Amelia Wilson: April 2020

I’m not going to lie, I’m unsure as to whether or not I’m writing this for you or myself. As I write this, it is 11:30am and I am laying in bed in my pjs. I had intended to be up at 7 or 8 am this morning to have a nice breakfast, work out, work on my blog a bit, tidy up the house, and tackle some homework that is due next week. None of that has been done yet!

(Disclaimer: All of the views and opinions in this post are solely my own and are not sponsored. This post includes affiliate links, meaning I earn a commission through links at no cost to you.)

At the moment, I’m currently working on my free ebook (the one that will be sent to subscribers on my blog) which is titled, My Guide to a Productive Lifestyle. I felt I was qualified to talk about this topic because I strive to live each day as fully as possible. This has enabled me to do many things:

I’ve self-published a book
Created a blog
Continuously received straight A’s in college
Have maintained a decent work schedule at target
Have grown to eat healthier
Have maintained a work out schedule
Have two books in progress
And have submitted articles for freelance work

This is actually A LOT. And I really do mean A LOT. It can become overwhelming at times.

I used to confuse being “productive” with “doing things.” And in a way, productivity IS kind of like that. But my view of productivity was warped. I conflated money with being a sign of a person's productiveness. I also warped the notion that “productivity looks different for everyone.”

Productivity DOES look different for everyone.

But I took this statement a little too far.

Here’s an example: my boyfriend’s productivity includes doing dishes and working long hours at his job. He feels most accomplished after working a 10 or 12 hour shift. My friend, Ariana, feels most accomplished after thrifting some decor from goodwill and completely redecorating her room (which looks stunning, I might add).

My sense of accomplishment is derived from my creative outlets. I feel most accomplished when I have created a few blog posts, written a newsletter, created an ebook, written 1,000 words for my novel, or have created a nice YouTube video. These are the moments where I feel I’ve done something useful with my day.

Here’s the problem:

I started over-associating these things to the idea of “productivity” so much so, that I no longer felt accomplished in my day if I hadn’t done ALL of the above.

Essentially, one blog post was no longer enough, I had to create three! Not only that, but I couldn’t just stop there, I had to write the 1,000 words, create a whole new project, make a video, etc.

This extended so much that after a while I began to juggle EVERYTHING at once and became super stressed. I felt overwhelmed by the amount of homework and house chores piling up. I began to think that since I wasn’t seeing any progress or reward for my hard work, that it wasn’t worth anything.

I connected my sense of achievement with monetary gain.

Ah, capitalism at its finest. Am I right?

There was a moment when I was laying in bed with a throbbing headache, knowing that I had to get up and go to work, write an essay for school, eat something healthy, clean the house, etc. The list went on. In that moment, I realized that I was beyond over invested and overworked.

I cried.

Yes, I’m a big baby!

And you know what? I learned that productivity is not based on how much you do. It’s not even about what you are doing.

Productivity is a mentality.

When you glance back at your day, right before bed, it’s easy to slip into the idea that you have done nothing.

Our society has sort of warped our ability to feel useful. We think that if we are not working our butts off for a company, or earning money, or doing SOMETHING useful for ourselves or society, we feel defeated. (Pretty sure someone told me this sentiment once).

I’m laying in bed right now, typing this ON MY PHONE! And you know what? I can accept that I am productive.

A lot of us struggle with the idea that we are not being society's ideal of “productive.” Especially right now with Covid 19 and self-isolation, many of us are falling into a sense of depression due to our lack of action.

But you know what? That’s a load of BS!

Here are some ways to count your productivity!

You got out of bed (very difficult, super productive)
You ate breakfast
You ate something healthy
You worked out
You washed your dirty dishes
You organized a part of your house
Maybe you cleaned your whole house? (Good for you!)
You painted something
You wrote something
You did homework
You practiced your target language
You went to work
You called a friend
You hung out with your family
You did a puzzle or at home game
You finished that netflix series (I don’t care what people say, tv series are not just a waste of time. They’re so similar to books except minus the reading and you can become passionate and inspired by tv shows. Don’t relate netflix watching to laziness!)
You watched a YouTube video you’ve been eyeing
You read a book (even just a few pages!)
You went outside
You smiled
You did your hair and makeup
You watered your plants
Your worked on a passion project
You found a new song you like
You made your bed

These things are so simple and you know what? They count as being productive!

