Photography, Movement | Mary’s March Prompt

Movement: March Prompt

March Six Word Photo Story Challenge: “Movement”

Keep moving — swing, jump, and play!

When I don’t get a chance to hang upside-down on the monkey bars, one of my go-to exercises when I need to get my blood rushing — is jumping jacks. They’re simple, require no equipment or cash, can be done anywhere, and perk up my entire body!

I aim to do 100 jumping jacks daily, along with 100 squats and 25 push-ups. This trio of exercises and walking at least 10,000 steps is the minimum of what I try to achieve daily. Accountability was key to my success when I started my fitness journey four years ago.

I loathed exercising before but once I established a routine and noticed progress in my journey, I gained confidence and now — exercise is a FUN activity, rather than a chore.

This month, I’m challenging anyone who would like to participate in the Jumping Jacks Movement Challenge:

Do at least 100 jumping jacks per day for the month of March!

If you can do more than 100, please do. If you can only do 25, please still join me!

Once you’ve done your jumping jacks for the day or the week, please leave a comment on this story, “Jumping jacks done!” This will boost your accountability. I’ll do my best to respond to your comments and encourage you to keep moving. Are you up for the challenge?

If you don’t want to participate in the “Jumping Jacks Movement Challenge,” don’t worry — you can still participate in the “Movement” Challenge! Full details are below. Consider the Jumping Jack Movement Challenge a “side challenge.”

The March Challenge is “Movement” brought to you by me, Mary Chang

The concept is to take a photo that somehow captures the meaning of “Movement” in some way, whether abstract or concrete, figurative or literal, physical or mental. The possibilities are endless — we’re looking for submissions with different perspectives, unusual stories, and high-quality photographs.

When I first thought of this challenge, I envisioned inviting readers to send me shots of them doing their favorite exercises and embark on a challenge where we challenged other readers to participate in doing that particular exercise as long as the exercise is “doable,” doesn’t require special equipment or involve any cost. The intention was to pull in readers and writers to either stay or become active by “moving our bodies!”

Not everyone may be on the same page as me regarding this definition of “Movement” and may not want to participate in the jumping jack challenge with me. No worries if you’re not, as below are the many other ways to respond to the “Movement” challenge.

Please read about the Definition, Purpose & Rules of the “insert name of challenge” Challenge below.

Possible Definitions of How to Use “Movement” in Your Six Word Photo Story

There are countless ways to find movement in our lives. Movement can bring joy, light up your brain, or satisfy or change you somehow.

1. “Movement” can refer to something physical. It could be one of the fitness or sports activities you are passionate about, loved as a kid, or is on your bucket list. I see photos of ice skates, ski mountains, swimming holes, and weathered hiking boots tracking through forests. I see dumbbells at the gym, trampolines, and monkey bars. Perhaps you’re trying to incorporate movement into a part of your regular day and are doing a 30-day exercise challenge.
2. “Movement” can refer to something emotional, mental, or spiritual. Maybe you received something that moved you to tears or challenged you to make a movement to initiate a shift in your life. Movement could be something that moves you spiritually, or perhaps you participated in a movement that you were passionate about.
3. “Movement” can refer to something material. Maybe it’s a Ferris wheel, roller coaster, playground swing, mode of transportation, type of recreation, or activity. Maybe it’s blowing bubbles or a pinwheel.
4. “Movement” can refer to something in nature, the universe, or the life cycle. Maybe it’s watching the sun set or rise, the snowfall, rain, or a thunderstorm. It could be the rippling across a pregnant woman’s belly when the baby kicks, a dog’s wagging tail, or a horse’s gallop. Maybe it’s the risky movement you made as a human being to take you out of your comfort zone.
5. “Movement” is YOU and your perspective. It’s something that represents the meaning of “Movement” in some way or form, from your individual viewpoint — that connects to your photo and story.

What’s your “Movement!” story?

The Purpose of “Movement”

1. The “Movement” Challenge is an intuitive self-challenge to explore what makes you move OR moves you — maybe it’s internal or external or both.
2. The “Movement” Challenge is an investigative challenge to observe and figure out what things in your life can capture the “meaning of movement” through photography, contemplation, and six words.
3. The “Movement” Challenge is designed for YOU and your perspective.

Can you take a photo representing “Movement” and tell a story about it in six words?

“Movement” Challenge Rules

Guidelines, Formatting & How to Submit

Note: These apply to ALL stories in this publication. I know it may seem like a lot, but once you’ve submitted your first story to our pub, it’s easy to duplicate the formatting style!

