Articles

Summer 2015-- Are Selfies Bad For Your Health?
Narcissism: Excessive or erotic interest in oneself and one's physical appearance.
Obsession: A persistent disturbing preoccupation with an often unreasonable idea or feeling.

*I'd like to think that the root of all selfies is self acceptance...
They're attempting to link selfies with mental disorders. http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/selfies-linked-narcissism-addiction-mental-illness-say-scientists-1441480 They say love yourself but don't be 'feeling' yourself. So this once upon a time self proclaimed ugly duckling is finally accepting herself. That girl looking back at me in the mirror is beautiful and my inner bombshell radiates from the inside out. And I'm in love with me for once in my life. They say you gotta love you before anyone else truly can do the same. But I can't take a selfie without being accused of being some sick, twisted, deranged, neuo-erotic narcissist? Well I say screw that. If some seemingly happy homemaker-mom-wife decides to snap on her family one day, does that make every homemaker-mom-wife insane? Face it... We're all mad here. Some just openly embrace it!!! #BeautifullyImperfect

Check out the new book, Selfish... Say what you want about Kim Kardashian West, but SHE is the reigning Queen of selfies! http://amzn.com/0789329204

 
 
P.S. Too much of any thing can be a dangerous thing... Remember to selfie in moderation!

March 2015--- Life is crazy busy. Who has time to read?
Great question. It's not that life is more hectic today than it was 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years ago. The element that zaps precious seconds, minutes, hours of our everyday away, is most likely nestled in the palm of your hand, this very instant. Smart phones and social media are sucking up our free time, leaving no time to read. I find myself making a mental note throughout the day to D.E.A.R--- Drop Everything And Read, for at least 15 minutes a day. It's imperative that I not allow myself to get so wrapped up in Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. It's also important that my children see me doing something which I love, immensely. That is read!
 
Reading broadens our minds, expands the horizon of our lives, strengthens our cognitive skills, challenges our imaginations beyond any television show, and so much more.
 
Try this, set your Smart Phone alarm to go off at 5:15 pm (or whatever time works best for you). Commit to stop what you're doing at this time, if you are able to, and submerse yourself in a sea of words. If you do this, you'll find that more and more each day, you're looking forward to reading the next chapter of that book and before you know it, you'll be selecting a new title, discovering a new world, reading more!


*Check out this article: 10 simple ways to make time for reading in 2015 http://mashable.com/2015/01/31/reading-tips/
 
 Vol. 1. No. 5. Social Readia. FreedomInks' FREE Online Literary Magazine. March 2015.


January 2015--- Happy New Year World! Let's do something new. Let's ditch the New Year's Resolution and instead discover one word.

One Word. 365 Days...


I  read a book a few months back that totally changed the way I intend to approach the very first day of a new year, possibly for the rest of my life
Get the book: http://amzn.com/1118809424  . The basis of the book teaches you how to discover your word. How to adopt that word and apply it to your everyday life. Vague I know. You gotta get the book! My 2014 word was 'PUSH'. And I did. I pushed not only myself but those around me. It was a push towards bettering ourselves. This year I've decided to ditch the New Year's Resolutions altogether. Besides, by the end of the month, majority of that list will become a bunch of half empty, fully broken promises. My 2015 one word? 'NOW'! Have you heard the old expression, "Why put off until tomorrow what you can do today?" Well this is my motto going into a new year. Don't just say you'll do a thing. If it is to be done, do it NOW! I'm looking forward to the steady slaying of that beast, Procrastination. I can't wait to see just how much can be accomplished in all of our lives if we attempt to stop dawdling, do away with idle time and get some momentum going... The time is indeed NOW! Happy 2015. May this be the best year yet.
~Katandra Jackson Nunnally, a.k.a Kat. CEO at FreedomInk Publishing
www.freedomink365.com/about_the_publisher

*Word of the Month-- Synopsis-- A condensed statement or outline.

Vol. 1. No. 3. Social Readia. FreedomInks' FREE Online Literary Magazine. January 2015.
 

December 2014---
Woman on Fire, One Year Later by Trinette Collier...
 
