Poetry, Prose, & Peonies

For the last few days, every time I would sit to write a post, I couldn’t. May is mental health awareness month. Writers are notorious for mental illness and distressed experiences that lead to art. But do we need to maintain those unhealthy habits?

I couldn’t write. Any time I sat at the keyboard, all I could think about was the million other things I had to do. Instead of procrastinating, I tried whittling down the pile of things on my list.

Taking care of your obligations eases your anxiety levels.

Anxiety is a reality we all face. As humans, as animals, we all succumb to the anxieties caused by pressure. Try releasing some of that pressure.

Have a huge pile of laundry that keeps popping into your head every time you try to write? Pop it in and write while you wait. Don’t feel like writing today?

That’s okay!

Take everyday as it comes. As a student, I’ve just started my summer semester. For any of you students out there who are also starting the weirdness that is online classes, be patient with yourself.

We are all going through Quarantine together. Take this time to reconnect with yourself. What are your goals? What do you want in your life? Are you actively working towards what you desire?

These questions kept anxiety from circling my mind like a vulture. As weird as it sounds, getting all the tasks out of the way helped clear my mind, and my time. Instead of waiting until I finish my chapter to start the laundry, I start it before I write the chapter.

Everyone deserves to be taken care of.

This is most likely the only chance in your life that you will have unlimited time at home. Use this time to refocus your life. Use this time to explore new ideas. Use this time to reconnect with yourself.

Caring for your mental health is not a fad. It’s vital to the human experience. We are writers. Write. Journal. Express yourself with your medium. Feeling bored or tied in a rut? Here’s a list of things that can help break the quarantine rut.

Be reasonable with yourself. Take the time to gauge how you’re feeling. We set our own expectations. If you aren’t feeling up to writing, do anything!

• Read
• Edit
• Listen to music
• Go for a walk
• FaceTime with family and friends
• Sing
• Sleep
• Watch some TV or Netflix

Don’t create stressful expectations for yourself. Be consistent, be honest, and be kind to one another.

We are all human and we all deserve a break.

As a person who reads several books at once, it can be hard to finish books quickly. I flip flop between books like no body’s business. But reading with the purpose of reviewing the writing techniques is not easy. It takes a lot of time and concentration.

Some days, I don’t have the energy to commit to posting everyday. Every blogger I’ve read says “posting everyday steadily increases your views.”

While that might be true, I’d rather create content I’m excited about.

If I’m not happy and excited, the post will show that. Your voice is your weapon in writing. Hesitation is evident to those who know where to look. I’ll be doing a post soon on how to identify your voice, so stay tuned!