#I am incapable of choosing short snippets

[capybaraonabicycle]

Would you please share excepts for the ask game?

1. that makes me smile

3. that encompasses my style

7. that i nursed in a daydream before finally writing

14. that was out of my comfort zone

25. that i consider a favourite

Feel free to skip one of them if you don't feel like answering! 🥰

Thank youuuu!

You said it was okay to use non-dw snippets, so I have put two of those now. But I added a dw snippet for good measure to those questions, hope that's okay 😅I also managed to include 3 actual WIPs, so yay :)

that makes me smile

Aww, the first fic that came to mind was Love is a four-letter word, which is a coming-out fic featuring the Penderwick sisters Skye and Jane.

Just - the whole series is such a feel-good story? It tastes like childhood comfort and the queer undertones are way too obvious to be screwed over in the last book. Anyway, headcanoning all the members of the family as queer is self-care and those girls are so soft and such siblings and the fic makes me smile without fail every time.

Skye sighed again, but this time it sounded less annoyed. "Listen Jane, I love you" she said and it sounded almost gentle. "But I don't think I am the right person to talk to about this. Romance and stuff. I don't really... do... that. Can't you ask Rosy? I am sure she would love to help you out." "Rosy does not share a room with me, though" Jane demurred. "Lucky her" Skye murmured. "Probably sleeping right now." "Skye!" Jane complained. "This is serious! People die from heartbreak all the time; I need to know what I am dealing with." "You won't die from heartbreak tonight; I can promise you that much" Skye scoffed. "Are you sure?" Jane asked. Her heart did feel a little clammy whenever she thought about Caroline and her textbook rim artworks. Or about what that weirdness might mean that always seemed to befall her when Caroline was nearby. "Dead sure" Skye answered solemnly. "You don't even know whether you're in love. I am sure it is scientifically impossible to die from heartbreak in that case." Jane breathed out loudly in relief. "Thank you."

(Jane is me and also Skye is me <3 (Skye has a math class the next day so enough sleep is vital bc you can't be tired for your favourite subject, now can you?))

But have a short dw snippet, too, because that might be more interesting for you. It's from the unfinished episode-fic that would come before The woman who kills the Doctor (- it's the lkh rewrite WIP):

“Left – sharp turn!” The car swerved around in one swift motion and Mels grabbed onto the seat backs in front of her to avoid being thrown about. “Now right!” “No, left!” “What?” Amy turned around the chart frantically at the correction while Rory started panicking. “Which one?” he shouted. “Left!” Mels repeated at the same time as Amy cried: “Right!...Hang on, no wait, she’s right: left!” “What?!” Rory was hitting the wheel in frustration while, this time in unison, the girls called: “Left!!” Only a little too late Rory yanked the wheel around, making them all lean involuntarily towards the right. Mels erupted in laughter. “If we continue like this, this is gonna spell ‘Dorito’ when we’re done” she claimed. “Shut up” Amy growled. “You’re doing great, Rory.” “Yeah, he is” Mels snorted. “Now listen here, little lady” Amy turned around, her eyes pulled to dangerous slits. “Amy!” Rory shrieked before she could continue. “Where do I go next?!”

Pond family drawing crop circles together <3 (No, Amy does not know Mels is their daughter yet, btw, that's part of why this makes me smile)

3. that encompasses my style

I don't knoooow. How do I know what my style is and what is representative?? Okay, I'll try, how about this from a WIP for my Division AU:

“Seriously?” Mels blinked. “You aren't even trusting me to get you a drink? I was kidding earlier when I said this would be a good exercise, but – I see that I was very wrong about your level of trust in me.” She tried to make it sound like a joke, but she couldn't deny, that stung. She would have expected herself to trust the Doctor more than vice versa, but a fucking drink? That shouldn't have been too much to ask. “Mels,” the Doctor was suddenly pressing the card into her hand, her gentle voice calling her away from her somber thoughts, “of course I trust you, love. I was making a joke.” “What?” Mels had trouble processing – and that was a little annoying because usually she was the one who got to make the Doctor malfunction with a well placed innuendo or affirmation of fondness. A smile was tugging at the Doctor's lips as she reached for Mels' other hand, closing it around the card. “You said I got to annoy you today,” she reminded Mels, “I'm just trying my best to live up to that role.” Mels let out a relieved laugh, grasping the card tightly and turning her upper hand so she could take the Doctor's and pull her in. “You are stellar in the annoying underling role, darling,” she promised, pressing a kiss to her lips. “It's like it was written for you.” The Doctor preened for a second, before the words properly registered. “Hey, now - “ she tried to protest, but Mels had already stepped away from her. “Find us a table, Doctor,” she grinned. “That's an order!”

I believe this encompasses my style, mostly for the way we move between jokes and heartfelt bits. I think I do that a lot - especially for this AU - putting in funny bits to even out the harsh reality and also putting heavy stuff into the lighthearted scenes to keep you on your toes.

Here, they've been joking around a little before, bickering (I cut that bc this is already too long a snippet - then again 'being too long' IS my style -), then Mels is hit by self-doubt, the Doctor turns serious to reassure her and they immediately go back to banter - and kissing.

The way dialogue is intercepted by introspection and a few descriptions of what is happening here is also representative of my style, I believe.

7. that i nursed in a daydream before finally writing

All my fics are results of daydreams, basically. But there are a few where I wrote down the dialogue as I dreamed about it and that didn't get changed much after. One of them is in Dance with Me (or: Selling the Cover for Gat) (part of the Division AU) and I know you have been meaning to read that anyway ;)

“Aww” Karvanista cooed mockingly. “You two are too cute.” The Doctor stepped back immediately, her hands leaving Mels’, and cleared her throat. “Just selling the cover for Gat” she said with a fake smile, smoothing down the sides of the fancy suit Tecteun hat gotten her for the occasion. “Right?” “Right” Mels agreed, but she couldn’t help a smile while she took a sip of her champagne. “Just that ‘selling the cover for Gat’ is not the mission, is it?” Gat’s snide voice sounded in her ear again and by now she sounded positively miffed. “That is only the very baseline of what you are supposed to be doing. You are supposed to be looking for the target. And you will find him neither in each other’s eyes like you have apparently been believing for the last 8 minutes, nor staring at cake decorations –“ The Doctor pulled an annoyed grimace and Mels bit her lips against a grin. “Nor eyeing up unsuspecting Malmooths” Gat continued. “Hey, she was definitely into it” Mels complained while the Doctor’s eyebrows raised to her hairline. “Literally not the point” Gat said. “Besides this is a married-only event, she was definitely here with someone.” “You spent your time without me flirting with other people” the Doctor inquired sternly, “and have the audacity to complain about me getting you a drink?! A fine wife you are.”

I spoke those lines (more or less) into my phone while taking a snowy winter walk <3 I should probably have paid more attention to the gorgeous nature than the Division team in my head, but no regrets :)

14. that was out of my comfort zone

Anytime I venture close to smut 😅 oh, also heavy angst. Which one do you prefer?

Let's go with the one leaning into smut. It's still mature level intimacy, I would say, but it was the first time I so much as brushed towards it, so, like, I didn't feel entirely comfortable writing it. I do think it is sweet, though (oh, this is from Somewhere in My Memory btw):

“Not here, Sweetie” [River] said with a wink. “I did not specifically order a bed to have you against a picture of my late husband.” “You ordered the bed?” the Doctor chuckled, slinging her hands around River’s neck. “Of course, you did.” “A lady has to be prepared” River said, kissing her again. “Come on then, jump up.” Without hesitation, the Doctor jumped, slinging her legs around River’s middle and letting her carry her towards the bed. “Oh, look at that, I’m taller than you again” she commented happily, leaning down to kiss River’s nose. “Now this feels right.” River rolled her eyes fondly. “Shut up, Doctor.” “Not a chance” the Doctor grinned. Then she yelped, as River squeezed her butt in retaliation. A devilish smirk played at River’s mouth as she lowered the Doctor onto the mattress. “We��ll see about that, Sweetie” she hummed, her hands cupping the Doctor’s breasts and immediately affirming her words in taking the Doctor’s breath away. “We’ll see about that.”