Productivity is not about doing EVERYTHING and feeling exhausted afterwards. It’s about thinking “what is one thing that I did today that either a) made me feel good or b) was necessary to accomplish.” I mean, homework does not make me feel good. But it IS necessary. And I can respect myself enough to consider homework an achievement.

I always thought that I had to see results in order to feel productive. But that is such a stupid thought!

Being productive is a mentality. It’s in your head! You decide what productivity looks like for you! Some days, it’s the fact that I went to work and earned my wage. Some days, it’s the fact that I got out of bed. Each day is different.

If you’re struggling with feeling productive, get a journal or a planner. Jot down your daily reflections. Circle the things that made you feel productive or were so in hindsight. You’ll be amazed.

A good place to start is to get a product from Erin Condren or Minted. Find accomplishment on embarking on this little journaling feat.

Check out my post “Beginners Guide to Journaling” if that helps.

Or, subscribe to my newsletter to get a copy of My Guide to a Productive Lifestyle.

Honestly, opportunity is limitless. It’s up to you to change your state of mind about what productivity means to you.

If you like this post, check out some similar posts of mine below:

click here to view

click to view

Feel free to leave a comment below and let me know any good Chicago restaurants you’d like me to review and try!

You can also email me with questions or concerns you may have at info.amelia.wilson@gmail.com

Also, check out my poetry book, The Lights are on but Nobody’s Home, available now on amazon for $6.99!

Thanks again

No comments

How to create New Moon Intentions

I have been invested in astrology for almost seven years now. I really got into it once I discovered @scorpiomystique on Instagram. I’ve been reading her horoscopes almost daily since the seventh grade and let me tell you, it took me years before I started taking a lot of her advice seriously.

I’m not quite sure why, but I didn’t start investing my time into full or new moon energies until recently. But I’ve found that it’s a really powerful and encouraging act.

Why should we care about taking part in these energies?

I’ve learned that creating goals and watching them manifest is ultra rewarding. Specifically what I’m talking about here is utilizing the moon's energy. The moon operates on a cycle, as does pretty much everything in life. This cycle rotates around a wheel of aspirations (as I like to call it). During a new moon, you set your intentions. The world is a clean slate and you begin your process for the month. The full moon is where you reap the benefits of your manifestations and congratulate yourself on how you’ve grown.

These ideas have really inspired me recently and have helped me to schedule myself around a higher power of routine. Like the seasons, I change and grow with the celestial bodies and I do my best to follow the moon in its waxing and waning.

Here’s what I’ll cover in this post:

- how to write new moon intentions

- How to follow the moon’s cycle to reap the benefits of your manifestations

- A small ritual to do on a new moon (for my witchy friends out there)

**Alright, before I get into this, I want to share a little disclaimer that I am new to Wicca and the craft so I may get a few things wrong. Also, as I’ve heard/read/experienced from others, wicca practices vary greatly between each person so what I do/believe may be different from someone else’s ways of doing/believing. I’m not here to say that my one way is “correct” over another. I’m just here to offer guidance and aid for those who are interested. Thank you!**

How to write New Moon Intentions

First, find something to write them on. I use my grimoire/book of shadows as a journey as equally as I use it to jot down information on wicca. Therefore, that’s what I use when I write my new moon intentions. I like to decorate the page with fancy lettering, stars, stickers, and doodles, but really, even a simple and plain sheet of paper will work!

Once you have your writing materials, title the page. I like to write “new moon intentions (date)” so I can look back on it when the full moon comes around. I also enjoy writing the word intentions because it forces my mind to go “intentions, intent. What do I intend, desire, aspire to manifest this lunar cycle?”

