Category Archives: Blog Challenges

Week 14 – #WritingWednesday Challenge

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Today is the 14th Edition of #WritingWednesday!!!

Remember, #WritingWednesday is an EASY, STRESS-FREE, weekly writing challenge.

  • Read the writing prompt below,
  • Spend 5 minutes writing (in your own voice or the voice of a character you’re writing) whatever comes to mind,
  • DON’T EDIT what you write! IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT!

The goal is 5 minutes of creativity.

Today I am writing in my voice. I usually write in the voice of one of my characters, but today’s prompt really spoke to me. I hope it speaks to you too.

Today’s writing prompt:

Write about three goals (realistic or maybe a little far-reaching) that you would like to achieve in your lifetime.

I have plenty of goals… I love a good ‘to do’ list and even more so, I love to set goals. I have a huge list of short-term goals and a fairly long list of long-term goals. However, today I want to talk about those goals I haven’t had the guts to write out. Three really big, far-reaching, goals that I’d love to achieve but don’t really expect to manage.

  1. I want to make the New York Time’s Best Seller’s List! As an author, that just seems like the ultimate ‘you’ve made it’ moment. I want my books to touch someone. I want them to make a difference in someone else’s life. I want them to be read.
  2. I want to give a Ted Talk… I’d love to talk about writing, being a struggling author, and the hurdles you have to overcome in order to make it. The hurdles you do overcome if you’re really passionate about what you’re writing.
  3. I went to college for acting… I wanted to be an actress. I still do. I do theatre, I’ve done a number of commercials, and for a short period I lived out in Los Angeles and did the whole struggling actor thing booking a few jobs here and there. Hell, I’m even a SAG/AFTRA member. I want, at some point in my lifetime, to get a role I can be truly proud of. I want that ‘you’ve made it’ moment as an actress.

Yeah, those are my three really big goals. Now that I’ve put them out into the universe, who knows, maybe they will manifest. So, what are your goals?

© 2019 Nina Soden

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Alright, now it’s your turn. I’d love to see what today’s writing prompt inspires in you. So, if you are willing, go to the comment section below and start typing. Take 5 minutes and let’s see what you come up with!

Write about three goals (realistic or maybe a little far-reaching) that you would like to achieve in your lifetime.

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Are you working on a manuscript, but need a little help getting organized? Check out SO YOU WANT TO WRITE A BOOK ~ An Indie Author Guide to Outlining and Planning Your Next Novel

Want help meeting your writing goals? Check out JUST WRITE: The Ultimate Author’s Bullet Journal

#MindfulnessMonday 5/6/19 – Self-Worth!

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Today’s #MindfulnessMonday Tip: Your value… your self-worth… does not decrease because of the experiences you’ve had or the hurdles you’ve had to overcome.

Check out today’s #MindfulnessMonday video for a quick lesson on self-worth. You can check out the video by clicking HERE!

With that little piece of advice, I give you today’s Mindfulness Exercise:

Mindfulness Meditation – Self-Worth Affirmations!

Take a moment to connect with your breath. Breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Then, repeat the following:

‘I am worthy of all that the world has to offer, just as much as anyone else. I am deserving of love, hope, peace, friendship, and all that is good in this world, simply because I am human. I release any need to prove myself to others. I release any need to seek and gain acceptance from others. Others cannot define my value or dictate my worth any more than I can theirs. I am unique and special. I am strong and gentle. I surrender myself, allowing the universe to guide me so that my unique gifts can surface and provide value in my life and my relationships. I let go and accept my worthiness as the amazing unique me that I am.’

Notice how these words feel in your body and mind. Then repeat them again, three or four times during your meditation, until the words become comfortable and you begin to feel the weight of their truth.

Mindfulness Journaling Prompt: After you’ve completed the Self-Worth Affirmations meditation, take five to ten minutes of quiet time to journal about the experience and answer one (or more) of the following questions:
What makes you unique?
What strengths do you see in yourself?