And like, that's literally it. The scene ends there. Still, that was daunting to write for me.

25. that i consider a favourite

Oh wow. I mean, choosing a favourite fic was already tough. A favourite SNIPPET? Impossible 😅 But, luckily, it is a favourite, so I'll just go with any snippet, I enjoy :)

Wanna read some lines in German about a ghost playing the piano? This is from Mary Shelley's Murder Mystery Invite Only Casual Travel/Journey For Friends Diary:

„Dann konzentrier dich weniger und lass dich mehr treiben“, schlug [Robert] vor. „Musiker denken nicht, sie fühlen.“ Mary wollte ihm nicht noch einmal erklären, dass sie einfach keine Musikerin war. So wandte sie sich resigniert wieder den Tasten zu. „Schließ die Augen“, riet Robert ihr. „Spür dem Gefühl des Liedes nach und lass dich fallen.“ Gehorsam schloss Mary die Augen, konzentrierte sich dafür aber umso stärker auf ihre Finger, mit denen sie die Tastatur streifte. Dann begann sie zu spielen. Sie merkte den Unterschied sofort. Hatte sie vorher nur einzelne Töne gespielt, hörte, nein spürte, sie jetzt die Musik, die ihre Finger wie von selbst in den Raum setzten. Sie lauschte der Melodie und merkte kaum, wie sie einfach die Kontrolle aufgab. Erst, als mit einem Mal die Musik verstummte, aber ihre Finger weiterspielten, erwachte sie unsanft. Sie riss die Augen auf und beobachtete entsetzt ihre Finger, die gerade wieder aus den Tasten auftauchten. Verdammt.

I do still prefer my German way of writing, I have to say. The fear of making mistakes is just less severe. With English, I am always convinced I have used at least one word incorrectly in every sentence without noticing.

But let's add another dw snippet from a WIP to this, shall we? I don't know whether I will ever finish this one, but I have started working on a very fluffy fugitive Doctor & River & Jenny piece called Family Outing (for now):

The Doctor made a move to hold her back but River intertwined their hands instead, pulling her in the other direction. “Stop fussing, Sweetie” she said strictly, smoothing down the Doctor’s lapels with her free hand. “And let her have some fun. Jenny is a clever girl, she’ll be okay. Besides, no one will suspect us coming here, so we’ll be in the clear.” Only now the Doctor took in her surroundings. They were on a spaceship, alright, a luxurious space cruiser to be exact. Aliens of all species and sizes were milling about, at least two thirds of them of the kind the Doctor did not want to see approach her daughter and at least half of them kinds the Division would engage. None of them were visibly carrying weapons at least and the Doctor knew Jenny had a knife hidden in her bigger-on-the-inside pocket and a blaster strapped to her thigh – in exactly the same spot where River was wearing hers. The evening menu of the adjacent restaurant was reading ‘pufferfish flambé’ and ‘Sontar wings with roasted Adipose’ and ‘We’re always ready to prepare your tag-alongs in your preferred manner’ and suddenly the Doctor understood where River had brought them. “No” she breathed, stopping dead in her tracks. “This isn’t…” “…the Harmony and Redemption” River completed for her, apparently very pleased with herself. “Told you, I was good.” “River” the Doctor pulled her even closer and dropped her voice to a whisper, her eyes flitting nervously between Jenny and the surrounding mass-murderers. “We really shouldn’t be here.” “Brilliant, eh?”

I just love River being cocky and the Doctor staring incredulously like "Do you want us getting killed?!"

