A letter to my 16 year old self #rawwrites

Dear Joey,

So you’re reading a letter from the future in your present, crazy huh. I’m sure you’ll sit a while and try and grapple with the situation before just agreeing that the notion is sweetly quirky and you’ll go for it- you just won’t tell anyone for fear of them finding out you’re a bit different! Well sweet I’m here to tell you, lots have changed and also, some not so much.

This year and next you will find some of the toughest years and you will feel like giving up plenty of times but you know that you are far stronger than your silly, frustration, ‘heat of the moment’ words and actions. Don’t forget what you have already learnt so far- you are never alone, you learn from every experience and you are a good person.

Don’t let people dictate who you are. Care less what they think and remember when they are ‘having a go’ that they are insecure in who they are and really they just need some love and support. Try and give it to them, but be prepared they mightn’t accept it or be pleasant about it, popularity and accepting help don’t go hand in hand. That’s not your fault, that’s just teenagers.

When you succeed in things celebrate them. Don’t let anyone stop you from shouting from the rooftops that you are good at something, you deserve to do that for working hard. Cherish the moments with your sister and brother because before too long you’ll be in different places missing each other and realising how important now really is. Most of all though this is what I want to say:

Boys don’t know what to do with themselves, teenager or adult, stick to your loves and the right people will come to help, hurt and love you just when you are meant to receive them. Whether they hurt you or not they are all blessings, you are going to grow from those experiences exponentially and you will learn how much you are loved in different ways, so don’t stress about it. Life will have ups and downs but it is in far better hands than you fully fathom yet. Don’t ever stop doing what you love regardless of the pay check you would receive from it, money isn’t worth anything when you’re playing with your own happiness. Go and travel as soon as you can, soak up as others’ cultures and then do it again and again.

Finally, it’s great that you have high expectations of yourself but let loose girl. Let yourself off the hook and remember life isn’t one whole big goal, something’s just go belly up and that’s ok, there’s nothing wrong with you.

Love,

Your future 27year old self

 

The Raw Writes Project #rawrites

I'm wondering, how many of you have tried to write a letter to your younger self (a project inspired by DearMe.org) ? I have written journals since I was 7 and I still have all of those journals bar a couple and I've frequently thought about that project. I've also thought about what I would say/write to my kids (when i have them) come graduation time, either at school or higher education institutes, plus the sadder things of...if I could be granted the time to write my 'wishes' for those closest to me when I left them, what would I say & I suppose more importantly..what would I leave out?

A few years ago I wrote an auto-ethnography. This is a piece of work that looks at your life from several axes. It could be cultural, religious, geographical, social or environmental. But it all boiled downed to..how are you, you. I found the experience superb. You gain so much from learning more about yourself and you can also see what underpins your writing..because as most writers will tell you, whether it is intended or not, parts of ourselves get revealed in our writing.

Anyway, thinking about my previous project (Every Day in May) and the DearMe project I decided to come up with something different. It is NOT a 30 day challenge it is a way to motivate you to write from the inside, out. It is not arduous but emotionally it could be, either way it'll be great! So please do join me! This is what I've got...

5 weeks- 5 tasks, 1 per week.

You can take as much time to complete as possible in each week. However you are only required to do one post per week. To link up with each other attach the hashtag #rawwrites & the image above. The tasks are below:

Wk 1- a letter to my 16year old self. If super keen upload to DearMe.org. While you're there check out the other letters. Super brilliant reads!

Wk 2- life's wishes; a note/s you'd leave on the kitchen bench if you knew the days left in your 'lot'

Wk 3- reader handover- if you are a blogger request a topic of your reader's choice. Keep promoting your page via link ups/guest posts if necessary to complete. Not a blogger? Ask a friend/ family member to pick a topic for you. Photograph the reader request.

Wk 4- descriptors- if you could give yourself advice on anything right now only using descriptive words what 8 words would they be? List them.

Wk 5- write the inside of a card to your 'child' (your own or sibling if childless) who is about to experience a massive event (graduation, wedding, first baby). For this task you will also design the card showcasing your creative, design side.

I hope you enjoy the project & unravel a little more of the crux that makes you a good writer/person etc.