Mindfulness journaling can be very private. However, if you are willing to share your thoughts with me and my readers, I would love to invite you to comment below and let me know how today’s exercise made you feel.

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Check out my #MindfulnessMonday YouTube Series and don’t forget to click subscribe so you never miss an episode!

EPISODE 18 ~ Self-Worth DOES NOT Decrease!

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Invisible

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Photo by: Mikel Healy

Would you like to take the 52-week challenge and experience a more mindful existence? Check out The Invisible You ~ 52 Weeks of Meditations, Activities, and Writing Prompts to Help you Discover You!
GET IT HERE!
I’m certified in Holistic Stress Management and Mind/Body Fitness. I’ve been practicing Mindfulness for 10+ years and am passionate about helping others in their pursuit of a more mindful existence.

My 2 Cents… The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2

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Would you prefer to watch the video review, instead of reading it? CLICK HERE

pants 2Title: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (2008) 
Director: Sanaa Hamri 
Writers: Elizabeth Chandler (screenplay)  and Ann Brashares (novel) 
Stars: Amber Tamblyn (Tibby), Alexis Bledel (Lena), America Ferrera (Carmen), and Blake Lively (Bridget)

SHOW RATING OVERVIEW
Writing: ★★★★
Cinematography: ★★★★
Story: ★★★★
Acting: ★★★★
Overall: ★★★★ (4)

Buy the movie HERE

BLURB:
Four college freshmen and best friends find that it may take more than a shared pair of jeans to help them stay in touch as their lives go in different directions.

STORYLINE:
Carmen Lowell is working backstage of a play at Yale when the lead actress, her friend Julia, invites her to Vermont for the summer to work on a play with a professional cast. Because her mother is pregnant and she believes her friends will kill her if she doesn’t visit for the summer, she decides to stay home. However, she quickly changes her mind after she finds that her friends have all made plans to leave town for the summer. Lena heads to New York for a drawing course, Bridget heads to Turkey on an archaeological dig, and Tibby is working in a video rental store and still editing her documentary.

While in Vermont, Carmen develops a crush on the lead actor Ian, who tricks her into auditioning, and she is cast as the lead female role, much to Julia’s dismay. Later Carmen learns the truth about her friendship with Julia. The broken-hearted Lena finds that Kostas has just married, with a baby on the way, and she starts dating the male model from her drawing class. Yet, Kostas is never far from her mind. Bridget finds letters addressed to her that her father has been hiding for years and finally reaches out to her long-lost grandmother.

MY 2 CENTS:
In last week’s #SundayScreening post, I talked about the first movie in the The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants duology, this week I’m talking about the second movie.

I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy the first movie in this series. The idea of magical pants keeping friends together even over long distances sounded silly to me. However, it gave just enough mystical, lightheartedness to allow the film to address some pretty heavy topics. The second movie was no different.

In The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, there is love loss, heartbreak, emotional awakening, family reunions, pursuit of dreams, surprise relationships, and personal growth. Lots of personal growth.

The lead actresses in both of these films are very well-known and not at all screen shy. They wear their emotions on their faces for the world to see, feel, and experience with them.

Tibby, played by Amber Tamblyn, is the resident rebel. After suffering a huge loss in the first film, allows herself to get close to someone else… so close they fall in love. Then, after a pregnancy scare, she pushes him away.

Lena, played by Alexis Bledel, best known for her role in The Gilmore Girls, plays the sweet, innocent, rule follower. Yet, in this film she allows herself to break a few rules, follow her heart, even when it feels broken, and go after what she wants.

Carmen, played by America Ferrera, is a hard-working college student at Yale. After a disappointing meet up with her three best friends, she decides to run off to Vermont for the summer to work backstage at a professional theatre. Little does she know, love just might be waiting for her on stage. She discovers more about herself, and true friendship, during that summer away than many are able to discover throughout our college career.