I also very much love the way what I have written so far ends midsentence, and the sentence is:

Before the Doctor could decide whether shooting Flemming here and now would cause too much of a scene or could possibly be considered an overreaction

(Flemming dared to look at Jenny, so, no the Doctor's not overreacting at all <3)

[eurydicees]

current thoughts on nanowrimo while i only vaguely do work from home (<- dont tell my employers but i don't think i should have to work when i could be writing).

***i will not be using the website due to the pedophilia and lack of moderation issues. i don't want to involve myself in anything even remotely related to that. however imo the challenge of nanowrimo is bigger than the website, and so i'll still be attempting it.

current potential project ideas!

go back to the iwaoisuga atla au. i've got a lot of snippets but nothing substantial, so i would feel fine starting over and just working on that through the month. bonus is that i get to finish my rewatch.

do a prompt/request/event speedrun again. i have a lot of projects i committed to that i need to complete but haven't been looking at recently and i could just work on all those miscellaneous pieces. i actually have around 25 requests that've been waiting for attention so tbh writing a ~2k word one shot per day, give or take, could be great pacing for this challenge. unfortunately i'm probably incapable of keeping a oneshot to 2k. but this could also be an exercise in pacing myself. maybe.

write something original for the first time in so so so long. idk what it would be but i've been wanting to work on original writing again for a while now and this could be the opportunity.....i just don't have any plot ideas. which makes this idea hard. for obvious reasons.

re: original writing. i could do original short stories. this could be fun. it would involve coming up with a new idea roughly every day or every few days. which would be hard. but i've done it before and while i'm out of practice with original writing, surely i can do it again? idk it could be a fun exercise. i do love writing fucked up life altering short stories.

return to my roots and finish the poetry collection. i want to finally complete this. i've been chipping away at it for a while but i want to commit to it. but also i don't think i could get to 50k words with just poetry.....so maybe not this month. maybe save for april 2025 with a lower word count goal? idk. much to think abt with this one. or honestly maybe i can make it 50k. like if i try REALLY hard. very hard maybe on this one.

attempt the iwaoi soulmate + MCD au. i've been tossing this idea around for a while but it's looking like a huge undertaking so i haven't really worked on it. maybe this is my chance? but also it's probably the project idea i'm least passionate about so maybe not this one. i need to choose something i'm crazy abt lol.

finally finish the transforming of the skts mental illness study fic to original writing. this was a project i started AGES ago and then never completed. i actually just remembered it exists while scrolling through old drafts lol. it was a neat project to work on for a while but i got a little burnt out on it, which could bode badly for nanowrimo, which is such a passion-and-stamina-necessary challenge lol. but also maybe the commitment and accountability that's also so necessary for nano would inspire me? kind of a toss up.

thoughts on my november goals!

goal is 50k words in 30 days. go big or go home hit it till it breaks etc etc. i am going to work so fucking hard. i am pouring everything into this. i'm not manifesting, i'm DOING.

i'm 26,266 words away from 1mill words written for nanowrimo (all time, incl april/july camps). this could be such a fun milestone. i will get there. i WILL get there.

i'm also 54,800 words exactly away from 1mill published on ao3, which is also a super exciting milestone.....so maybe i do really want to just write a long ass fic for this.

i'm currently at 12 nanowrimo wins to 11 losses all time, and 6 wins to 5 losses in the november 50k challenge specifically. i am on cusp of something great.

i am also at a streak of 4 november wins in a row. i am DETERMINED to keep it up. like there are literally no consequences for not doing this. i know that. i promise i know that. but still. i am DETERMINED.

[creationsabyss]

About Me (subject to be edited later: will be edited when I have the motivation to make it pretty or at least semi decent)

Hello, I'm Creation's Abyss. My name is just mainly an inside joke so feel free to make up different nicknames. I use any pronouns and I'm over 18 but I have not experienced a midlife crisis (yet).

I don't tend to stay in a fandom, I just bounce around to whatever catches my eye. I write mainly poetry though I am branching into snippets, and the occasional character/fandom analysis. I do take requests.