Then I make a list. Sometimes I meditate for a while on what I want my monthly goals to look like. Today’s new moon is April 22. The full moon falls on May 7. So between now and May 7, what do I want to achieve?

Meditating can take a few minutes. I really want to soak up my intentions and sort through them. I don’t necessarily want my first few ideas to be the ones I write down. I like to think about it.

It’s also important to think small. The full moon is only about fourteen to fifteen days away. Therefore my goals can’t be too over dramatic. For example, I can’t write “I want to earn $1 million before the full moon” or “I want to own two dogs who end up having puppies so I can re-enact the Airbud: Buddies movie.” That is simply unrealistic.

Here’s a list of goals I wrote last new moon:

I want to spend one hour of my day dedicated to physical activity (dance, walking, yoga, etc)

I want to use my meal planner app more effectively (maybe for 3 meals out of the week)

I want to focus on creating more blog content, writing at least two to four posts a week and creating one newsletter a week

I want to dedicate at least an hour each week to talk to my friends (more would be nice but I’ll aim for an hour)

That’s it! That’s a bit shorter than what I wrote but I felt these were the most useful and abundant. Each one focuses on a different area of my life that I want to improve upon. I then spend fourteen to fifteen days trying to implement these desires into my lifestyle. By the full moon, I reflect and decide what is working and what isn't. (The specifics of the full moon manifestations will be better discussed in a different post).

Here’s some tips to help you formulate your list:

think short term actions to reach long term goals

Be as specific as possible

Choose a way to measure results (I.e. talk to friends for one hour a week)

Focus on areas of your life where you’re seeking improvement

Focus on ways to improve those tough spots

Be mindful of what you can realistically achieve

How to follow the moon’s cycle to reap the benefits of your manifestations

As I mentioned earlier, the full moon comes about fifteen days from the new moon. The full moon is where you congratulate yourself on how far you’ve come. It’s a space of joy and positive energy. Here, you reflect on your growth and enjoy what has been prosperous. As the moon begins the waning phase, you begin to nurture and focus on these goals, working on both what you’ve accomplished and what has been challenging.

I’ll have a post dedicated to the full moon and the waning phases later on. For now, just know that the cycle will go back around to the new moon again where you’ll be able to start fresh and renew or alter past intentions or create something entirely different!

The new moon is all about intent and manifestational desires!

A small ritual to do on a new moon (for my witchy friends out there)

I’ll keep this short and simple:

What you’ll need: candles (4 if you can), a piece of paper, a pen, crystals (like citrine, aventurine, or carnelian)

*Note* citrine represents abundance, aventurine represents new beginnings, and carnelian represents creation

Set up your candles in each cardinal direction. You can also use only one candle and substitute the others with the elements (air-incense, earth-gems or rocks, and water-a cup of water). I sometimes do this. But typically for a new moon ritual, I like to wait til nightfall and set four candles around me.
Call your deities/close a circle: this is just a nice way to get into the ritual, cleanse the space, and add protection for yourself. Do this however you normally would.
Sit in the middle of the candles facing whichever direction is calling to you most. I associate each direction with an element and with a feeling. These are listed below. I face the direction with the feeling I want to manifest. For example, with my above intentions, many focus on personal growth, so I might face North for my ritual. (Additionally! I like to have my crystals present in front of me to either look at or hold during the next step!)

South=fire=energy and ambition

North=earth=material/physical and growth

West=water=emotion and relationships

East=air=intellect and communication

4. Meditate on your intentions for a while. Let your mind focus on what you want to achieve. Also give consideration to what you want to cleanse and what no longer serves you. Both are important.

5. Once you think you have a grasp on your intentions, get out the small piece of paper and pen and write down what you want to manifest. When you’re finished, read them aloud. You can do this as a prayer or a smell or just simply a way to read them to yourself.

6. Take that note and fold it up. Stash it away somewhere safe where you can use it again on the full moon.

7. Next, take a piece of paper and write down what you want to let go of or cleanse from yourself.

8. Once that is written, burn it. Or, a safer method, cut it up. Discard it in some way. This symbolizes your ability to let go of what holds you back.