Bridget, played by Blake Lively, is the free-spirited wanderer. Yet, in this film, she is more grounded than any of the others. She takes a journey that leads her to discovering a way to cope with the loss of her mother and reconnects with family she thought would forever be lost to her.

All in all, this film touched on some pretty intense topics and did it in a way that people of all ages can relate.

Have you seen this film? If so, what did you think? If you haven’t watched it, I challenge you to do it. Watch both of the films, they are available on Netflix, and then come back here and tell me what you thought.

MY FAVORITE QUOTES:
“The problem is every time I try to get close to somebody it’s like there’s something out there that just says oh Tibby’s about to be happy, better get her.” ~ Tibby

Check out my YouTube channel and the video review below… and make sure you hit subscribe so you never miss a video.

You can watch the official trailer here:

 

Auggie and Me by R.J. Palacio

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Would you prefer to watch the video, instead of reading the review? CLICK HERE

Auggie and meTITLE: Auggie & Me
AUTHOR: R.J. Palacio

RATING OVERVIEW
Writing: ★★★★★
Story: ★★★★
Characters: ★★★★
Appearance: ★★★★★
Overall: ★★★★★ (4.5)

GOODREADS DESCRIPTION:
Auggie & Me gives readers a special look at Auggie’s world through three new points of view. These stories are an extra peek at Auggie before he started at Beecher Prep and during his first year there. Readers get to see him through the eyes of Julian, the bully; Christopher, Auggie’s oldest friend; and Charlotte, Auggie’s new friend at school. Together, these three stories are a treasure for readers who don’t want to leave Auggie behind when they finish Wonder.

Buy the book HERE! 

MY 2 CENTS:

WRITING (★★★★★): Palacio is a wonderfully talented author. She is an artist in the way she created the world around Auggie in Wonder, and the three short stories in Auggie & me are no different.

STORY (★★★★): Auggie and me contains three different short stories; The Julian Chapter, Pluto, and Shingaling.

The Julian Chapter is all Julian – the boy who is Wonder is portrayed as the bully. In this short story we really get a glimpse of who Julian really is, what drives him to behave the way he does, and even the remorse he feels when he realizes what he has done wrong.

Pluto is about Chris – Auggie’s oldest friend. Because of their mothers’ friendship, Auggie and Chris had been friends since birth. It wasn’t until Chris’ family moved away that he started to see Auggie as different… he started to pull away… It was interesting to see, through Chris’ eyes, how a friendship with Auggie might be difficult at times. However, when friendship wins… and kindness prevails… it is a beautiful thing.

Shingaling was about Charlotte. This story, although I enjoyed it, was the least about Auggie then the other two. It centered around Charlotte and the ‘girl drama’ that was happing around her. Honestly, it is the same as the girl drama happening in every elementary and middle school around the world. Probably every High School too. I have to admit, I’m glad to have my school days behind me. I enjoyed learning about Charlotte, and Summer who was a pivotal character in this story. The lesson of Choose Kindness was very strong in this story.

CHARACTERS (★★★★): I loved learning more about Julian, Chris, and Charlotte. These three short stories not only showed us their relationships with Auggie, they also showed us how the interact with other kids, what they are like inside and outside of school, and what is going on in their minds throughout the things that happened in Wonder. The character development in Auggie and Me built upon what we learned in Wonder and succeeded at enhancing the connection the reader has with each character.

APPEARANCE (★★★★★): The cover of Auggie & Me is the perfect fit with the original Wonder cover. The simple blue background with the minimalist character illustrations is eye catchy and inspiring.

FAVORITE QUOTES:
“Good friendships are worth a little extra effort.”

“Sometimes it’s good to start over.”

“One mistake does not define you, Julian. Do you understand me? You must simply act better next time.”

“If you want to be a star, you have to be willing to work harder than everyone else to achieve your goals and dreams! The way I see it, a dream is like a drawing in your head that comes to life. You have to imagine it first. Then you have to work extremely hard to make it come true.”