I'm a flexible writer so my work can range from fluff/comfort to gore/angst to NSFW. Anyone (including minors) that are uncomfortable with any of these topics, feel free to block the corresponding tag along with any other tags you deem necessary, though it's unlikely to ever get truly explicit, better safe than sorry. My blog is pretty safe to read other than that. I don't really have a DNI list mainly because I can't control what people can and can not do but I am warning you here to use your best reasoning. If you choose to read on regardless of my warning then I bear no further responsibility. (I'm fine with everyone and anyone interacting and existing in my blog otherwise. And in case it wasn't implied, I'll state it explicitly now: I don't condone any parts of my 'dark' work irl. Please don't try recreating any yandere/dark/unhealthy subjects and acts that may appear in my work.)

This has become my main blog, mostly because I don't do anything on the formerly main one. I forget to post very often.

I doubt I'll ever be "closing" my requests so ask away though because I'm not particularly active, you might end up waiting a bit. If you're alright with that, feel free to stick around and chat.

There are very few things I won't write for but a lot of things will depend on context and the list can be a little fluid because there are some days where I won't be able to write for certain things and some days I will. You can always ask if you're unsure.

Also be a decent person to other people. I don't really want to block anyone but if you're incapable of decency then you aren't welcome here.

Don't use my work without permission or credit but other than that, go wild.

This blog, and my main should you stumble upon it, is a haven and a home for myself and for any who wish to stay. Your racial identity, gender identity, sexual identity, and whatever else you feel hunted for, doesn't matter to me. Everyone is welcome here and I'll shelter you for as long as you want. Feel free to ramble about anything you want, I won't judge and if you're too nervous to interact, that's fine too. I appreciate your presence here no matter how long or short you stay.

Welcome to my sanctuary, please stay as long as you like.

[daisylincs]

It's time to see what I can do! To test the limits and break through// no right no wrong no rules for meee// I'm freeeeeeeeee (and i was glad lincoln died)

*silence*

*utter, shocked silence*

Well, Birdie, I only have one thing to say to you --

Why Lincoln Campbell Shouldn't Have Died: A Small Essay By Lily [Redacted]

#1. It’s Lazy. There was all this fuss about how “heart-breaking” Lincoln’s death was, and how it was the most shocking choice, and I’m just like... really? Was it? Because frustrating as it is to me, it’s true that Lincoln didn’t have any significant relationships on the show aside from his with Daisy, and he also didn’t have the time/the writers didn’t invest the time to make him a character the audience could become really close to. 

And I don’t see how that’s a shocking choice at all? That’s just taking the easy way out of things. If they had really wanted to make a heart-breaking death, it would have been so much worse to choose literally anyone of the OG team.

Or, heaven forbid, not to make anyone die at all!! (Yes, I hate the Fallen Agent arc. Yes, that’s a conversation for another day.) But think about it: it would have been way more original, way more shocking, to have Lincoln not die, or find a super original/Fitzsimmons-esque way to get past the vision. It could’ve been way more shocking and ultimately satisfying if the whole team had worked together to avoid someone dying, and succeeded in avoiding that. It would have made excellent bonding.

And it wouldn’t have been lazy, because Lincoln staying alive would force him and Daisy to have some tough conversations, i.e. Hive and SHIELD and what’s next. It would also have meant an equal amount of tricky conversations with the rest of the team - especially surrounding the whole Hive debacle and methods used during it (*coughs in murder vests*). It would’ve actually been much harder than just having Lincoln die... and isn’t that what good storytelling is supposed to do? Make the harder choice for an ultimately far more satisfying resolution? 