Happy Anniversary to Woman On Fire!
That's what I've been screaming since November 1st. As I sat and reflected over the course of the year, the tears were streaming down my face but these were tears of joy. I still could not believe that I was a published author! This first year indeed was hectic with promoting the book and getting accustomed to readers wanting to purchase and discuss my life. In the beginning, I was extremely nervous simply because I just shared with the world my most private event ever to take place in my life. It was scary but yet became fulfilling! I remember asking God to let my work be purposeful, transparent, truthful and NOT hinder anyone. This is still my prayer, one year later.
 
Although I've met some wonderful and exceptional authors and people, the journey has had it's moments of doubts. Being transparent with people opens hidden wombs, so, I am totally an open book... my life is an open book for many to read and share with others! I had to adjust to that. There were many months when I  had regrets of writing. I felt a heavy responsibility and did not feel worthy. God was still dealing with me in my process. However, during many nights of prayers, I began to understand the purpose of Woman On Fire and realized that it was not about me. It was about doing what God asked me to do..... I've also had to deal with not wanting to self-promote my book because of my personal feelings. I'm so humbled for this opportunity but did not want people to think I was 'different' because I was an author. Then several people had to literally point out to me that I was DIFFERENT and that I am an AUTHOR! Ha! I'm still learning to strut in this new calling. I am proud of me ;)
 
What is next for me? My plan would be to chill on the beach, sipping on hot chocolate and reading about other great authors! However, I don't know the plans that He has for me, so therefore, I'm trusting Him for future workshops on healing and relationships, another inspirational book, book tours and more! There is no limit with God and I welcome His vision for me with a heart of GRATITUDE and EXCELLENCE!
 
Happy Holidays with Love & Peace,
Trinette Collier

*Stay connected with Trinette Collier! Not only is Trinette an Author, she is a Celebration Stylist!
Trinette Collier, Celebration Stylist at California Dreaming Events, LLC
"From organization to celebrations...dreams are real"
Twitter @calidreamsevent
 
No Such Thing As Writer's Block by Katandra Jackson Nunnally...
 
If I may introduce this idea to those who sculpt the world with words, there is no such thing as Writer's Block! As a matter of fact, let's lessen the importance of the beast by making each letter of the term, lowercase... writer's block... There now. That's much better! As the CEO of FreedomInk Publishing, the term writer's block is something that I hear often. An Author will find themselves in a nice little writing groove and bam! The beast creeps out from behind the shadows and pounces. "Kat. I've got writer's block." But I won't hear nothing of it. My first response is usually something to the effect of, "You can always write. Even if the words seem irrelevant and random, it's true you know? You can always write!
 
Ever heard of a Venn Diagram or a Flow Chart?  Familiar with the look of one?
 
I tell those that give writer's block the power to halt them to try this exercise. Draw a circle in the middle of a sheet of paper. Write a thought, subject matter, it can even be a simple word. For example. If you're writing about dogs, write the word 'Dogs' in the circle. Now branch out from that circle and draw more circles. In those circles write more words. What about dogs? Breed? History? Care? From those circles branch and draw more circles. By now you should know what to do... Write more. What about the care of dogs? What about the history? Which breed(s) are you writing about. Before you know it, you're well on your way to getting unstuck.
 
In the event that psyching yourself out to believe that writer's block doesn't exist and if the circle writing just isn't your thing, then do what I do. When I feel like I've hit some writer's rut, I consider the book I'm working on to be a movie on play. Sometimes you have to press pause and walk away and return to write (or press play) another day! Happy writing!
 
~Katandra Jackson Nunnally, CEO at FreedomInk Publishing
 
*Term of the month, WIP= Work In Progress
 

Vol. 1. No. 2. Social Readia. FreedomInks' FREE Online Literary Magazine. December 2014.



November 2014---
Procrastination Is A Dream Killer by Yvette Porter Moore...

You had weeks and months to work on a project, but you wait until the last minute to start it.  You now feel the urgency to get it done.  You thought you had enough time, and you did, but you did not realistically schedule nor manage your time properly.  So you tell those that will listen to you that you procrastinated and you have a procrastination problem.  You laugh, and they laugh because they tell you that they have procrastination too, like it is a joke.  Does this sound familiar?