Check out my YouTube channel and the video review below… and make sure you hit subscribe so you never miss a video.

Week 13 – #WritingWednesday Challenge

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Today is the 13th Edition of #WritingWednesday!!!

Remember, #WritingWednesday is an EASY, STRESS-FREE, weekly writing challenge.

  1. Read the writing prompt below. 
  2. Spend 5 minutes writing (in your own voice or the voice of a character you’re writing) whatever comes to mind.
  3. DON’T EDIT what you write! IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT!

The goal is 5 minutes of creativity.

Today I am writing in the voice of Stella, one of the characters in the novel I am currently outlining. I’m not sure if this will be a selection in the novel, or just part of my character development journal.

Today’s writing prompt:

What area of your life do you tend to enjoy in excess instead of moderation?

I’m not really sure what that means… to enjoy in excess. I remember, when I was little, sitting on my mother’s lap and playing with her hair. It would curl around my finger like a spring. I’d pull it down then let it go and it would bounce back up perfectly into place. I remember her smell like it was yesterday. I remember the joy it brought me to sit there, snuggled in her arms, breathing her in.

Did I enjoy her touch and her attention in excess? I’m not sure. She was taken away from me so suddenly. So unexpectedly. I feel like I didn’t really enjoy her enough. I feel like I never really got to enjoy much else of life.

Don’t get me wrong, I have a good life. I’m treated well, they take care of me. They… the ones in charge… They don’t love me, not like she did, before she feared me. But they do care for me, I think.

No, I don’t think I enjoy anything in excess. I enjoy the memories I see, sometimes. Most times, they frighten me. Like the memory of Sophie and Austin. Why he would hurt her the way he did when I know he loved her… I just don’t understand it.

© 2019 Nina Soden

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Alright, now it’s your turn. I’d love to see what today’s writing prompt inspires in you. So, if you are willing, go to the comment section below and start typing. Take 5 minutes and let’s see what you come up with!

What area of your life do you tend to enjoy in excess instead of moderation?

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Are you working on a manuscript, but need a little help getting organized? Check out SO YOU WANT TO WRITE A BOOK ~ An Indie Author Guide to Outlining and Planning Your Next Novel

Want help meeting your writing goals? Check out JUST WRITE: The Ultimate Author’s Bullet Journal

#MindfulnessMonday 4/29/19

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Today’s #MindfulnessMonday Tip: It’s important to recognize your strengths so that you don’t allow yourself to be defined by your weaknesses.

MM3

Check out today’s #MindfulnessMonday video to learn how to choose self-love and stop negative self talk. You can check out the video by clicking HERE!

With that little piece of advice, I give you today’s Mindfulness Exercise:

Talk About Your Strengths!

With a close friend or loved one, start a conversation by explaining that you want their true and honest opinion, then ask the question, ‘What do you think are my key strengths?’ Listen, without interrupting. Then, think about their answer, ask clarifying questions if you need to, try engaging in an open dialogue so you can see yourself the way they see you. Don’t judge their opinion, take it in – and be willing to take a complement when given.

Mindfulness Journaling Prompt: After you’ve completed the ‘Talk About Your Strength’ exercise, take five to ten minutes of quiet time and create a list of your strengths. These should be the strengths you see in yourself as well as the strengths your loved ones and friends say that they see in you – Even if you don’t believe them just yet. Then, once a day, I want you to pull out your list of strengths and read over the. This shouldn’t take long, but over time it will help you to change the way you see yourself so that how you define yourself shifts from focusing on weaknesses to focusing on strengths.

Mindfulness journaling can be very private. However, if you are willing to share your thoughts with me and my readers, I would love to invite you to comment below and let me know how today’s exercise made you feel and what strengths you found others see in you that you maybe didn’t see in yourself.