Because choosing Lincoln to die makes it feel like that was his only purpose on the show, and I can’t help but rage against that. I know that’s how a lot of people actually do see Lincoln, and it just makes me so furious, because that’s actually such a disservice to his character?? He was so much more than just Daisy’s doomed boyfriend, and he could have been even more. Which brings me to my next point - 

#2. Wasted Opportunities. I’ll always believe that one of the biggest missed opportunities on the show was that we never got to see Lincoln properly bond with anyone on the team - it was like the writers started, but then decided he was going to die, and then went all, oh, RIP that. Which, honestly, is stupid - because they created this amazing character that had so much potential, and then decided to drop it just like that. 

And I mean, dammit!! Aside from Daisy, Lincoln had prime opportunities to bond with at least five other characters on the team - May, Coulson, Jemma, Fitz, and Mack, and that’s not even starting on the other Secret Warriors. 

He had a little bit of bonding with May when Lash/Andrew was still a thing - but then, whoops-a-daisy, unequivocally dropped. And like... Lincoln and May could’ve been such a good friendship?? Imagine May initially terrifying the living daylights out of Lincoln, but slowly seeing that he’s not actually that different to Daisy, and he makes her happy? And maybe inviting him to t’ai chi with her, to help control her powers? And him in turn helping give her some closure over Katya Belyakov/telling her that she really did make the only choice? They could’ve developed a mother/son bond just as beautiful as Daisy’s, if AoS had only tried. 

Then there’s Coulson. Daisy’s (basically) dad. We got to see a little bit of this, especially in the 3x14-15 era, but I would have loved to see even more of Coulson not-so-subtly threatening Lincoln, but grudgingly coming to accept him as a good agent (and, though he’d never admit it, kinda liking the guy.) Ugh, it could have been so funny and GOOD!!

Fitz and Jemma, to do them in a package deal, could also have been a GREAT BroTP with Lincoln if they had only actually developed it. I would have loved to see a) FitzSimmons initially distrusting Lincoln and being like “if you hurt Daisy...” and then eventually growing to bond with him over science and, well, adoring Daisy, b) a Lincoln-and-Simmons-specific friendship starting after Maveth, for example, Jemma can’t really be around her friends because they keep pitying her and trying to help and she doesn’t want that, so here’s someone new who’s nice and can also distract her with a common interest, and finally c) Lincoln and Fitz bonding over, oh, Daisy, and being ridiculously in love. Just. C’mon. It could’ve been WONDERFUL - and, just think about it, the picture of a Fitzsimmons-and-Lincoln triple alliance out-science-ing Daisy. FAB.

And Mack!! Someone who’s basically Daisy’s older brother, and, I do believe, another one for the Don’t-Hurt-Daisy pile. But Mack’s also very just, and an excellent judge of character, plus he was literally listening in on their first kiss, lmfao. So I think he’d be that “ugh AGAIN you two stop *eye roll*” big brother, but secretly be very happy for them. (I would’ve LOVED to see it, ahhhh.)

Then, of course, the Secret Warriors!! If anyone would listen, I could R A G E for days about how we only had one episode with the Secret Warriors, and that only barely before it all blew apart. But what snippets we had in that one episode!! Lincoln comforting Joey when he gets stressed before a mission. That’s canon. Now imagine Lincoln learning Spanish for both him and Elena (and so the three of them can fuck with Daisy.) And him encouraging them to follow Spanish traditions, because he picked up a lot of “traditions are important” culture from Afterlife. And, of course, them all going to Pride together to support Joey...

My point is just, there is so much MORE AoS could have done with Lincoln’s character, but especially his bonds with the other main cast. Instead of highlighting his relationship with Daisy, I would’ve preferred a lot more focus on his bonds with the rest of the gang. Because, most simply put, he’s a nice guy and loves Daisy - but that’s not all he is, and also, that love for Daisy would mean he WOULD go out of his way to bond with her family. (Point made.)

#3. It Conflicts With The S5 Time Paradox. During the Fallen Agent arc, all we’re hearing about is how time is fixed, and a death is inevitable. And then in season 5, we have the same thing with the time loop... except, they manage to break it then. We’re literally told, “there are many different futures.” And, cool. But, uh... that’s exactly what you guys didn’t say in season 3!!

