Getting Into The Zone

I love getting into the zone and losing track of time. It was easier when I had less on my plate. Unfortunately, like everyone else the older I get, the more obligations I have.

Being so immersed in another world that the real one falls away is an incredible feeling. I tend to come out of those sessions feeling energized, even if I just spent the past two hours writing.

Of course, getting into the zone is tougher than simply sitting down in a chair. It requires you to start, which is often the hardest part.

Losing track of time because you’re so caught up in your w.ork can happen when you least expect it to. Sometimes a little pressure courtesy of a deadline helps as well.

Personally, I make a schedule and set aside some time for creative work every day. I don’t always get into the zone. When I do, I don’t always expect to stay in the zone for too long. Then again, when things are going well, I don’t want to stop. I want to keep going until I can’t.

Writing On A Deadline

Writing on a deadline can be stressful. Bad time management on my part makes things worse.

When I write for fun and for myself, I’m in control. In school however, I don’t get much of a say.

I also like doing things my way. I’ve been wondering what it would be like to write full-time for someone else. I’d probably like some things and dislike others. Then again, that could be said about any job.

When I set deadlines for myself, I can afford to be more flexible. If someone else is setting them, I have little to no flexibility.

Since I hate being late to anything, I do my best to meet every deadline. I never ask for extensions.

The creative process is hard work. Trying to create under time pressure doesn’t help.

I have no idea how people manage to work full-time and write on the side. That’s my goal after I graduate though. I guess I’ll find out soon enough.

I don’t ever want to give up writing. And while I may not write full-time, I’ll still create whenever I can. Besides, writing wouldn’t be as worthwhile if everything was easy.

I worry I’m trying to do too much, and I’ll burn myself out eventually. I’ve never been this exhausted before. It’s not a fun experience. Still, I’m too stubborn to stop writing.

Balancing everything is tricky. But I’ll manage.

When You’re Feeling Anxious About The Future

When you’re feeling anxious about the future, remember to breathe. Focus on your breathing.

You can’t control everything. Change what you can. Don’t worry about the rest.

Double check. Triple check. Don’t let anything slip through the cracks. Make sure you’re on the right track.

Failure is inevitable. You will fail. You’ll lose. The key is to hold your head high.

Take rejection like a professional. You’re one step closer to success.

Try to live in the present. It’s so much easier said than done. But you only have today. You don’t know what tomorrow may bring, much less next year.

Appreciate your own accomplishments. You’re here because you’ve succeeded in the past. There’s no reason why you can’t succeed again.

Let go. Leave the baggage behind. Your past doesn’t dictate your future unless you let it. Likewise, your current circumstances don’t dictate what’s to come. Things change. People do too.

Believe in your dreams over your nightmares. One day, you will get where you want to go. But you have to take the steps to get there. Take life one day at a time, one deadline at a time.

You can’t do it all. You don’t have to. Everyone has 24 hours.

You’re stronger than you feel. You’re smarter than you think. In fact, you’re better than you know.

You can give something your all or you can get nothing instead.

Do what you want. Do what you need. Do makes you happy.

It’s OK to forget. Sometimes you have to forgive others. Other times, you have to forgive yourself.

Take care of your body now, so you’ll be healthy later. It’s easier to stay in shape than it is to get back into shape. Self-care extends beyond exercising.

If you’re struggling, ask for help. You’re not alone. You will never be.

When you’re anxious about the future, imagine a better world. Get excited about new possibilities. You don’t need to have all the answers, just a desire to ask questions.

Writing An Essay In One Day

Instead of having one week to write an essay, I had one day. I don’t know how I managed, but I did. Somehow.

Thankfully, the paper wasn’t too long. I wrote during the day. I took short breaks in between writing the first draft. At night, I edited the essay a few times before submitting it.

At least, this wasn’t an essay for school. It was for a scholarship.

I saved the wrong date. I put in the day winners would be selected rather than the deadline for submission. So I thought I had seven days. But then I checked and realized I only had one. Safe to say, I never want this to happen again.

Of course, it wasn’t the best essay I’ve ever written, but I’m happy with how the paper turned out.

Lesson learned. I should be more careful when noting down dates. Also, next time I’ll check well in advance to see if the deadline is still the same or has changed.

Present me wasn’t pleased with past me. So much for being meticulous.

Knowing When To Let Your Stories Go

At some point, you have to let your story go. You can’t hold onto one story your whole life and never move on. Well, I guess technically you can.

Letting go and moving on applies to every stage of the creative process. Easier said than done though.

My problem isn’t so much moving on but knowing when to let go.

How do you know when to let your story go?

If you plan to submit your piece somewhere, there’s a predetermined deadline you’ll have to meet. That external force often helps.

But what if you don’t have a deadline?

Set one yourself.

Be your own boss. Otherwise, you’ll never get much work done.

It’s okay if you don’t feel ready, if your story isn’t perfect.

At least you did the best you could. And next time you’ll do better. After all, nothing can truly replace first-hand experience.

So start stories but finish them. When you’re done with one, write another. Keep going. You’ve come a long way, yet you have so much further to go.

Let go. Move on. Start over. Start again.

There’s no shame in that. Don’t you dare feel guilty for creating art the way you want.

I know I used the pronoun “you,” but I was directing this post at myself. Disregard any advice that doesn’t apply to you.

As 2017 winds down to a close, I can’t help but reflect on this year. Honestly, I’m happy with how it turned out. I can’t wait to see what lessons await me in 2018.

Thank you so much for being a part of my journey. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading these posts as much as I have writing them.

I Don’t Know Why I Didn’t Do This Before

I want to devote a post on to-do lists. Why? Because…

A. They are awesome.

B. They are fun to make.

C. They are life savers.

I’ve started making monthly to-do lists. Each bullet point has a task. Beside it, I write in an estimated date of when I hope to finish said task. Say for example:

• Finish writing portfolio (Sept 15)

That’s actually on my September to-do list. And I use the verb finish because I already started working on the portfolio. Go me.

This eliminates the need to create weekly ones simply because I add all the projects I want to finish by the end of the month on it, so another list would be redundant. Although some people swear by making a new list each week. Hey, whatever works for you.

I’ve yet to try out daily to-do’s because I’m not really that busy or productive, contrary to what my mind believes. If I did, I like the idea of adding a specific time (like 1:00 p.m.) beside the task to give myself a deadline within a deadline.

At the very least, I feel like I get more done. And who doesn’t like making lists?

Writing And Life Deadlines

I meet writing deadlines better than life deadlines.