Archives for August 2018

What Was Your Greatest Gift? Journal, Write, Remember & Invite Your Next Fresh Start

August 27, 2018 by jjscreativelifemidwife

Writing Prompt: I remember when I received the gift of…..

This week in our #5for5BrainDump writing experience, we are exploring fresh starts and new beginnings.

I was surprised when I myself felt blocked by the topic, even though I did oodles of research on a variety of approaches, I found myself stuck, stuck, stuck and then I thought….

Remember how it is when we receive incredible gifts and we are so thrilled and that wobbly, awkward discomfort is still there yet we often choose differently because of the excitement, because of the thrill – like I did when I got the gift of a guitar in 7th grade or the gift of my children or the gift of an afternoon off or at times the gift of a drink of water from a stranger when walking in the desert.

Today we’re telling the stories of gifts, received.

Tell us a memory of receiving a gift. Later on today, write about this memory for five minutes for deeper insights – start with a comment here plus let me know if you would appreciate me building in a 5 minute writing session on a separate video.

Please be sure you are following the JJS Writing Camp page on Facebook – we will go live there at 4 pm Pacific Daylight Time

Exclusive content may be found in our facebook community. Please join us! You are most welcome in our Word Love Writing Community Facebook group

There is more writing fun to come through optional fun activities like a livestreaming “train” or “Word-Love Party Bus Ride” FB Live Word-Love Party Bus Extravaganza on Tuesday evening and on Periscope (we have one planned on Wednesday) .

There will be more about this after tomorrow’s first #5for5BrainDump session.

I am thrilled to take this adventure in JOURNEYING with you!
With Passionate Gratitude and oodles of love,
Julie Jordan Scott

Daily Making Diaries: Four Months Until Katherine’s Birthday & Christmas!

August 25, 2018 by jjscreativelifemidwife

This post was written #5for5BrainDump style which means – it was written using stream of consciousness writing for 5 minutes. No editing or forethought of content. Images were added later. #5for5BrainDump writing is meant to be an exploration of personal growths and a mini a-ha incubator… a collector of insights and awarenesses written on purpose… for no purpose.

It was a divine call today, I hadn’t even thought of stopping at the park on my drive home. I thought I would stop at a parking garage and take some panorama shots of metro Bakersfield. It was an ugly-sky-morning and I thought that was what I was meant to capture.

I am focusing on daily making, a practice of daily creativity because I know in doing this – a determined crafting of something – it will positively impact my entrepreneurship. It activates different parts of my mind that have been lying, dormant, waiting for me to shake myself back into life.

I decided I would purposefully capture images not at my ultimate destination of the moment, instead to capture scenery along the way. Interesting how yesterday’s imagery informed today’s choices.

I felt led to a park instead of a parking garage.

I did a fair share of stretching and bending and posing which felt almost yogic which felt great and was a response to my slight whining while I was getting ready for bed, “I need to stretch my hips more, this is ridiculous” and even though this morning I didn’t have “stretch your hips” on the list, there I was, stretching my hips as I squatted to get this, and other photos, so that I might tell the story the imagery was calling me to tell.

Even writing this feels awfully intimate and not entirely safe.

Two seconds and my five minute writing session will be over.

The bells ring. I’m awake. I’ve been uncomfortable enough and thrilled enough this morning.

7 Simple Steps to Set Yourself Up For Journaling & Writing Success

August 21, 2018 by jjscreativelifemidwife

Writing success is so much simpler than people believe AND that doesn’t necessarily make it easy.

Simplicity definitely does make it do-able.

The first simple step to take is to set yourself up to write.

This is as simple as preparing a place to write. Just like we set the table before we eat a meal or set up a shot before we make a video or take a photo, we may also set up for writing.One of the suggestions I make to those who are almost always “going to write today” and then don’t is to literally put out all the writing tools they need, take some other unrelated action, and then plop down in the chair and write.

How it looks in seven easy steps goes like this:

Place your notebook (or journal or writing paper), your pen or pencil (or tablet or phone).
Set a water bottle beside your writing tools.
If you like to write with music, preset the music you like.
Whatever it is you prefer to have for your writing experience, literally put it all in one spot.
Write a prompt across the top of the page or document. (There are many right on this page. Pull one down and use it, choose several to give you variety if that helps you get your energy flowing.
You might write a question such as “What is the best focus on my social media this week?” or “What are some sample headlines I might use for blog posts this week?” or “How may I be a heroine for my clients, customers and readers this week?”
Then do the opposite of writing: take 15 minutes (or your preferred allotment of time) to cook, to walk, to do a yoga sequence, a photo taking session, a drive, a shower – whatever it is that you enjoy doing to clear your mind and get into your body, to become more alert and then without any hesitation, sit in the chair and write.

You may want to light a candle or speak your intention aloud. I like to have my essential oils diffusing, so that’s an example of an extra item I use.

It is that simple.

You may follow along this week as we continue to learn tips, hacks and share stories on my livestreams (Periscope, Facebook Live, Instagram Live) this week as well as on IG-TV, Instastories, and YouTube. If you feel compelled to create content from what we’re sharing here, please tag me so I may support you and share what you’re up to with others.

Let’s have a more successful writing week than we ever imagined.

What’s the first writing project you will set free this week?

Our 5for5BrainDump 5 Day Writing Adventure is coming up next week – it is free for you to make your journaling and writing better at any time! To join us live, please take a moment to register here – and in thanks, you may download our free Strategic Journaling Guide for your future success with writing and with life, overall as well.