Because someone saw a death, a death had to happen. My question is just: if the loop could have been broken in s5, why couldn’t the death have been avoided in s3?? It wouldn’t even have been that hard to make it still fit with the vision - Daisy can quake the controls to destroy them, then Lincoln pulls her out of the quinjet, but she leaves the jacket behind. Hive dies, but no-one else - and the best part is, that even still fulfils the original vision, because someone did die. Hive. Click boom.

And if I can figure that out, then, come on, surely AoS could have done so much better!! It just... really frustrates me, hrrrg.

#4. It Becomes A Plot Point To Hurt Daisy. We all like to joke about how much AoS hurts Daisy, but... this is extreme?? Like?? She only just went through probably the biggest trauma of her life, being freaking possessed, and now you want to make her lose someone she loves too? Cruel. 

The only real reason the Fallen Agent arc ever existed was, let’s be real, to force Daisy into that spiral of hurt and depression. And, like... she already had more than enough trauma just from Hive. Nobody would have blamed her for running away then - in fact, how very Daisy it would have been, leaving before she could hurt anyone else she loved.

And then, of course, we could have had Lincoln and the team working together to find her and bring her back, and, heyo, bonding!! It could also have been such a good point for Staticquake’s relationship, what with Lincoln helping Daisy recover after depression/withdrawal, because who better suited, and Daisy slowly forgiving herself and them becoming that much more of a deeply caring, solid ship.

So in short - though, 🙈🙈🙈, I suppose I should really say in long, because it would seem I am incapable of doing anything in a short fashion - I don't think anyone should be "glad" about Lincoln's death. If anything, we should all be FURIOUS, and super frustrated, because if he had only lived, there could have been so many excellent storylines, both bonding-wise and regarding THE ACTUAL PLOT (his powers could have been SO HELPFUL, just, argh). Lincoln Campbell should not have died, and I will stand by that till the day I die.

Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

[mrs-nate-humphrey]

F, M, & V for the fic asks?

F: Share a snippet from one of your favorite dialogue scenes you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it. 

so here’s a thing from “turning saints into the sea” :

“Well, I never figured I’d be thoroughly kissed by Nate Archibald,” Dan points out. He takes another overly generous gulp of the alcohol, misses where his mouth is, spills a fair amount on his shirt.

Serena, in her defence, doesn’t ogle him, she just gives him a look and grins. “Do you want me to get you an extra shirt? I definitely have a few men’s shirts. I might even have yours.”

“Why do you…” Dan begins, and then falters, wondering if he really wants to know the answer to that.

“You know me,” Serena says lightly. “I break men’s hearts, I steal men’s shirts.”

Dan laughs, and Serena beams back.

“Come on,” she says, taking Dan’s hand, pulling him up the narrow stairs attached to the kitchen. “And don’t think you’ve gotten off easy. Talk to me.”

honestly? i am very proud of ALL the dialogue in this one. i was going to copy paste the dan/nate conversation but that has a pretty major spoiler for this fic, and this fic has like... One plot point? so i didn’t want to spoil it, haha. i like this one because i love dan and serena, and anyone who’s followed me for like, even fifteen minutes knows how badly i just wanted them to be good friends/ exes who get along! this is the sort of dynamic i wanted them to have in the long run, like, joking about each other’s current partners or crushes or experiences with no bitterness, and basically just. being able to talk to each other about stuff. 