* * * * *

Check out my #MindfulnessMonday YouTube Series and don’t forget to click subscribe so you never miss an episode!

EPISODE 17 ~ Choosing Self-Love!

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Invisible

Would you like to take the 52-week challenge and experience a more mindful existence? Check out The Invisible You ~ 52 Weeks of Meditations, Activities, and Writing Prompts to Help you Discover You!

I’m certified in Holistic Stress Management and Mind/Body Fitness. I’ve been practicing Mindfulness for 10+ years and am passionate about helping others in their pursuit of a more mindful existence.

My 2 Cents… The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

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Would you prefer to watch the video review, instead of reading it? CLICK HERE

SisterhoodTitle: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005) 
Director: Ken Kwapis  
Writers: Ann Brashares (novel),  Delia Ephron (screenplay), and Elizabeth Chandler (screenplay) 
Stars: Amber Tamblyn (Tibby), Alexis Bledel (Lena), America Ferrera (Carmen), Blake Lively (Bridget), and Jenna Boyd (Bailey)

Genre(s): Comedy/Drama/Romance

SHOW RATING OVERVIEW
Writing: ★★★★
Cinematography: ★★★★
Story: ★★★★
Acting: ★★★★
Overall: ★★★★ (4)

STORYLINE:
The movie is based on the young adult book, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, by Anne Brashares. As four best friends spend their first summer apart from one another, they share a magical pair of jeans. Despite being of various shapes and sizes, each one of them fits perfectly into the pants. To keep in touch, they pass these pants to each other as well as the adventures they are going through while apart. Written by Stephanie

MY 2 CENTS:
I didn’t really expect much from this film; a little entertainment, some laughs, but not much else. I mean, come on, the premise is a magical pair of pants that bonds four girls together and keeps them close even when they go their separate ways for summer vacation.

I was pleasantly surprised.

The cast; Amber, Alexis, America, and Blake played four uniquely different characters, who in any given high school would probably not have remained friends for as long as they did. However, this movie made it work. Either through good directing or good acting, their relationship as close friends since birth was believable.

Again, the story of a magical pair of pants was a bit over the top. However, the things these girls had to deal with during their summer vacation; travel, falling in love, pain, illness, loss, the loss of virginity, family struggles, and so much more are all very real topics in the lives of many youth these days. The mystical element of magical pants allowed the film to connect all of these issues seamlessly; allowing us to travel across the world with each girl as they follow their own path AND maintain a connection to their small-town friendships in the process.

I think the secret weapon in this film was Jenna Boyd, the young actress who played Bailey. Bailey enters Tibby’s life as this young, annoying kid who keeps tagging along trying to help with Tibby’s documentary film. At first Tibby doesn’t see the importance of Bailey’s presence. It isn’t until she discovers Tibby is dying that she really starts to notice their friendship and how important it is to recognize the beauty in those around us and in life itself.

I’m not going to lie, I cried during this film. Only once, but they were the kinds of tears you don’t feel coming until their rolling down your cheek. The kind that take you by surprise because the emotion sneaks up on you.

No, I don’t think this film will ever be added to my top twenty list of best films ever, but I do think it’s worth the watch.

If you’ve seen The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, please comment below and let me know what you thought. If you enjoyed it, tell me why. If you didn’t care for it, tell me what was missing. If you haven’t seen it, but are willing to give it a shot now, tell me that too.

