My Reading And Reviewing Journey In 2018

In 2018, I wanted to branch out and broaden my reading horizons. I also wanted to publish more book reviews on this blog.

As of now, I’ve read 42 books. I somehow managed to review most of them as well.

I read and review because I love stories. If I care about the characters, then I probably care about the story as well.

I’m excited. I can’t wait to see what 2019 has in store for me. I already have several books shouting at me on my bookshelf.

I’m so beyond grateful. I can’t thank you all enough for reading this blog, especially my book reviews.

In 2019, I hope to read even more and broaden my horizons further. I’ll continue to write reviews and blog about books.

Why I’m Not Going Back To School

I feel like I’ve done everything I wanted to achieve in school. I just need to graduate university in 2019, which I’m on track to do.

I’ve already declared my intent to graduate, and that fact is finally starting to sink in.

After I graduate next year, I plan to work. I will work hard.

I have all these ideas and plans, dreams and goals. I can’t wait to make them happen.

I love telling stories, so I hope I never stop.

I know my career is just getting started, so I have plenty of time. Still, I want to do everything right now.

Looking back, I’ve come a long way. Once upon a time, I entered the public school system not knowing a word of English. Then I went on to win an English award at my elementary school graduation. I even won writing scholarships in university as well.

I’ve accomplished a lot in academia, and I’m proud of my achievements. But I’m ready to move on to the next chapter of my life.

All The Things A Writer Wants For Christmas

Happy December! As a writer, there are many things I want for Christmas.

• A finished manuscript. I seriously need to stop abandoning stories.
• Some new ideas. Sometimes I have too many. Sometimes I don’t have any.
• More time. 25 hours in a day would be nice.
• Small acts of kindness. Is that too much to ask for?
• Peace and quiet. A baby crying nonstop is the complete opposite.
• Someone to retrieve my sanity and bring it back to me. I don’t have any monetary reward, but I’ll dedicate my first book to you.
• More money in my bank account. So I can buy stuff I don’t need.
• A lifetime supply of books. I’m running out of space so…
• Another bookshelf. Too bad my room is too small for that.
• A house with a library in it. And on office.
• The imposter syndrome to go away. Does it ever?
• I’d love for my muse to come back to me. I’m not sure where it’s gone. Probably somewhere nicer and warmer.
• Procrastination can leave me alone. The door is that way. I hope it bites you in the head, you big pest.
• A strong dose of inspiration. The stronger the better.
• I need motivation. Desperately.
• Good sleep. Restful nights where I don’t wake up at an ungodly hour and start to contemplate all of my life choices.
• A better sense of humour. Or someone who gets my sarcasm.
• To see people I want to see and not see people I don’t want to. Knowing my luck however, the exact opposite will happen. I see someone who is a stranger to me more than I see my best friend. The universe clearly enjoys toying with my emotions.
• Patience. Current status: non-existent. I have no idea how people keep calm and collected all the time. I can’t control myself. I’m out of control. Send help.
• I really want to get over my fear of operating a motor vehicle, so I can drive myself far, far away and write for days. That’s my goal in life.

How To Inspire Yourself To Write

Because sometimes we all need to be inspired before writing.

Exercise.

Dance. Play baseball. Shoot some hoops. Whatever you like. Move your body, and maybe your mind will too.

Write.

Sometimes the best thing you can do is write, even when you’re slumping. If nothing else, start another project. Try to write when you aren’t inspired or motivated. Who knows what might happen.

Read.

If you don’t feel like reading, watch a movie or TV show. Perhaps other stories will inspire you to tell your own.

Game.

Play. Have fun. Video games are great. You have a new world to discover. You get to see a storyline unfold. You can study dialogue between different characters.

Blog.

Bloggers are some of the most inspiring people you’ll ever meet. Enough said.

Rest.

At times, you just need a break. That’s okay. Eat. Sleep. Take care of your body. Return to your story when you’re ready.

Explore.

Go outside. Take a walk. Travel somewhere you’ve never been before. That could get the creative juices flowing again.

Happy writing!

On Self-Esteem And Confidence

Some days, I feel I’m not good enough. I don’t give myself enough credit.

