FMF: Confident

Welcome to Friday! I participate in the Five Minute Friday challenge every week. Kate selects a word and I write for 5 minutes. This also fulfills my #write28days challenge for today!

Timer set…and GO!

As an introvert, I have had to learn extroverted tendencies for my profession. I am required to be “on stage” for students and teachers every day. I am also a presenter. I have NO PROBLEM speaking in front of 250+ people. I do prefer the audience to be people I do not know.

In the professional setting, I am confident. I know my content and my expertise level. I am always learning something new from the people around me. I am a life long learner in the truest sense.

For some reason, I am not able to transfer this confidence into the social aspects of my life. I have to force myself to join in social situations. I do not do small talk well. I force myself into uncomfortable situations. It is a tricky predicament.

As a runner, I was able to place an action I excelled at in the forefront which buffered the social aspects. I can do this with writing in certain circles as well. The writing and running were my shields. This is part of my coping mechanisms.

When or where are you most confident?

What are your shields?

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February 15, 2019 by TammyB Categories: Five Minute Friday, FMF, Justlife, Slice of Life, Write28days, Writing Challenge, Writing PromptTags: fiveminutefriday, FMF, Write28days, writingprompt 12 Comments

Build for FMF

It’s Friday! It is time for Kate’s word to inspire my writing today!

I am in the process of building something exciting.

The focus this month through #Write28days is to work through and plan these creative gatherings I have swirling around in my mind.

Serendipity is an amazing concept. I always think of the movie when I say the word and frozen hot chocolate. Podcasts, articles, conversations and people are making their way into my circle of concern that align with this idea.

A name occurred to me today for the gatherings.

The idea of a launch team is on my mind.

The idea of collaboration and using people’s strengths is on my mind.

LIGHT BULBS are turning on ALL OVER THE PLACE!

Today I am blessed with a day of learning with my friends. I will build new connections and deepening bonds.

What are your lightbulbs today?

Are you building something?

February 8, 2019 by TammyB Categories: Coaching, Five Minute Friday, FMF, GatheringsTags: fiveminutefriday, FMF 8 Comments

FMF Where

It is time for Five Minute Friday! This is the writing challenge where I write for 5 minutes about the assigned topic from Kate.

Photo by Andrey Grushnikov on Pexels.com

Where – the first thing that comes to my mind when I think about this word is a list of questions:

Where am I going?

Where do I belong?

Where is my coffee cup?

Where is home?

Where are my comforts?

Where is a big question that didn’t seem that big when I started writing. Most ideas I have contemplated over the years have morphed and changed with my experience. I stopped conforming and thinking about what I really thought which can be a dangerous practice.

I belong right where I am. I am here in this place and space to learn and to inspire others. Sometimes this is on purpose and sometimes this seems accidental.

Home I have found is where the people are that I love. I have moved so many times that a physical space doesn’t really quantify home for me anymore. This can be trying at times but has cured me of any materialism I had before perpetuating my life.

February 1, 2019 by TammyB Categories: Five Minute Friday, FMF, Writing ChallengeTags: fiveminutefriday, FMF, where Leave a comment

#FMF: Convenient

If you’re new to Five Minute Friday, here’s how it works:

Each week Kate shares a one word writing prompt that goes live at 10 pm EST on Thursday. Writers and bloggers are invited to freewrite for five minutes flat on the writing prompt of the week and then you can choose to share on her site.

This week’s Five Minute Friday writing prompt is: CONVENIENT

con·ven·ient

adjective

1. fitting in well with a person’s needs, activities, and plans.

Today there is another canceled school day replaced with an e-learning day. Right now the wind chill is -19 degrees F. This cancellation fits very well for my personal needs this week. I have been struggling this week at work for various reasons and working from home is helpful for my mental wellness.

I would love to work from home a couple days a month in my current job and this wish came true twice this week! I am thankful we do not have to make up the days in June now. That idea is NOT convenient.

Last night I was reading and came across a new blog to me: https://teachlivingpoets.com/. As I was reading several posts , one referred to a concept I am partially familiar with:mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors.

