Posts by Joy Held

Thursday Thought: Stretch, Breathe, Write! by Lucie Simone

Posted on by Joy Held

Thursday Thought: Guest Post From LUCIE SIMONE

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

Thursday Thought: Stretch, Breathe, Write!

By Lucie Simone

If you’re a writer, you’re probably juggling a lot of responsibilities, and maybe even a day job, while managing to squeeze in a few hundred words in stolen moments. It can be a little overwhelming when you’re trying to bang out a first draft and keep up with your daily routine. And I know the last thing you want to do is add yet another activity to your regimen. But if you give yourself just a few minutes each day to relax and recharge, you might find that getting through the rest of your chores is a breeze. The next time you find yourself pushed beyond your limits, stop, sit, stretch and breathe. And within a matter of minutes you’ll be feeling brand new.

Here are a few simple stretches you can perform sitting right at your desk that will promote calm and clarity:

 

  • Sitting tall on the edge of your seat, take a deep inhale as you reach your arms overhead, spread your fingers wide and stretch through your fingertips. Exhale and lower your arms to your sides. Repeat five times.

 

  • Sitting tall on the edge of your seat, clasp the back of your chair with your hands and inhale deeply as you lift your chest, stretching your biceps and your pecs. Continue breathing deeply for five breaths.

 

  • Sitting tall on the edge of your seat, plant both feet firmly into the ground, place your right hand on your right hip, inhale and reach your left arm toward the sky. As you exhale, bend to your right, allowing for a nice stretch of your side ribs. Hold this position and breathe deeply for five breaths. Repeat on the other side.

 

  • Sitting tall on the edge of your seat, plant your left foot firmly into the ground and straighten your right leg, keeping the foot flexed. Place your hands on your hips and take a deep inhale. Exhale and fold forward, keeping your back straight and your chest lifted, allowing for a deep stretch of the back of the legs. Hold this position for five deep breaths. Repeat on the other side.

 

  • Sitting tall on the edge of your seat, cross your right ankle over your left thigh, just above the knee (not on the knee), flexing the foot. Take a deep inhale, and as you exhale, lean forward over your legs, hinging at the hips. Hold this position for five deep breaths. Repeat on the other side.

 

  • To finish, sit tall at the back of your seat with your feet planted firmly on the ground. Rest your hands on your thighs, palms facing up. Take five deep breaths as you close your eyes and allow the mind to open.

After just this short practice, you may feel a sense of inner peace and calm come over you. You may also have more energy and more clarity to get you through the rest of your day, maybe even get some great writing done!

Lucie Simone is both a yoga teacher and an author and has merged her two passions into her Yoga for Writers workshop. This class will be featured at the East Valley Authors Writers Retreat in Monrovia, CA August 14th and at the Emerald City Writers Conference in Seattle, WA October 29th. For more information, please visit her website at www.luciesimone.com.

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Happy Note: Book signing and hatha yoga demonstration Saturday, June 25 at Borders in Vienna, WV, 2-4 p.m. Will I see you there? Bring your yoga mat!

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

Have you subscribed to this Writer Wellness blog yet? Get email updates when a new post is added. Click “subscribe” and leave your email. That’s it and thanks in advance!

Be well, write well.

Wednesday Workout: The Consequences of Exercise

Posted on by Joy Held

Wednesday Workout: The Consequences of Exercise

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

Lots of people look at exercise as punishment for eating. That’s too bad because the brain can be overwhelmed by the message of payback for the triple cheeseburger and might not recognize the good side effects of the workout. If we regularly view physical activity as retribution for taking in nutrition, then our workouts and mental attitudes about them suffer. Eating and exercise should go hand-in-hand, but we taint the value of the workout by thinking about it negatively before taking the first step on the treadmill.

One of the many benefits to anyone who exercises is a positive outlook on life. After an exercise session the body is pumping all kinds of good stuff around and around inside like blood and oxygen helping revive and cleanse internal organs. The brain is super happy because it’s churning out endorphins and spilling them into the bloodstream contributing in part to the good feeling also known as “the runner’s high.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endorphin

As an extra bonus, the brain literally grows new cells as the result of a good, heart-pumping cardio session because exercise breeds brain derived-neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which, according to Dr. John Ratey in his book SPARK: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, is like “Miracle-Gro for the brain”. http://johnratey.com/newsite/index.html

Happiness, improved muscle tone, weight loss, and cardiovascular support. Why look at exercise as the demon and not the darling? Regular physical exercise isn’t a penalty, it’s a privilege, and the consequences of exercise far outweigh the side effects of avoiding it. But it’s important to go into a workout with a positive mental attitude. The negativity associated with regular exercise could easily negate the benefits.

