mayonnaise or canola mayonnaise

1 stalk celery finely chopped

¼ red onion finely chopped

2 Tablespoons red pepper relish (found in the pickle aisle at the grocery)

1 Tablespoon fresh dill chopped (1/2 tsp. if using dry)

Salt & pepper to taste

Mix everything together, cover in an air tight container and cool immediately. Because of the mayo this can’t be left out for long periods of time. Serve on toast with a piece of crisp romaine lettuce.

Friday Blog Mash-up

Here are the great blogs I’ve visited this past week. Check them out.

http://www.eatmovewrite.com/ Interesting blog about the trials and tribulations of a freelance writer.

http://www.creatingkeepsakesblog.com/index.php?s=art+journaling Nifty site with some good basics about art journaling.

http://www.onewomanswrite.blogspot.com/ Linda Rettstatt’s excellent blog about life as an author.

Do you have a recipe to share with Friday Feast?

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

Have you subscribed to this Writer Wellness blog yet? Get email updates when a new post is added. Click “subscribe” and leave your email. That’s it and thanks in advance!

Be well, write well.

Thursday Thought: Journal As Memory Maker

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

A journal is a “home away from home” for our thoughts. Thoughts run the gamut from accomplishments to worries, and our journals are bound to catch all sorts of our ideas eventually. There are no rules for what should and shouldn’t be kept in a journal. That’s up to the keeper. Here are some ways a journal is helpful to just about everyone.

1.Place to keep track of life events. Just jotting down what happened on a particular day and what the weather was helps us review our lives whenever we take moments to go back through and reread entries. We feel a sense of accomplishment and self-satisfaction which contributes to our overall feeling of positive self-worth.

2.Goals and wishes vault. The journal is a fantastic place to write down dreams and future plans. Write it down, make it happen really works because when we see our wants in writing it gives us a fresh perspective on their value and importance. Dream lists in a journal keep us focused and this refreshes our energy because we have something to work toward. Focusing on goals keeps depression at bay.

3.Creative projects tracker. Writers and artists often have a journal per book or art project which serves as a place to dialogue and document the work. Outlines, lists, resources, and comments are really important to the final result. They serve as a sounding board and a file for information and compliment the end product nicely. Many popular writers keep project diaries and publish them years later as “the making of” books to keep their works popular and interesting. This practice allows the safety and freedom an artist needs to make the inevitable mistakes that happen along the way to a creative endeavor.

Journals have a way of taking on a life of their own in a very short time. They are friends, confidents, and idea generators in many ways. In what way does your journal support your life and work?

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

Have you subscribed to this Writer Wellness blog yet? Get email updates when a new post is added. Click “subscribe” and leave your email. That’s it and thanks in advance!

Be well, write well.

Tuesday Tickle: Memories as Writing Gifts

One of the most memorable gifts my husband has ever given me was a packet of letters. We were going to be apart for three weeks, which is a really long time for us. I won’t go into the mushy details, but neither of us looked forward to the lengthy separation. On the day I boarded the plane, he handed me a stack of large white envelopes with a rubber band around them. On the front of each envelope he had written “Day 1”, “Day 2”, and so on.

“What’s this?” I asked.

“It’s something we did in the Navy when we were gone for long periods of time,” he said. “Wait till you get there to open the first one.”

I couldn’t stand the suspense, but I waited and it was worth the wait. He had written a brief letter to me for everyday we were to be apart. Every morning I would open another envelope and read a story, a poem, a wish, a memory, a joke, or plans for something we wanted to do when I returned home. It was absolutely the most romantic thing ever. I loved it and returned the favor the next time our schedules pulled us apart for several days.

Letters are a foreign language to some people in this age of emails and social networking. Technology pales, however, to the warmth and power of words prepared just for a special recipient. The letters from my husband were funny, charming, sexy, and interesting. And when I sat down to create a packet for him to take on a trip, the challenge was bigger than I expected. It required me to think forward and backward at the same time. I wanted my letters to be meaningful and interesting, and I wanted them to be something he could enjoy on his trip.

People love getting letters. Is there someone in your life who is taking a trip in the near future? Want to tell them they are loved? Prepare a packet of letters in advance of the trip. The letters don’t have to be lengthy, just meaningful in some personal way that you share with the receiver. Here are some ideas:

*Write a quote a day at the top of each letter.

*If you have plans while the person is away, tell them in the letter for that day. “Today I’m scheduled to see the dentist. I hope he has purple toothbrushes this time!”

*Copy poems about travelers or journeys

*Draw pictures or include photographs

*Send jokes

*Remind them to visit your blog on a certain date and include a note to them in your blog post

*Include any special dates they should remember while they are gone like birthdays and anniversaries

*Tell them how much you are looking forward to their return

This is an example of a writing gift that makes an incredible memory for friends and couples. Have you ever done this before? Any similar ideas that you’ve experienced with writing gifts?

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

Have you subscribed to this Writer Wellness blog yet? Get email updates when a new post is added. Click “subscribe” and leave your email. That’s it and thanks in advance!

Be well, write well.

Thursday Thought: Time and Keeping a Journal

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

When I recommend keeping a journal to students, family, or friends, I prepare myself for the typical response. “I don’t have time.” I have armed myself with quick and easy ways to help them get started and see that a journal doesn’t have to take up huge amounts of time to be fulfilling. But if someone stays on target and journals a small amount on a regular basis, it’s very possible they will need more and more journaling and then what? It’s a kind of viscious cycle that produces positive results but we should have reasonable boundaries in place so the journal doesn’t interfere with the goal of having a life and a successful career.

Journaling is suitable to anyone’s predicament. Because there aren’t any real rules, just helpful guidelines, it can be a win-win situation. Unless we become obsessed with keeping a journal and that’s where setting journal boundaries in the beginning is helpful.

We only have so much time in a day. In yoga we believe we are gifted with a finite number of breaths to breathe in a particular physical life time. When those breaths are exhausted, we leave one body for another body until we have breathed enough to be enlightened. Everyone requires a different number of breaths to get to this point, but suffice it to say time and breathing are finite resources that are very, very important.

Setting healthy limits for journaling disallows us to go overboard and journal more than we produce in other areas of life. It prohibits journaling from distracting us from the lives we are supposed to be living. It also makes journaling very do-able for most people. Set time limits and page limits that suit your particular needs. Here are some practical ideas to setting healthy, productive boundaries to successful journal keeping:

1.Choose a format with built in space definitions and decide ahead of time how much space a journal session will cover. For me, I have a large sketch book with blank pages without lines. On weekdays I write or draw or whatever on one page per day max. Weekends I spend more time with preparing pages with paint or collage pictures and write as many pages as I need to because I have more time.

2.Set a time limit by writing to a particular track on a music CD. Open the journal, start the music, and write. When the music is done so is the journaling. Not finished with a thought? Perfect! That’s a built in place to pick up the next journal session and it’s one less thing to come up with to write about.

3.An index card a day is a fun and challenging way to keep a journal and organize it. Try colored index cards for more inspiration. Monday=blue; Tuesday=pink; etc.

What agreement do you have with journaling so you can keep on target?

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

Have you subscribed to this Writer Wellness blog yet? Get email updates when a new post is added. Click “subscribe” and leave your email. That’s it and thanks in advance!

Be well, write well.