In reading instruction, there are times we find text that is a mirror – the words reflect back the person who is reading it. It is about someone like you, or a situation you are familiar with.

Windows allow you to see into some else’s experience to better understand them or the situation.

Sliding glass doors is the idea of movement. This is a concept that opens up the conversation. It opens up the connection between you as a reader and thinker and someone else. Sliding doors allow for dialogue and new perspectives.

The sliding glass door metaphor was new to me, but I like it.

It is always convenient for me to find new things to learn about, but it is a word I struggle to spell!

A random thing that popped into my mind about Convenient is my KEEP app. I have figured out if I come across a website I can share it with myself on my phone and it works every time. I have a lot of short stories on there I can read this weekend! It is one of my many productivity hacks!

My word for 2019 is CONNECT and I am crafting a post for the end of the month that highlight how I have connected throughout the month of January. Part of my process for this year’s word is to reflect if the word is really working for me. It fulfills a need for me and also deepens the practice.

If you would like to read more of my Five Minute Friday posts click the category to the left of this post. Feel free to comment below about your thoughts about the word as well. I would love to hear what you feel is convenient.

If you would like a new challenge for Feb. check out #write28days at https://anitaojeda.com/welcome-to-the-write-28-days-blogging-challenge/

January 25, 2019January 25, 2019 by TammyB Categories: Five Minute Friday, FMF, Mywriting, Writing Challenge, Writing Exercise, WritingLifeTags: fiveminutefriday, FMF 13 Comments

FMF: Influence

Influence is a trigger word for me. I want to have positive impactful influence but I want it to be subtle, not brash and overdone. My feelings are influence is supposed to be quiet and not beating people over the head with it which comes off as more coercion and aggression. Neither of which are very effective.

My hope is to influence people with my writing. For it to make a difference they have to read it of course. This idea came up last night at my writers group around the idea of self publishing, publishing on the internet, and traditional routes.

Many things influence my life and therefore my writing. The writing group is an influence. There was more critique yesterday and conversation about the writing read which was helpful and more enjoyable for me. It seemed like it had been forever since I  had attended. I missed the one meeting this month but my personal goal is really to just be there one out of the two meeting per month.

My fountain pen influences my writing.

Podcasts influence my writing.

Connections and interactions influence my writing. These include people,  text, video, and cards.

The feel of typing on the chromebook influences my writing.

What influence do I want to have? I want to encourage people to read. That is through books I recommend or “book push” or my own writing. Reading is the gateway and I am an advocate!

January 18, 2019 by TammyB Categories: Five Minute Friday, FMF, Writing PromptTags: fiveminutefriday, FMF 5 Comments

FMF: With

Today is the last FMF. See the link up here.

I sit at my desk with my coffee and think about this new season. Today is the Winter Solstice and the longest night of the year. It is also a Full Cold Moon tonight. I also read there is supposed to be a meteor shower early tomorrow morning just before dawn.

I carry a word with me throughout the year. I had thought it was to be YES for 2019 but the idea of connection has come up so much over the last cycle that I believe the word for 2019 is really CONNECT.

To connect to myself.

To connect with friends.

To connect more with my husband and children.

To connect to creativity.

To connect to the universe and my intuition.

This season is full of transition again for: an end and a beginning. Today I greeted the day in heavy darkness and rain. I would have preferred snow on this first day of winter but will appreciate the stillness and peace that came with the morning.

December 21, 2018December 21, 2018 by TammyB Categories: blogmas, Five Minute Friday, FMF, holidays, Justlife, Mywriting, Writing Prompt, WritingLifeTags: #oneword, amwriting, connect, fiveminutefriday, FMF 1 Comment

FMF: Still

In the past I was hardly ever still. This has become a newly acquired skill. I used to drag myself out of bed no matter what to run. No matter what else was going on, no matter how tired I was. That is not the case now.

I like being still now. I feel I need to commit to meditation but haven’t yet. Writing ideas usually come then so it is beneficial. I try moving meditation which is calming.  

I am still here.