Keeping a fitness journal for a short while might help when we see the positive results written down. Note these things for a few days or weeks then review the notes. Think about the positive results while tying on the walking shoes and add extra benefits to those workouts.

Date

Feelings/thoughts BEFORE working out

Describe the workout (i.e., twenty-minute walk in the park)

Note anything interesting that happened during the workout

Feelings/thoughts AFTER working out

Do you just dread working out? Why?

Happy Note: Book signing and hatha yoga demonstration Saturday, June 25 at Borders in Vienna, WV, 2-4 p.m. Will I see you there? Bring your yoga mat!

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

Have you subscribed to this Writer Wellness blog yet? Get email updates when a new post is added. Click “subscribe” and leave your email. That’s it and thanks in advance!

Be well, write well.

Tuesday Tickle: The Consequences of Creativity

Posted on by Joy Held

Tuesday Tickle: The Consequences of Creativity

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

This word “consequences” has mistakenly gotten a bad reputation in my opinion. Lots of people equate it with punishment for an action. That’s one way to look at it. Another way is to appreciate that for every action there is a reaction. What a scientific thing to say about something as karmic as consequences.

Being creative has its consequences. The degree of reaction to one’s creativity is directly related to our perspective, how we view things. Is everything black and white, a rainbow of color, or some shade of gray in the middle? Every view is creative to a certain point, some more creative than others.

The Either/Or Creative Soul: For example, some person’s degree of creativity is to see everything as either/or. It’s black or it’s white.  Is that a rigid viewpoint or a distinct one? Perhaps it’s just clean-cut and easy to classify. There are less containers to worry about and less brushes to clean up after an artistic episode. It’s a simple yet creative in a basic sort of way to live. Caution: with so little variety in this form of creativity boredom is a real danger.

The Rainbow Creative Wacko: Another type of creative personality sees a rainbow of colors and possibilities regardless of the situation. Maybe a bit Polly-anish for some of us, a tad too optimistic, but this persona fills a need in the circle of creativity. Without this person, the rest of us might never see the options. There’s always another way, and the rainbow creative does not recognize boundaries ever. Caution: fatigue easily sets in to this personality because the answers to questions are endless. Whew.

The Delicious Middle Ground Artist: Then there is the middle creative personality who keeps the rest of us in check, holds us together like the yummy center of an ice cream sandwich. But on hot days, middle-of-the-road-creatives melt down pretty quickly because they are never really sure about anything. Caution: this might be a depressing place to be over and over, day after day. Buy some rose colored glasses for a change of pace.

Do you recognize your creative personality in one of the above? Take heart, we can be them all anytime we want.

Happy Note: Book signing and hatha yoga demonstration Saturday, June 25 at Borders in Vienna, WV, 2-4 p.m. Will I see you there? Bring your yoga mat!

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayerhttp://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb 

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

Have you subscribed to this Writer Wellness blog yet? Get email updates when a new post is added. Click “subscribe” and leave your email. That’s it and thanks in advance!

Be well, write well.

Monday Meditation: The Consequences of Meditation

Posted on by Joy Held

Monday Meditation: The Consequences of Meditation

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

Things change. Whether we want them to or not, everything changes. To bring this to the attention of myself and my students, I close every yoga class with these words:

“With every breath we grow. With every breath we change. Every breath is precious. Until your journey brings you back to me, remember to breathe. Namaste.”

It’s my way of saying, “Change is a natural part of our existence. Fighting change causes stress. Embrace the concept of change and you will know less stress.” But how do we “embrace” change? I don’t have a practical answer, but I do have qualified experience because I practice yoga and meditation regularly. One of the consequences of regular meditation practice is the ability to readily embrace change and not be as stressed about it. The more you practice watching things come and go during meditation, the easier it is to watch things come and go in life. We may not wish to see things come and go, but it happens. One of the consequences of meditation is less stress because we understand that everything comes and goes, and it isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

One of my favorite descriptions of the sensations of living as the result of meditation and yoga comes from yogi Mukunda Stiles in his book “Structural Yoga Therapy.”