Tips to improve writing

Hey there readers, how's your week going? First I would like to say that its so lovely to have new people coming here to read. Lately I've had a few people ask the question..how do you write and how come you enjoy it so much? So today I'm going to answer you...

When I was younger & even as a 'new' professional I always knew where to place my words and that everything made sense (unless of course I was making a brain snap or forgot to edit-rarely since I dorkily enjoy it) but never could explain why. That is until I went to a literacy course a few years ago and got to know linguistics.

Linguistics is a field of mass information but when understood helps to create beautiful writing; fabulous sentences and hence blissful texts. Although I loved poetic devices etc it was essential to know the nuts and bolts as its own subject. Enter prepositional phrases, adjectival clauses, connectives, conjunctions, present and past participles and I've already probably got some people confused. But alas, acquaint yourself with these little munchkins and you're in for a literary treat! To save mass confusion in a complex world of words here's a few tips and strategies to get your story writing better.

1. Get to know Master THEME and RHEME. Theme used to be taught as the base moral of a story- this is out (though moral/invited readings as still very much important to the teaching of reading/writing). The most important thing is that people know the theme is the beginning of the sentence up to the first noun. Why know this? Well because what you preface the sentence with indicates to the reader what/who is the most important noun and therefore what the whole sentence should revolve around. Who is master RHEME you say? He is everything AFTER the theme up to the full stop. You can layer your writing in a theme/rheme pattern to create cohesion however doing this constantly makes for a rather 'heavy' piece of text bogged down by too many words.

2. Adjectives & adverbs. Lovely little cherubs they are but how do we use them for good? The biggest thing here is not so much the use of them but the placement of them in association with the noun (adjective) or verb (adverb). Do you want to state 'he quickly ran' because you want the image to be of quick movement or do you want to say, 'he moved from the back if the room to the front quickly' ...if its the later the pace isn't really that important. Be aware though you can overload your readers with too much description that the message is lost.

3. Senses- I've said it before & I'm saying it again. When you write keeping in mind your 5 senses you will engage people who respond to texts in different ways. The example below is done while thinking about coffee (yes my addiction shines through again).
Eg: sight- the coffee was caramel in colour, it reflected my tired face and was deliciously decorated with chocolate dusting.
Taste-the coffee immediately warms my lips & the back of my throat, it has full flavour.
Smell- freshly ground coffee and chocolate granules waft up through the nose.
Touch- the coffee mug feels heavy in the hand as I lift it up for a drink. The smooth ceramic is warming my hands.
Hear- as I drink I hear my throat clunk open and close as I let the coffee into my stomach but the time the mug clinks the table again I'm ready for another sip.

Well, that is it for now...there is much more I would like to share with you what I have learnt and use regularly, however I'm not a fan of information overload & I bet you aren't either! So let me know, if these tips help you and what tips you follow when writing as well! Till next time...

Happy Writing :)

Something you won't forget...

So it's bonanza time where I dazzle you with my mass amounts of amazing writing and you hoard to AWR in seconds. Here goes...

Day 25- best compliment ever received was someone telling me that 'I'm stunning in the way that light shines out of my smile' ...I think that's because I don't know how I do it & so I sit their perplexed imagining light beams from a face & begin giggling.

Day 26- Online reads...

There's plenty that I sink my teeth into online, typically other people's blogs, fitness/health pages, but lately I've been looking at this...War Horse- the stage production. This has been read frequently because I started to fall in love with this production in the UK where I was lucky enough to be cruising around the Queen's Calvary yard when they brought in one of the horses used for the production- and as an amazing twist, that very horse is now coming to Brisbane, Australia. So I can fall in love with the incredible masterpiece of design all over again (haven't seen the production but the horses themselves are a sight to be seen).

Day 27- A letter to my readers.

Dear Readers,

I hope that you have been enjoying the journey with me but more importantly I hope you have gained a passion for literature even if for just a moment.

I hope that you continue to be inspired by the wealth of magnificent writers around and those novices, like myself, that provide you with something extra.

Reading and literature is profound in that it hits people's hearts differently and sometimes even after its read more then once, it reaches the same person differently twice.

My only wish is that one day I can influence even one person to be motivated to write; and produce work that is worthy of these emotionally tiered responses.

Your unknown Qld writing blogger pal,

Julia

Day 28- pictures say a thousand words and this day was my Dad's birthday. Whole family sick or not we made it through!