I am still learning.

I am still loving.

I am still writing.

I am still reading…BUT…have been in a slump. I listened to the Secret Library Podcast and heard the author Mary Laura Philpott talked about being in a reading slump herself and some of the books that helped her out of it. 

When are you still?

December 14, 2018 by TammyB Categories: Five Minute Friday, FMF, Reading Life, WritingLifeTags: fiveminutefriday, FMF 8 Comments

FMF: Balance

Personally, I do not believe in life balance. It is a myth like writers block. It is a personal pursuit to make time in your life for the people and the activities which are deemed important to you.

You can balance a checkbook.

You can have a balanced diet.

You cannot balance a life. It is designed that way.

There is no balance and I don’t believe there is supposed to be. There are seasons in life. 

Seasons of work.

Seasons of rest.

Seasons of study.

Nothing is equal. Not really. Everyone’s needs are different. Finding the distribution of importance is part of the personal pursuit of happiness and purpose.

What do you think about balance?

I would love to hear in the comments.

December 7, 2018 by TammyB Categories: Five Minute Friday, FMFTags: fiveminutefriday, FMF 9 Comments

FMF: Value

 

What do I value most? Several years ago the actions of my life did not align with what I said my values were. This was also a time I felt I was always waiting.

Waiting for the next thing.

Waiting for the end of the day

Waiting for the weekend.

 

I appreciate the anticipation which scientifically add to the happiness of an event but this was not the spirit in which these thought patterns were emerging.

 

Then I saw this quote: “Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”

― Epicurus

 

This idea and quote inspired an idea for a short story today. It also reminds me of the idea that if you pray for rain do not be mad when it rains and ruins your outdoor plans. There is always one more thing and I cannot let it consume me.

 

Yesterday was Black Friday and it is the reflection about what is really wrong with our country. Materialism is such a bold overtone in our society we have holiday to represent it. People will spend money today they do not have on things they think they need all in the name of a sale which is actually a mind trick of advertising and marketing. I try not to get sucked into it. For so long there was no money at all to spend so I am out of the habit of casual shopping. There will be holiday presents purchased of course but they will be somewhat mindful and fun both.

 

I appreciate and am thankful that I can now go to the grocery store and not have to look at every price to make sure that I have enough in the account my stomach lurching as the total climbs higher. I appreciate the time I have at home with all my kids and my husband.

 

I truly was in the moment yesterday for Thanksgiving and it felt like a real holiday to me. For the past several years there has been so much turmoil that it did not feel like the holidays. It was more of a dread than a happiness. There were moments of course but yesterday it felt true. The meal was great, the food turned out almost perfect but all delicious. Our corn bake took an extra long time to cook for some reason.

 

I am not wishing forward or back at this point. I do some planning for scheduling of course but I am not overwhelmed by what needs to happen on a daily basis anymore. I value being home. I value being with the people that I love. I value taking care of myself and my body.

 

What do you value?

November 24, 2018 by TammyB Categories: Five Minute FridayTags: fiveminutefriday, FMF 12 Comments

FMF: ONE

Five Minute Friday – the writing challenge where you set the timer for 5 minutes and use a word for a springboard and see what comes out!

Join me today!

ONE

One. I am one, but I am not alone.

The story I read last evening at writing group called One of One. It is a story about grief and facing the perceptions of others. It was the largest group for this writer organization that I have seen since I joined last summer.

Starting at 2:25 p.m. today, I have ONE week of holiday break for Thanksgiving. I plan to read and write over this holiday in between bites of turkey, stuffing, corn bake,  and pumpkin pie. I will spend the time with my family and am thrilled.

In an 8th grade English class today, I’m reading for her program FIRST CHAPTER FRIDAY. The book is The Running Dream by  Wendelin Van Draanen. I am also reading ONE poem from Mary Oliver, The Sun. 

One. I am ONE, but I am not alone. 

November 16, 2018 by TammyB Categories: Five Minute Friday, FMF, Mywriting, Uncategorized, Writing PromptTags: fiveminutefriday, FMF Leave a comment