Note: This challenge will run from March 1 until NOON, Pacific Standard Time, March 31, 2023.

The Photo

1. The photo must be taken by yourself (ORIGINAL & UNPUBLISHED elsewhere), and please include a photo credit.
2. Only ONE PHOTO can be featured in your story, and it must be placed ABOVE the title and subtitle. Your photo must be the first thing our editors see when we review your submission.
3. The only person that can be featured in the photo is YOURSELF. If you’re in the photo, it can be taken by someone else (please include the photo credit.) Photos of people other than yourself are NOT ALLOWED. See this article for legal reasons why.

The Title, Subtitle & Tags

1. Title: Choose your own title.
2. For your subtitle: Please use March Six Word Photo Story Challenge: “Movement” (like the subtitle used in this article.) Once you have written your subtitle, remember to highlight it and click on the small “T” to format it correctly.
3. Please Tag your story using this tag: Monthly Challenge

The Six Word Photo Story

1. The photo must be connected to your story and concept of “Movement” in some way. The connection to “Movement” should be made clear either in the photo, six word story, or (optional) backstory.
2. All six word stories and optional backstories must abide by Medium’s rules. Note: Any stories that the editors may view as disrespectful or inappropriate, or that fall into a grey area will be reviewed at the discretion of the editors and may be rejected.
3. The story must be six words only. Once you write your six word story, highlight it and click on the small “T” to format the six words. This is so your six words stand out; it’s a formatting guideline unique to this publication.
4. The 3 dots (like in this story) should appear directly below your six word story. View the formatting guidelines if you don’t know how to do this.

The Backstory (OPTIONAL) & 2-Minute Maximum Read Per Story!

1. IF you include a backstory, it can be 1–2 minutes.
2. The 3 dots (like in this story) should appear directly below your backstory.
3. The entire reading time of your story must be no longer than 2 minutes! This includes the photo, six word story, any tags, links, or promotion of yourself or other stories. It will be unread and rejected if your submission comes in as a 3-minute read or more.

How to Submit Your Story

1. Submit unpublished drafts only. Previously published stories (self-published or published elsewhere) will be unread and rejected.
2. To submit your unpublished draft: a) Click on the three dots at the top right corner of the screen b) Click “Add to publication” c) select “Six Word Photo Story Challenge” d) Click on “Select and continue.” e) Click “Submit.”
3. WHAT NOT TO DO! When submitting your unpublished draft, DO NOT CLICK “Publish” first. If you click “Publish” first — your story will be automatically self-published to your own profile page, and we will NOT accept it if you then attempt to submit your self-published story to our publication.

“Movement” is open for submissions from March 1 until NOON, March 31, 2023, PACIFIC STANDARD TIME.

If you have any questions about the rules or need further clarification about the Monthly Challenge, please leave a comment on this story. For formatting step-by-step instructions (these are unique to this publication), see Formatting Your Six Word Photo Story.

NOTE: Stories not formatted correctly, don’t follow rules, or that require edits will delay publication or may not be accepted. Formatting guidelines are unique to this publication. If you’d like to be added as a writer and submit to Six Word Photo Story Challenge publication, please read and follow the submission guidelines.

Freestyle stories

You also can write a six-word photo story featuring a photo and topic of your choosing — as long as the photo and story are connected in some way. The story doesn’t need to be related to the monthly challenge prompt. For your subtitle: Please use your own subtitle followed by the word: Freestyle, OR use Six Word Photo Story: Freestyle. Please tag your story using this tag: Freestyle.

Submissions are always open for Freestyle stories.

— Village hugs, from the editorial team, Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles, Sandi Parsons, and Mary Chang Story Writer — creator & editor of SWPSC. If you don’t want to miss any future Six Word Photo Story Challenges, please follow this publication and subscribe to our stories by hitting the “green envelope” button next to our profiles.

About the Writer

Mary Chang is the editor of the Six Word Photo Story Challenge publication. She’s also a writer, parent, and fitness enthusiast and loves creating monthly challenges. Her self-mantra is “Try, Mary, Try!” and she believes that if she can do it — it may inspire others to try too.

Check out Mary’s new series, “The Fun & Funny Fitness Bitch!” She’s putting together her fitness adventures and experiences over the past four years into a series for 2023. About once a week, she’ll publish an article that offers either a quick tip, advice, or insight into the various challenges she’s embraced and how she dealt with her self-doubt and fears, or she’ll chat about her current fitness escapades. You can find all stories to date in the series here.