NEW YEAR GOALS | WRITING | CREATIVITY

The Power of Self-Talk Rekindles My Creativity

“Having self-talk is important for unloading your old self and being well again.” — Josh Balerite Acol

Hey there, Old Me!

Thanks for stopping by.

As the calendar flips yet again, here we are with the same old promises and resolutions. But wait, don’t roll your eyes just yet, because this time around, we’re aiming for success like never before—and I mean it!

So, I was reminiscing about the days when we rocked the blogging world back in 2018. Remember that?

The blog, the website, the whole shebang? We thought we were on fire with affiliate marketing until, well, life got in the way. Work became the boss, and our blog met its untimely demise—domain and host expiration, anyone?

Fast forward to 2020, when Medium came into our lives like a burst of creative confetti.

Poetry became our thing, and guess what sparked it? An old notebook filled with high school poems.

Yeah, apparently, we were quite the poetic geniuses back in the day (but only I knew it, you know).

I stumbled upon this book by Ralph Fletcher — “A Writer’s Notebook.” It was like the Bible of brain gardening, urging us to jot down those idea seeds whenever they sprouted.

And boy, did we grow a lush garden of poetic inspiration.

Who knew those sporadic writings would turn into a collection of poetic wonders?

Then, my friend, I stepped into the world of Medium and became a fledgling poet. That notebook became our treasure trove, and those poetic bouts turned into a full-blown love affair with writing.

Stumbling into the virtual world, I find myself adopted by the fabulous Illumination family. It all began with a humble acrostic poem challenge from my dear friend Bhavnaa Narula.

Next thing you know, I’ve donned the prestigious hat of a volunteer editor—talk about a poetic journey turning into a whimsical editing adventure!

Now, a round of applause, please, for the inspirer behind the scenes, our chief editor, Dr Mehmet Yildiz! His welcome was so warm that it could rival a cozy blanket on a winter night.

Kudos to the entire Illumination crew for being the awesome squad they are. Here’s to virtual families, poetic challenges, and the magic of editing camaraderie!”

But hey, last year wasn’t exactly our magnum opus, was it? Life got hectic as a frontline medical lab scientist, and inspiration decided to take a vacation.

But fear not, my vintage companion, because this year, we’re flipping the script.

Let’s bring back the good old techniques that worked wonders for us. Remember the Pomodoro technique? It worked like a charm back in the blog days.

It's time to dust it off and put it back into action.

And that old notebook?

It's time to resurrect it, my friend. Ralph Fletcher’s wisdom never goes out of style. Let’s plant those idea seeds and watch them bloom into a garden of creativity.

Oh, and those prompt challenges from our dear friend Sahil Patel and various publications? They were our bread and butter.

Let’s be strict with ourselves again, follow every prompt like it’s our mission, and watch the words flow.

Remember the friends and followers we gained through challenges? They were our cheerleaders. Let’s reconnect with them, gain more knowledge, and level up our skills. It’s time to outdo our previous writing self.

So, here’s the plan, Old Me: Let’s make this year the year we not only meet but exceed our writing goals.

Be my accountability buddy, bear with me through the uninspired moments, and let’s show 2024 what we’re made of!

Recapping the strategy:

• Pomodoro technique — It’s back, baby. Let’s try it once more!
• Ralph Fletcher’s, “A Writer’s Notebook” wisdom—seeds of creativity planted daily. I miss those.
• Prompt challenges—strict adherence, no slacking! The following are just some of the writing challenges I have joined but never finished. It would be great if anyone could join me in becoming a prolific writer: 1. 100-Day Challenge for New Writers to Shine on Medium 2. Here’s an Invitation to a Great Writing Challenge 3. Here’s How To Enter a Flow State in Three Simple Steps 4. Five Tips to Become a Prolific Writer Despite Full-Time Work 5. Poetry prompts from our dear friend, Sahil Patel
• Reconnect and gain friends, followers, and knowledge—let's build that virtual empire.
• Exceed our previous writing self—because why settle for anything less? As our Doc Chief states,

“Don’t try to be perfect. We can never be. There is no such thing as perfect in real life. The optimal solution is to make progress with small steps. These small steps will have a ripple effect. Start with 100 words, then increase to 300 words, then 500, then 1000 words, or more later when you gain momentum and stamina.”- Dr Mehmet Yildiz

Are there any other tricks up our sleeves, dear Old Me? Let’s rock this writing journey once again. Thanks for the stroll down memory lane and for sharing your time.

Stay awesome, dear!

Your hopeful new self, Me

Thanks a million, and be well always, my fellow litterateurs!

©2024 Josh Balerite Acol All Rights Reserved