9. When you’re finished, thank your deities and close your circle as normal. I also like to reread my list when I’m finished and tuck it away with my new moon intentions in my grimoire. It's a nice reaffirmation for me.

And there you have it! A simple spell that you can include in your new moon intentions! It’s super helpful and symbolic for me to do and I really enjoy it. I don’t do it every month but it is a nice pick me up!

I hope you found this post helpful!

If you like this post, check out some similar posts of mine below:

Feel free to leave a comment below and let me know any good Chicago restaurants you’d like me to review and try!

You can also email me with questions or concerns you may have at info.amelia.wilson@gmail.com

Also, check out my poetry book, The Lights are on but Nobody’s Home, available now on amazon for $6.99!

Disclaimer: All of the views and opinions in this post are solely my own and are not sponsored.

Thanks again

No comments

Write your rough draft in one go if you can

This sounds crazy! I know. But it works so well! I used to write my rough draft in segments of about 500-1,000 words and I found that my writing was very choppy and disconnected. There were more plot holes and awkward breaks that I had expected. Not to mention, my quality of writing waxed and waned each time I took a step away. Now, I’m not going to lie, sometimes I still write in segments like this. And you know what? I can TELL that there is a difference from when I crank out a piece in one go.

It’s perfectly reasonable to knock out a short story, a poem, a chapter, or a blog post in one sitting given you’ve set aside some time to do so. (I’m not suggesting you write a whole book in one go. That’d be impressive, although highly impractical).

Short stories and blog posts are my most common forms of writing. This means that it is entirely possible for me to write a rough draft for each in one sitting. Doing so keeps my writing fluid and allows me the opportunity to avoid plot holes or odd sentence breaks.

When writing a book, I write a chapter at a time or at the very least, a scene at a time. I don’t take breaks between scenes and often try to push through even if I feel stuck or have writers block. I can edit and revise later. But the best way to maintain a similar linguistic style, hold the voice of my narrator, and avoid choppy writing is to just write it in one go.

If you can’t write in one go, write down a summary/major plot points

You read that right. Do NOT under any circumstance write a partial scene or partial story if you don’t have the time to curate the whole thing. If you don’t have the time, write down a summary and be sure to include major plot points. Think of this in a similar way you’d jot down dreams in the morning. You want enough detail that you remember the story but you don’t have to write out the whole thing.

Writing down a summary/major plot points ensures that you won’t forget the story later on when you actually sit down to write it. You can go back and view this as notes and use them as a sort of guide or outline for the story.

This action has helped me SO much! I often have dreams or story ideas during times when I’m super busy or unable to sit and write and it helps to jot down the important points so that I’ll have them for later. It’s also nice because after a while, I’ll have a build up of story ideas and outlines that I can fall back on if I’m stumped, have writers block, or just want to write.

Once draft one is finished, leave it alone for three days

This rule is actually something that I’m still new to doing and it absolutely KILLS me to follow it! I like to get things done, and I like to get them done quickly. I hate putting projects off, especially if I’m super invested in them. However, this rule has been life altering.

I picked up this rule after scrolling through Pinterest on topics about writing techniques (I know, I’m a nerd). I don’t remember which writer/author suggested this rule, but it’s one that stuck with me.

The idea is that if you leave your rough draft alone for three days, then when you come back to read it, you’ll view the story with fresh eyes. A big problem for writers during the revision process is that they tend to over-revise to the point where draft two or three is worse than draft one. They manipulate and alter the story a bit too much. I know I’m a victim of this. Essentially, if you leave the draft alone, it’s thought that you’ll come back and pick out only the errors. You won’t spend too much time trying to revise one word and will focus more on the story itself.

This is kind of a complicated rule for me to articulate, but the general idea is that you’ll revise and edit with a fresh state of mind and go into your writing with clearer expectations.