Recently I posted on social media, “Procrastination is a Dream Killer. What do you think?”  I got all kinds of answers but the majority of them said, “I will tell you later.”  It seemed a little frustrating trying to get a straight answer from anyone.  However, I received a post from one of my friends, “Procrastination does not kill dreams.  Only you can kill your dreams.”  My initial thought was, “She is wrong.  Procrastination does kill dreams.  She obviously doesn’t know what she is talking about.”  However, I couldn’t ignore what my friend stated.  She was right!  She took my statement about Procrastination, turned it on its head and threw it back at me.  There was no getting around it, she unleashed my excuses with her statement and I felt empowered.

WHY DO WE PROCRASTINATE?

There are many reasons why one would procrastinate.

Lack of confidence in the project.

Over confidence

Not properly planning 

Perfectionism

Fear of failure

Fear of success

This is not an exhaustive list of reasons why people procrastinate.  Some reasons are more intrinsic than others.  In any case, we all have the responsibility and power to change our bad habits and it begins by changing the way we think.  Procrastination is not something that is outside of ourselves that controls us.  We can no longer blame it on something else but ourselves.

We all have dreams and it is important that we take the necessary steps to propel ourselves to the next level and doing so without procrastinating.  We should make sure we are ready and prepared at all times because windows of opportunity don’t always open up again after that window shuts.

If we are serious about changing our ways, then here are some things we can do to slay that Beast!

Lack of confidence
When you have a dream, you may not know how to begin or what to do to make it happen.  Not knowing is not an excuse for not getting started.  It may require you to do lots of research and to network with people that are doing what you want to do.  This will help you if you have a lack of confidence in yourself when it comes to your project.  As you begin to work, you will begin to build the confidence to continue.  Speak words of confidence and push forward and get it done!
 
Over-Confidence
Over-confidence in getting a project done may be one of the number one reasons why people procrastinate.  You know you can handle the project, you decide that it will take you a few days to complete it, so you decide you will do it three days before the deadline.  The problem with this attitude is that life has a way of getting in the way of the time you have set for your project.  You know what I am saying?  You get sick, your computer crashes, your car breaks down.  These things happen, and it can cause a big upset to your plans, so I say get started early and pace yourself.  Projects don’t have to be stressful and you should never set yourself up for failure.


Not Properly Planning
It is ideal to write out a list of things you must do to complete your project and reach your goal.  By keeping a list, you can track all the steps necessary to get the project done.  In planning your project, you can put it on a time-line and decide how long each task should tape and make sure that you have extra time included in case something out of your control pops up.

Perfectionism

Perfectionism is a thought process where one believes that everything must be done perfectly. It is unrealistic to think that things can only be done perfectly.  When you think like this, there is a high propensity of not starting.  Things can be done and then improved on as you go along.  If you are writing a book, write it.  Do one chapter at a time, and don’t edit as you write.  It is important to get the words written; that is why we have drafts and then the editing can be done as you complete each chapter.


Fear of Failure/Fear of Success


You fail when you do not start.  You fail when you do not follow through on your goals to reach your dreams.  Do not allow those feelings of insecurity to overwhelm you.  Speak positive to yourself that you can do it.  Start, and just Do It! 


Some people are scared of Success.  Scared of what their friends will think.  Scared what others will say about them.  Remember that you have a gift to give to the world and with your gift, you will bless many.


So unleash your talents and free your mind from all the negative thoughts and believe in yourself.  You can do anything you put your heart and mind to do.  Be proactive in finding a new way of thinking and just do it!  Educate yourself if need be.  You can do it and will. Stop Procrastinating!


Let’s Kill That Dragon of Procrastination!!!

 

 Vol. 1. No. 1. Social Readia. FreedomInks' Online Literary Magazine. November 2014.
http://socialreadia365.blogspot.com/2014/11/vol-1-no-1-better-late-than-never.html 

 

1 comment:

  1. I know I have a problem with procrastination and it's usually because I'm unsure of my ability to finish a project or to do it well. So I wait and ponder and think about whatever it is until it's either "do or die" time.

    Great article!

    ReplyDelete