MY FAVORITE QUOTES:
“You know what I like most about the stars? You look at them, at all of them up there…and you just know there’s gotta be something more…” ~ Bailey

“Maybe the truth is there’s a little bit of loser in all of us, ya know? Being happy isn’t having everything in your life be perfect. Maybe it’s about stringing together all the little things like wearing these pants or getting to a new level of Dragon’s Lair – making those count for more than the bad stuff. Maybe we just get through it…and that’s all we can ask for.” ~ Bailey

Check out my YouTube channel and the video review below… and make sure you hit subscribe so you never miss a video.

https://youtu.be/eIGAxZ3rd-U

You can watch the official trailer here:

https://youtu.be/eV1IkLvTe1I

 

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

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Would you prefer to watch the video, instead of reading the review? CLICK HERE

wonderTITLE: Wonder
AUTHOR: R.J. Palacio

RATING OVERVIEW
Writing: ★★★★★
Story: ★★★★★
Characters: ★★★★★
Appearance: ★★★★★
Overall: ★★★★★ (5)

GOODREADS DESCRIPTION:
NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING JULIA ROBERTS, OWEN WILSON, AND JACOB TREMBLAY!

Over 6 million people have read the #1 New York Times bestseller WONDER and have fallen in love with Auggie Pullman, an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face.

The book that inspired the Choose Kind movement.

I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.

August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. WONDER, now a #1 New York Times bestseller and included on the Texas Bluebonnet Award master list, begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.

“Wonder is the best kids’ book of the year,” said Emily Bazelon, senior editor at Slate.com and author of Sticks and Stones: Defeating the Culture of Bullying and Rediscovering the Power of Character and Empathy. In a world where bullying among young people is an epidemic, this is a refreshing new narrative full of heart and hope. R.J. Palacio has called her debut novel “a meditation on kindness” —indeed, every reader will come away with a greater appreciation for the simple courage of friendship. Auggie is a hero to root for, a diamond in the rough who proves that you can’t blend in when you were born to stand out.

Buy the book HERE! 

MY 2 CENTS:

WRITING (★★★★★): I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! It is a truly amazing story with a profoundly important message – Choose Kindness!

I read this book because my son wanted to see the movie and I suggested we read the story first. Within the first couple of chapters, I was hooked. It took us only a few days to finish the book and we were both on the edges of our seats the whole time.

I cried… a lot!

Palacio has a beautiful way of capturing the emotion in what’s happening throughout the story. Her writing style is fluid. Wonder can be easily read by young children and still enjoyed by adults. Not an easy task for a children’s author to manage, but Palacio pulled it off seamlessly.

STORY (★★★★★): Wonder is the story of August (Auggie) Pullman, a young boy who has a congenital facial abnormality. Do to his unusual appearance, he has had to deal with a range of reactions from people he meets and others who just noticing him passing by. Kids he encounters, as well as many adults, are cruel. They use hateful, hurtful language, often displaying their disgust without trying to hide it. However, it is important to know – if you are letting your child read this book – that goodness does win in the end. Readers will learn a valuable lesson on choosing kindness and should find Auggie’s story to be both inspiring and emotionally moving.

It is hard to read a story about suffering, especially the suffering of a child. The way the character of Auggie Pullman has suffered all his “life” is devastating. Yet, he keeps a positive attitude in the face of bullying, ridicule, pain, loss, and humiliation. There are days that I wish I was as strong as he is.

This story started the Choose Kind movement and honestly, I believe it should be required reading in all elementary and middle schools across the country and around the world. We could all learn something from Auggie Pullman.

CHARACTERS (★★★★★): Auggie Pullman is the epitome of kind-hearted and selfless. Not only do I feel that the author gave us a completely fleshed out lead character, she successfully brought to life Auggie’s parents, sister, and the school staff and other children around him. There wasn’t a single character that I didn’t feel I got to know, understand, and relate to.

APPEARANCE (★★★★★): The cover of Wonder is simple and powerful at the same time. I’m not sure who designed it, but the minimalist illustration of August (Auggie) Pullman’s face on the cover is perfect.

FAVORITE QUOTES:

“I think there should be a rule that everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their lives.”

“Courage. Kindness. Friendship. Character. These are the qualities that define us as human beings, and propel us, on occasion, to greatness.”

“Kinder than is necessary. Because it’s not enough to be kind. One should be kinder than needed.”

“When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind.”

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Check out my YouTube channel and the video review below… and make sure you hit subscribe so you never miss a video.