All I know is, this works wonders. I really enjoy coming back to a story after a break and then implementing my revisions. It feels fulfilling and it makes my writing more vivid and lively.

You don’t have to love your story/assignment, just write

So this rule is more directed towards writing majors than passion writers. But I also think there is some benefit to writing things you don’t necessarily love. For example, fiction writers may be appalled at the idea of writing a nonfiction essay. But writing is writing! And you know that rule about being a good writer coming from writing? Yeah this is that rule in practice.

Write. Write. Write.

That is how you become a better writer. You WRITE. And that includes writing on topics you don’t necessarily care about. So long as you’re writing, you’re improving and it’s beneficial.

Journal EVERY DAY

This goes along with that “if you want to be a writer, then you have to write” rule I mentioned above. Journaling is an amazing hobby/skill to get into. It’s therapeutic, introspective, and beneficial to your writing.

I have a blog post here dedicated to the benefits of journaling and how to get into it.

When you journal daily as a writer, it helps you in a number of ways:

you can jot down story ideas and outlines for later
You can develop character sketches and traits
You can create lore and history for your stories
Copy down sites and articles to reference for later
Begin a story/write a short story
Write a scene
Jot down dreams
Form a creative nonfiction narrative

Honestly, journal entries are endless! I hope the list above helps you get started or continue (if you’re a seasoned journalist). I journal twice a day. Once in the morning: either to jot down dreams, plan my day, or reflect on my morning reading. And once at night: to reflect on my day, jot down any thoughts or stories that are at the forefront of my attention, and to create a list of to-do’s the next day.

My daily journaling isn’t always exciting. If anything, my exciting stories are the ones I write randomly throughout the week when they take my attention. Some days, I’ll pick up my journal midday and write for an hour or more.

Journaling is a writer’s must-have and is by far one of the best practices for any creative writer.

Check out my post for a beginner's guide to journaling! It's a life-changing habit, well worth getting into!

Talk to yourself/someone else. Tell your story out loud. Listen.

This rule/suggestion is a bit obscure and unique. This is something that I’ve found to be truly beneficial, though others might find it a bit odd. Talk to yourself (or someone else if you’re worried about appearing crazy) about your story.

The goal is to tell your story out loud. Throughout history, most stories had been passed down orally and were created for oral tellings. Humanity is highly influenced by oral story tellings and it's a wonderful way to become a better writer. There are a few key points I want to share about this rule so I’ll divide them up a little bit.

Telling yourself the story

This is such an amazing practice and I encourage every writer to do this. Tell yourself your story. Start from the beginning and talk to yourself as if you’ve never told this story before. Include the details, talk about the characters, talk about the plot, character desires, setbacks, world-building, etc. Talk about ALL OF IT! This will help you to further develop the story in your mind and will help you to create a more in depth and responsive memory to your story.

I don’t know the science behind why this works so well, but it works in the same way as giving yourself positive affirmations in the mirror or telling yourself your to-do list. For some reason, this helps retain the story in a greater fashion than when you write it down. AND it helps you grow more personal to the story.

It can be a tricky thing to get used to if you don’t normally talk to yourself in this manner and that’s okay! Just keep trying and reap the benefits of this practice!

Telling someone else the story

If you do nothing else on this guide, at least do this one. Writers love telling their stories. I mean, that’s the whole point isn’t it? Talking about your story is super important and even healthy for you. Get those words out of your head and off the paper. Find someone trustworthy, and vent. Get the whole story out if you can.

This is beneficial in a number of ways. Like above, telling the story out loud is a great way to grow closer to the characters and plot. Additionally, telling the story to another person is a fantastic way to further develop the story narrative. By this I mean, it’s easier to find and fix plot holes and to come up with solutions to things you’d never considered in world building. A listener will ask questions you’d never thought of as they attempt to understand the story. They’ll ask why things are the way they are, why a character might act a certain way, or why the society in the story holds a certain belief system.

I like to think of this as a Tolkien-esque writing experiment. That man had every single detail configured for his story. You should too! You should know EVERYTHING about your story, it’s characters, and the world they live in. Having a listener will help you develop that further.