Symptoms of Inner Peace

1. A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than from fear

2. An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment

3. Loss of interest in judging others

4. Loss of interest in judging yourself

There are other symptoms or consequences of meditation listed by Stiles. Just as everyday is a beginning, so is every meditation practice. It’s a place to start learning to watch things come and go without fear or stress.

Have you noticed any consequences as a result of your meditation practice?

Happy Note: Book signing and hatha yoga demonstration Saturday, June 25 at Borders in Vienna, WV, 2-4 p.m. Will I see you there? Bring your yoga mat!

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc. 

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

Have you subscribed to this Writer Wellness blog yet? Get email updates when a new post is added. Click “subscribe” and leave your email. That’s it and thanks in advance!

Be well, write well.

Time To Leave Your Comments!

Posted on by Joy Held

Arrived Friday afternoon. Four hours of car does awful things to my mood, energy, etc., but the hotel has a dynamite fitness room. I checked in and changed clothes to my workout duds. The recumbent bike and some Sun Salutations saved the day and the evening was great.

There are scads of bookmarks and other goodies that I’m collecting for the prize drawing. All you have to do is leave a comment once this weekend and you’re entered.

Book sale and signing in a few. Have to run.

Be well, write well.

Joy

Lori Foster’s Reader & Author Get Together

Posted on by Joy Held

I’m excited to be going to Lori Foster’s Reader & Author Get Together in Cincinnati, OH this weekend to meet readers, editors, and other authors. Will you be there?

http://www.lorifoster.com/community/readergettogether.php

I’ll be posting updates here over the weekend. Check in and find out how things go. And I’m holding a contest for those of you who can’t make the weekend with me! Leave a comment on at least one of this weekend’s blogs and you’ll be entered in a prize drawing for a Writer Wellness goodie bag. Can’t wait to hear from you! (US residents only.)

Be well, write well.

Friday Feast: Egg Salad and Blog Mash-up

Posted on by Joy Held

 

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

I promised this egg salad recipe to a good friend who shared a recipe with me last FF for guacamole.

“Joy’s Egg Salad Delight”

 6 hard boiled eggs, peeled, mashed

3 Tablespoons light mayonnaise or canola mayonnaise

1 stalk celery finely chopped

¼ red onion finely chopped

2 Tablespoons red pepper relish (found in the pickle aisle at the grocery)

1 Tablespoon fresh dill chopped (1/2 tsp. if using dry)

Salt & pepper to taste

Mix everything together, cover in an air tight container and cool immediately. Because of the mayo this can’t be left out for long periods of time. Serve on toast with a piece of crisp romaine lettuce.

Friday Blog Mash-up

Here are the great blogs I’ve visited this past week. Check them out.

http://www.eatmovewrite.com/ Interesting blog about the trials and tribulations of a freelance writer.

http://www.creatingkeepsakesblog.com/index.php?s=art+journaling Nifty site with some good basics about art journaling.

http://www.onewomanswrite.blogspot.com/ Linda Rettstatt’s excellent blog about life as an author.

Do you have a recipe to share with Friday Feast?

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

Have you subscribed to this Writer Wellness blog yet? Get email updates when a new post is added. Click “subscribe” and leave your email. That’s it and thanks in advance!

Be well, write well.

Thursday Thought: Journal As Memory Maker

Posted on by Joy Held

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

A journal is a “home away from home” for our thoughts. Thoughts run the gamut from accomplishments to worries, and our journals are bound to catch all sorts of our ideas eventually. There are no rules for what should and shouldn’t be kept in a journal. That’s up to the keeper. Here are some ways a journal is helpful to just about everyone.

1.Place to keep track of life events. Just jotting down what happened on a particular day and what the weather was helps us review our lives whenever we take moments to go back through and reread entries. We feel a sense of accomplishment and self-satisfaction which contributes to our overall feeling of positive self-worth.

2.Goals and wishes vault. The journal is a fantastic place to write down dreams and future plans. Write it down, make it happen really works because when we see our wants in writing it gives us a fresh perspective on their value and importance. Dream lists in a journal keep us focused and this refreshes our energy because we have something to work toward. Focusing on goals keeps depression at bay.

3.Creative projects tracker. Writers and artists often have a journal per book or art project which serves as a place to dialogue and document the work. Outlines, lists, resources, and comments are really important to the final result. They serve as a sounding board and a file for information and compliment the end product nicely. Many popular writers keep project diaries and publish them years later as “the making of” books to keep their works popular and interesting. This practice allows the safety and freedom an artist needs to make the inevitable mistakes that happen along the way to a creative endeavor.