Day 29- Five songs to bring back a memory

1. Downtown by Petula Clark; Mum's favourite sing a long song when cleaning on a Saturday morning whilst growing up.

2. Walking on Sunshine- first song I performed in front of close friends who were totally sober- so it was super nerve racking.

3. Sway; the song I sang a duet with my sister with when we were kids whilst sitting in the hallway; it then prompted her first song writing session. Talented lady she is.

4. Another one bites the dust- made popular by Gladiators which was adopted for backyard fun. It was a common place song between my brother, sister and I.

5. Amazing Grace- the song that makes me cry all the time. Grace is something that when you truly experience it, softens you and makes you instantly humble.

6. You raise me up- a song to remind you you're never left alone and my life is testament to that. Also mass tear jerker.

Day 30-time to let go!

Monkey bars. To take one moment forward you have to:

TRUST
HAVE FAITH
HANG ON

When you get to the other side its exactly the same; as you do it all again.

Whether life throws you monkey bars or a colleague who chooses to be nasty to you and blames you for office stationery deficits letting go is ALL THE SAME. It requires the same courage and belief in yourself and trust that everything will be sweet. The difference? Bigger things are harder. Should letting go be harder then? No. But it is. Eg: Loss of a family member or an event that caused you particular stress. The BIGGEST most important thing that MUST be stated is that letting go is NOT weak, its NOT 'not allowed.' Its important for you- it shows strength of your character- after all, who are if you are worried about something as petty as a plastic fork you once borrowed and forgot to return. It's a fork!

And why does it matter that your husband forgot to put the toilet seat down? Wouldn't you rather put it back down for 40 years than live with a miserable yet OCD cleaning man? I would! PS ladies, that's not a trick question.

The third part I want to talk about is crying. Crying is OK! Let the 'boohoo' out. It's good for you. It'll make you feel sane and by letting yourself do it (even braver if you let someone in to witness it) you will feel a million bucks. We were designed to have tear ducts for a purpose, so people...let yourself go!

Day 31- a vivid memory

So many to choose from that are epic but I choose this one...walking away from my family knowing I was choosing to live in London. I was so sad yet it was such a joyful time. Life really needed a turning point and walking away (not from family) but many things that I was previously unhappy with and beginning a new chapter...fabulous! Even better that I was doing it on my own!

Day 24 #everdayinmay

Today's topic- Your top 3 worst traits. Well if you ask me its not something you go ahead rating but if I had to, these would be mine:

1. Overthinker
2. Determined
3. Stubborn

Whilst these are 'worst' traits I think most people find with any trait they can prove to be positive in different situations.

Yes I overthink sometimes, but then sometimes I completely lack common sense- so I guess it really balances itself out right? And whilst I'm determined to the point of #3 stubbornness at times, I wouldn't be as successful at some things without those things so worst traits or not in part they are probably still my best!

The lessons your education won't give you..

 

Nelson Mandela is a dude who knows his stuff. Education has the ability to do so many wonderful things but our minds have the ability to do more.

 

Let me explain:

 

Anything is fantastic if we allow it to be. Sounds simple right? Well Education has the ability to profoundly effect children, give them belief in themselves beyond measure but it also has the ability to tear them down, build walls instead of pathways and hearts of cement instead of plasticine.

 

You see Education isn't just in the classroom and in fact education just about what happens in the classroom, fails at being true education. We've all heard the saying 'you never stop learning'. It is true, but you have to allow yourself to learn.

 

So here's my 3 tips that a formal education, like school, can't teach you:
 

1. When an event happens whereby you, your family or people around you are hurt you have a choice to learn from it or let it destroy you. Sounds dramatic- but by being ignorant we dig our own holes that only we are responsible for.
 

2. Learning about yourself isn't always an easy task, sometimes its painful and sometimes it takes painful things to know who you are but you have to accept ALL of you and FORGIVE yourself otherwise you won't ever get to experience those great joys we are all worthy of.
 

3. People will not always understand what you do or why you do it, but they don't need to as long as you have reasons and motives that are wholesome.