Retelling a scene from someone else’s work

I’m not going to lie, this is actually something I hated (and may or may not still despise) from my fiction writing classes in college. I hate retelling scenes from other people’s writing.

Now to be clear, I love to retell stories I’ve read to my friends and family. But the retelling I'm talking about is VERY different than giving your friend a quick rundown of what happened in a book or ranting about why you’re upset that your favorite character died.

Retelling a scene as my fiction classes had me do is...interesting. First, you have to retell the scene as if it’s happening in front of you. Let’s say I’m going to retell the scene where Harry Potter first steps into the great hall at Hogwarts.

This is how it would go:

Harry is standing in front of these large wooden doors just before Professor McGonagall opens them. He’s surrounded by other first years, including Ron Weasley, his new friend. Ron wears hand me down robes and has messy red hair.

And on and on we go.

Ideally, you want to talk in present tense as if it’s happening right in front of you. You also want to mention as many details as you can that incorporate sight, smell, taste, hearing, and touch into the scene. Be super specific!

You also want to focus on where everyone is spatially. Are Harry’s classmates clustered together? Are Ron and his shoulder touching due to the clustered first years? How far is Harry from the door? Etc.

This is about what you see in your minds eye when reading. I might see Harry about five feet from the door while someone else sees him much further away. Unless the author specifically mentions how far he is, the distance is left to the readers interpretation.

The whole point of this practice is to become an effective storyteller and to be as descriptive as possible. It’s about comparing what you saw in the story to what another reader saw (as this practice is usually done in groups). As much as I hate this practice, it’s super beneficial for writers to reflect on what they’ve read and to compare elements of another’s storytelling to their own.

(And though I didn’t include this next tidbit as a rule, I consider it highly valuable:

Analyze other stories and writing. Have philosophical discussions with people about the story. Analyze the voice and characterization. Annotate works you love. Really dive deep into hidden meaning and language. This will help you grow as a writer.)

Talking/reflecting with yourself about what you’ve written and what you’re going to write

This goes along with talking to yourself but reflecting on what you’ve written or planning your writing (you typically do this in a journal entry) can really help you to move your story along. It helps you identify problem areas and gives you goals to reach.

Use the “take a place” method! (Something college taught me)

This is one of the simplest and yet most meditative things in writing. In my fiction classes, typically towards the end of class right before we journal or begin writing for a short story, the professor would have us “take a place.” Essentially, the professor would use guiding sentences and techniques to help you curate a scene.

Examples include:

imagine a place in front of you, what do you see? Is it dark? Light? Rainy? Sunny? Indoor? Outdoor?
Are you alone? Are there people with you?
How do you feel in this space? What is the physical temperature? What are your emotions?
Is there an object in this space? What is it? What does it feel like? Sound like? Look like?

And of course this goes on. It’s a really meditative way of building a scene. You focus on where the scene takes place, who is in it, what are they doing, what are they feeling, etc. I really enjoy “take a place.” I often use it in my own meditations where I build a little safe haven/sanctuary for myself and my thoughts.

I highly recommend doing this before you write a scene. It really helps you to focus on the senses used in the scene and to understand what is taking place and what is worth taking note of.

And that's all I've got for now! I hope these writing tips are helpful and you can begin implementing them into your every day writing gigs!

If you like this post, check out some similar posts of mine below:

Click here to view

Click here to view

Feel free to leave a comment below and let me know if you'd be interested in more Creative Writing tips!

You can also email me with questions or concerns you may have at info.amelia.wilson@gmail.com

Also, check out my poetry book, The Lights are on but Nobody’s Home, available now on amazon for $6.99!

Disclaimer: All of the views and opinions in this post are solely my own and are not sponsored.

Thanks again

No comments

Search This Blog

Amelia Wilson

My Book

Hi, there

Newsletter

Categories

Ad

Popular Posts

Follow Me on Instagram

Blog Archive

Popular Posts

Follow Me

Pages