But I know what I’m good at, and I know what I’m not good at. That being said, I don’t know much. All I know is I want to write, need to.

I want to get better, do better. It’s tough though. I feel like no matter how hard I work, I’ll never be good. I’ll never do enough.

Being a writer is the best thing that ever happened to me. But some days it’s the hardest thing in the world.

I can’t not write. I can’t bear untold stories inside me. I don’t even care if they don’t see the light of day. It doesn’t matter whether people read my words or not. What matters is I write them, one by one.

I try to refrain from tearing myself down when I write. So writing helps boost my self-esteem. The school system doesn’t do wonders for anyone’s confidence.

I hate that I let grades affect me so much. One good grade doesn’t make me focus less on all the bad ones.

I’m also way too hard on myself. It’s not even because I’m a perfectionist. I just expect perfection in my results. Which is problematic. But that’s who I am.

A List Of Things That Make Me Happy

• Reading good books.
• Listening to inspirational music.
• Watching baseball games.
• Taking showers.
• Going on walks.
• Dancing while no one’s watching.
• Writing without censoring myself.
• Blogging for fun.
• Journalling at night.
• Spending time with family.
• Hanging out with friends.
• Laughing at bad jokes.
• Doing yoga.
• Baking with my mom.
• Working out often.
• Getting a good night’s sleep.
• Rearranging my bookshelves.
• Eating healthy food.
• Feeling productive.
• Helping someone in need.
• Teaching others.
• Learning a new skill.
• Solving a problem on my own.
• Studying a new language.
• Seeing people smile.
• Creating art.
• Planning for the future.
• Crossing tasks off my to do list.
• Telling stories.
• Dressing up.
• Decluttering my room.
• Travelling somewhere I’ve never been before.
• Trying food from other cultures.
• Getting to know somebody better.
• Reconnecting with old acquaintances.
• Taking care of myself.
• Being listened to.
• Loving others.
• Feeling loved.

I Need To Live A Little More

Or a lot more. Sometimes I get so caught up with doing things I think I should do that I don’t always do what I want.

I worry about everything. Moving forward, I will try to enjoy life more.

I make small problems a big deal all the time. I create problems when there aren’t any.

I wish I could loosen up. I wish small stuff didn’t bother me.

Somehow though life works out. As much as I enjoy writing and blogging, I hope to explore other interests as well.

To be honest, I should get out more too. It’s easy to stay at home all the time and get lost in fictional worlds. I kind of neglect the real one at times.

Nevertheless, lived experiences shape stories. So I ought to experience as much as I can. I’d like to say yes more often.

I’ve also come to realize when I fall for something or someone, I fall hard. I go full steam ahead. I give it 100 percent. But I risk burning myself out. I try to do too much, too fast.

I want to do a lot, but I’m human. I have limits.

Everything in moderation, right? I need to find a balance.

I hate wasting anything, especially time. It’s not something I can get back or make more of. I only have so many days.

In a way, I want to live like every day might be my last. I don’t want to take anything for granted. Then again, I also want to live like I have many days ahead of me. If only because I like to believe I’ll continue to grow and get better.

A Big Reason Why I Love Writing

It’s an established fact that I’m an introvert, and I love being alone. Being around other people is exhausting.

I fell in love with writing because I get to be by myself with my own thoughts, even if I’m around other people.

I can get away from the real world for a moment. I can’t imagine what it’s like to not have a safe place, a safe space.

Writing sessions re-charge me. They give me so much energy. I gain more confidence to walk into a room like I own it. OK, maybe not. But I’ll always be grateful for stories, both other people’s and my own.

To be completely honest, this year has been so good and so bad, sometimes both at the same time. I’ve fallen in many senses, literally and metaphorically.

Some days, I want to tell myself just how proud I am, but I don’t know if I have the right words. I’m so lucky.

At one point, I kind of resented the fact that life goes on, but now I realize I have to go on.

I’ll be the first to say I’m not perfect. Far from it. But I’m doing my best. And no matter what happens, I’ll keep writing.

I might struggle at times. But I will keep going until I can’t.