4. Do what you love. Money DOESN'T make the world go around and doing a love you don't enjoy will make you go crazy. But also realise sometimes you might be on the right continent in the wrong location for you to really flourish in your job. If you are not loving life as much think why? Is it the same reason and can you seriously do nothing about it other than to leave where you are? Then leave that 'space' nothing could be more liberating and EVERYTHING about you will be better for it.

5. People will learn what they want to. Sometimes leaving them to get their act together is the best thing you can do, it doesn't mean that you don't love or care about them, it just means you recognise there is nothing more you can do to help. Save your energy.

6. People may appear to be marvellous, don't rush into giving them all you've got, while its great to have faith, sadly there are some who are hoping you have just that and are waiting to use your great personality against you.

7. Be silly, help others & laugh till you get wrinkly- people only regret lines that weren't caused by joy. Unless their vain.

8. The kids that bully your child in class need help. It might be easy to blame them for being the jackass that caused your child pain, but guaranteed they are probably suffering from low self esteem. Beat the issue by offering GENUINE help. You'll be surprised of the reaction.

Day 20, 21, 22 Every Day in May- Politics goes head to head with respect &...read for more

So Monday and Wednesday of the Every Day in May challenge leaves me with 2 topics:

• My pet peeve (disrespect)
• Something I'm struggling with (politics)

And..Tuesday well yesterday was all about linking up to my best blog posts. I'm not going to decide for you what your favourites are, that's the beauty of being a reader- you get to decide what you like and spend time enjoying that. So I'll leave you at your leisure with that one.

In the meantime let's knock two days over in one. As you can see from the dot points above my peeve and struggle really go hand in hand. After all how regularly do you see a politician NOT CHOOSING to be disrespectful to the other all for the sake of a vote? We could banter back and forward for weeks (Courier Mail's facebook knows it!) but we all know that our politicians aren't different to each other, they are playing the same tactics hoping for the same gain and wondering why they aren't getting an effect.

But let's talk more about that peeve. DISRESPECT. To be disrespectful to somebody else means that you value yourself over them and that you are fully prepared to be treated with disrespect for the lack of integrity and propriety you showcased. We are all human we have all been disrespectful, whether in a huff over our other pet peeves or simply because we're having an off day, but it doesn't make it right and we should fix it! What is worse is when we do this...

Choose to never say anything about anyone or anything because we fear we will offend someone. That is politics gone MAD. Must be politically correct, mustn't offend anyone...ok but when will anyone actually ever say ANYTHING? The election for the past few years is testament to this, and in several countries I'm sure, our politicians spend more time teaching youth to be disrespectful then building them up in the very characteristics we want the future leaders of Australia to have. We PAY for politicians to CHOOSE to be DISRESPECTFUL. Moral ground it doesn't exist. We can see that across and inside of individual parties. The question that begs for me the most is this...

WHEN WILL EGO BE MOVED ASIDE FOR THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY? WHEN WE BOTH SIDES MAKE GOOD CHOICES BECAUSE ITS GOOD FOR AUSTRALIA?
Here I'm going to choose to write about a reform that has far reaching effects; since education is a foundation block for lifelong success.

Currently some pollies are signing up for Gonski and others are not, it is there prerogative but let's not be utterly senseless about this; we all know regardless of State that every teacher is going to be driven to madness with DATA & TESTING up to their eyeballs for the sake of Governmental demand not because it makes Education better...because it doesn't. 10 year old children are making mockeries of the 'Costello's' of the political world by everyday comments of 'well we know how to do a test, not another one, really why do we need to, why did we do that test if we don't get to know what we did wrong and could improve on? Or, why are we doing the test just to see if schools are the same? Seems pointless'. Children are not stupid, they are underestimated constantly.

There is not enough funding in schools, who gives a flying yo yo who gets funding in schools as long as it is done- then we don't need to keep hearing about teachers who have 12 year olds who cannot read above the age of a 5 year old because funding has been CUT by various Governments. The public is EXHAUSTED of the blame game, we don't want to hear who is responsible we want to know who is going to FIX IT, so quit the disrespect and do your job WE PAY YOU TO DO.

If one politician actually did this Australians would feel like they have a choice when it comes to election time, but right now there's no difference between our options no matter what way you look at it. Quit the disrespect, do your job and agree on stuff because its the right thing to do, not because its the popular thing to do..and for goodness sakes, if your so selfish you cannot, why do you want to be a part of running our country?