You can check out the Movie Trailer here:

https://youtu.be/Ob7fPOzbmzE

Week 12 – #WritingWednesday Challenge

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Today is the 12th Edition of #WritingWednesday!!!

Writing Wednesday 6

Remember, #WritingWednesday is an EASY, STRESS-FREE, weekly writing challenge.

• Read the writing prompt below,
• Spend 5 minutes writing (in your own voice or the voice of a character you’re writing) whatever comes to mind,
• DON’T EDIT what you write! IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT!

The goal is 5 minutes of creativity.

Today I am writing in the voice of Stella, one of the characters in the novel I am currently outlining. I’m not sure if this will be a selection in the novel, or just part of my character development journal.

Today’s writing prompt:

When was the last time you got lost?

I get lost a lot. Not physically, that would be impossible seeing as I live in a ten-foot by ten-foot room and am followed by armed guards whenever I’m allowed out. No, I get lost mentally. I’ve found myself in a home in the suburbs, on the edge of a cliff, and sailing in the middle of the vast ocean with no land in sight.

A mind is a beautiful thing, but it can also be a very scary place when your whole life is spent exploring the thoughts of others. What I wouldn’t give to just be home. To be safe, surrounded by my family, and loved instead of valued.

© 2019 Nina Soden

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Alright, now it’s your turn. I’d love to see what today’s writing prompt inspires in you. So, if you are willing, go to the comment section below and start typing. Take 5 minutes and let’s see what you come up with!

When was the last time you got lost?

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51gqQbGYyAL._SX398_BO1,204,203,200_Are you working on a manuscript, but need a little help getting organized? Check out SO YOU WANT TO WRITE A BOOK ~ An Indie Author Guide to Outlining and Planning Your Next Novel

Author Bullet Journal 8x10 Front Cover

 

Want help meeting your writing goals? Check out JUST WRITE: The Ultimate Author’s Bullet Journal

#MindfulnessMonday 4/22/19

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Today’s #MindfulnessMonday Tip: Savor the positive experiences in your daily life through joy!

MM8
Check out today’s #MindfulnessMonday video to learn 4 easy to ways to savor the positive experiences in your daily life through joy. You can check out the video by clicking HERE!

With that little piece of advice, I give you today’s Mindfulness Exercise:
Talk About Your Joy!

With a close friend or loved one, start a conversation by asking the question, ‘what makes you really happy?’ Take the time to listen to their answer and engage in open dialogue. Make sure you are sharing the experiences you’ve had and the memories you hold onto that bring you true joy as well. Often times, when we first start to talk about what brings us joy, the conversations can be constricted… make sure you open yourself up and don’t hold back –make sure you pick someone you feel very comfortable with.

Mindfulness Journaling Prompt:

It’s time to start your own Joy Journal!!! This can be electronic – in your computer, phone, or tablet – or do it the old-fashioned way with pen and notebook. Take fifteen minutes of quiet time and see how many different things you can come up with (events, memories, people, etc.) that truly bring you joy when you think about them. If you update this journal once a week, you’ll have plenty of things to turn to the next time you’re feeling down and need a little joy boost.

Mindfulness journaling can be very private. However, if you are willing to share your thoughts with me and my readers, I would love to invite you to comment below and let me know a few of the things you’ve added to your new Joy Journal.

* * * * *

Check out my #MindfulnessMonday YouTube Series and don’t forget to click subscribe so you never miss an episode!

EPISODE 16 ~ Savor the Positive Experiences in your Daily Life!

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InvisibleWould you like to take the 52-week challenge and experience a more mindful existence? Check out The Invisible You ~ 52 Weeks of Meditations, Activities, and Writing Prompts to Help you Discover You!

I’m certified in Holistic Stress Management and Mind/Body Fitness. I’ve been practicing Mindfulness for 10+ years and am passionate about helping others in their pursuit of a more mindful existence.