Knocking Out the Block

I’ll admit it. Some days, I just don’t know what to write. Despite receiving briefs and direction at the office, I still just stare at that blank page completely unaware of what I should do. It’s an extremely unnerving feeling, though one I’ve learned to just accept and run towards, not away.

While in New York at the Creativity Workshop back in June, we filled out postcards to write promises/advice to ourselves to remember what we learned. I received that postcard last month, and didn’t really think much of it. Just tacked it to the wall, occasionally catching a glimpse when my wandering eyes at my desk needed to refocus. I also made a commitment to practice automatic writing every day. Needless to say, that too has proved much more difficult to keep up as well.

But that all ends today.

I recently learned of this organization out of South Africa called Writers Write. They offer classes and tips and tricks to strengthen and build a Writer’s skills. Seeing as I won’t be heading to South Africa anytime soon, I can still gain some inspiration from the group with their tweets for “Daily Writing Prompt.” I feel these are going to help me keep my Creativity Workshop promises and get me out of the blocks.

 

A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes

Yesterday, CNN Living re-published an article from Oprah.com about dreams that you should never give up on. I’m quite the dreamer, and have an ever-expanding list that I feel guilty moving away from. Like the dream of producing a Broadway play? Pretty sure my copywriter funds are never going to be able to make that one happen. And learning a second language isn’t going to be happening anytime soon, I could barely handle it in high school and college.

So how do you know what dreams to hold on tightly to and when to let the wind carry them away?

Leigh Newman proposed a list of 9 dreams that you should never give up on. That you should continue to strive and achieve at some capacity. My personal favorite one was “5. The dream of the amazing, life-changing trip you don’t have time for.” 

I’ve always been in awe of traveling, no matter where it was, just seeing a new setting and surrounding myself with complete strangers was always a thrill. And why many of my dreams involve travel. From seeing the sculpture in Dublin with my two eyes and standing underneath the Eiffel Tower with my mom to doing AIDS community work in South Africa and attending a Euro music festival that lasts three-days and requires me to camp.

But after seeing this Dream Never to Give Up On #5, I found myself reverting back to the idea of standing on every continent. To feel like I’ve touched all parts of the world and left an impact, even if it was with my feet.

So continent-exploring is back on the table. Maybe I should just turn all of my dreams into a “Around-the-World” trip to knock out more than a few birds with one stone.

Are there any dreams you find yourself holding on to?