Journals have a way of taking on a life of their own in a very short time. They are friends, confidents, and idea generators in many ways. In what way does your journal support your life and work?

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

Have you subscribed to this Writer Wellness blog yet? Get email updates when a new post is added. Click “subscribe” and leave your email. That’s it and thanks in advance!

Be well, write well.

Wednesday Workout: Rembering to Exercise

Posted on by Joy Held

 

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

Yes, there are days so packed with whatever we can actually forget to exercise. Here are some tips for working exercise into your schedule so a day never goes by and, “D@^n, I didn’t exercise!”

1.Mini-exercise breaks: there are “teachable moments” in school and there are “exercise breaks” in your day. Right this minute, take a deep breath in and out five times in a row while raising your arms overhead as you inhale and lowering them as you exhale. I’ll wait…

That was an “exercise break” and it probably took only one minute. Do that ten times a day at your desk and you have accomplished ten minutes of exercise. Change up the movement daily. Tomorrow stand up and march in place or do knee lifts for a minute ten times during the day.

2.Actually find ten minutes when you can leave the desk or situation and take a walk. Getting outdoors for those ten minutes increases the benefits in many ways. Two ten minute walks a day is twenty minutes of exercise. Please don’t talk on the phone while walking.

3.Keep a stress ball on your desk and in the car. While the Internet is doing its typical spoiled brat routine or you’re sitting at a stop light, squeeze the stress ball ten times in each hand as many times as you can. Make a quick mark on your desk pad of how many squeezes you have (wait, that didn’t sound good,) of how many repetitions you’ve done. Repeat until you have 100 squishes recorded for the day. Carpal tunnel folks squeeze the ball slowly and try it palms up and palms down to see what works best for you.

Combine all these ideas on days when the schedule is really packed and at the end of the day you can successfully check off your workout for the day.

How do you squeeze in exercise on the really busy days?

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

Have you subscribed to this Writer Wellness blog yet? Get email updates when a new post is added. Click “subscribe” and leave your email. That’s it and thanks in advance!

Be well, write well.

Tuesday Tickle: Memories as Writing Gifts

Posted on by Joy Held

One of the most memorable gifts my husband has ever given me was a packet of letters. We were going to be apart for three weeks, which is a really long time for us. I won’t go into the mushy details, but neither of us looked forward to the lengthy separation. On the day I boarded the plane, he handed me a stack of large white envelopes with a rubber band around them. On the front of each envelope he had written “Day 1”, “Day 2”, and so on.

“What’s this?” I asked.

“It’s something we did in the Navy when we were gone for long periods of time,” he said. “Wait till you get there to open the first one.”

I couldn’t stand the suspense, but I waited and it was worth the wait. He had written a brief letter to me for everyday we were to be apart. Every morning I would open another envelope and read a story, a poem, a wish, a memory, a joke, or plans for something we wanted to do when I returned home. It was absolutely the most romantic thing ever. I loved it and returned the favor the next time our schedules pulled us apart for several days.

Letters are a foreign language to some people in this age of emails and social networking. Technology pales, however, to the warmth and power of words prepared just for a special recipient. The letters from my husband were funny, charming, sexy, and interesting. And when I sat down to create a packet for him to take on a trip, the challenge was bigger than I expected. It required me to think forward and backward at the same time. I wanted my letters to be meaningful and interesting, and I wanted them to be something he could enjoy on his trip.

People love getting letters. Is there someone in your life who is taking a trip in the near future? Want to tell them they are loved? Prepare a packet of letters in advance of the trip. The letters don’t have to be lengthy, just meaningful in some personal way that you share with the receiver. Here are some ideas:

*Write a quote a day at the top of each letter.

*If you have plans while the person is away, tell them in the letter for that day. “Today I’m scheduled to see the dentist. I hope he has purple toothbrushes this time!”

*Copy poems about travelers or journeys

*Draw pictures or include photographs

*Send jokes

*Remind them to visit your blog on a certain date and include a note to them in your blog post

*Include any special dates they should remember while they are gone like birthdays and anniversaries

*Tell them how much you are looking forward to their return

This is an example of a writing gift that makes an incredible memory for friends and couples. Have you ever done this before? Any similar ideas that you’ve experienced with writing gifts?

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

Have you subscribed to this Writer Wellness blog yet? Get email updates when a new post is added. Click “subscribe” and leave your email. That’s it and thanks in advance!

Be well, write well.