M: Got any premises on the back burner that you’d care to share?  

uhh, i’m actively working on a jenny/blair fic that’s all abt character growth and redemption stuff, so like.. what a healthy relationship for the two of them would entail! it’s post series but also pre-finale, it takes place during a period of time when dan and serena are engaged but not married, and blair and chuck are, and explores stuff like nate’s canon ending (which i of course save him from, i don’t want him to be alone, he’s baby) and chuck being abusive and derena being weddingly incompatible. idk if it’s back burnery stuff because it’s very much a priority, but also, due to the nature of themes im trying to explore, it’s not a fic i can sit down and focus on and write at one go - i need to take breaks from it and work on it only when im in a specific headspace. blah.

uh, i also want to work on this canon compliant/ dan is not gossip girl fic. like, an entirely canon compliant fic in which he’s not gossip girl. “but ivy,” you may ask. “he said he was gossip girl in canon, why did he do that and what for?” the short answer is ‘he lied’. the long answer and the explanation will be the fic. i have a whole thing planned out for serena here! 

oh and then there’s this. it started out as a joke, but i am so going to write it, eventually. i mean. just look at those tags.

one of these days i will actually write some deep character study / meta that focuses around nate, because i think the world needs that and i think nate deserves it. something that works how ‘for blue skies’ by andsmile explored serena as a character through the plot and her decisions and conflicts - that’s all i know about the direction it will take. i have no idea where it’ll go or how i will navigate it, or who i will write him with. im hoping all that will fall into place later.

speaking of nate! i have a beautiful enemies to lovers au planned for dan and nate. it’s very, uh. i don’t know how to describe it, but the premise is that in like, 8th grade, they’re assigned to work together as partners on some assignment, and they totally get off on the wrong foot. and they both resent each other. and then working through the fact that both of them thinks the other’s life is perfect / that the other has the thing that they really want, and them eventually learning more about each other and realising that their misconceptions ARE, in fact misconceptions. idk. i just want to write nate being a mean little man. 

V: If you could write the sequel (or prequel) to any fic out there not written by yourself, which would you choose?

honestly? i have no idea, this question is one of the few that i was just like... *blinks*. but im thinking probably  be my heater, be my lover by margottenenbaum, mostly because it’s incomplete and it hurt me, how it ends! if i actually got a chance to finish this i don’t know what exactly i’d do; given everything that’s happened in this fic so far, a healthy nate/dan/serena polyam relationship doesn’t feel particularly possible, towards the end. i think the happiest ending would be serena sorting herself out, possibly going on the run with carter baizen and then later on having this moment of clarity where she goes “oh, i hurt them both really badly.” or something. (the serena characterisation in this fic felt really similar to s5 serena characterisation, and i have always felt like there’s a lot that can be fleshed out over there? serena’s not as easily prone to jealousy as blair, i feel. but as someone else was saying on LJ, she’s had so few people who were truly hers, she can be possessive without realising it. i think that’s part of why she’s so against dan/blair at the beginning - like, they are her people. they aren’t supposed to belong with each other. i dunno.) 

i am physically incapable of keeping things brief, it would appear.  uh.... whoops?

[ren-c-leyn]

Farewell, Father...

Another fusion short story, and another sci-fi one, so this is again, a bit out of my norm. 

 This one is made up of this prompt by @p-r-o-m-p-t-s, this prompt by @promptsforthestrugglingauthor, this prompt by @humdrummoloch, this prompt by @unpromptly, these 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12 prompts by @thependragonwritersguild, and this prompt by @givethispromptatry.

 There is death mentioned in passing, as well as mentions of a war/conflict in passing as well. It is a bittersweet/angsty piece, but there is no gore or violence in it.

 I had only been visited this planet twice since we left, and both times were for my father’s sake. Well, my adoptive father.

 I don’t remember much about the first time, since I had been a little kid. Little flashes come to me from time to time. Ribbons, faces, small snippets of conversation. It seemed like a big deal, but that likely has something to do with the award for his service during the war and his role in the dealings that ended it.

 Something I do remember vividly was the way there, though. It had been a strange flight through the stars, and in those short days from our little dwarf planet to the big, shiny pink one, I had seen more emotion on his face than I believe I had ever seen before or seen. Unease, sorrow, regret, excitement, fear, anger, so many things people believed his people were incapable of feeling.

 Was it the third or the fourth day I finally asked? I don’t rightly remember anymore. But at one point, child me tugged on the synthetic fabric of his sleeve, peering up at his pale, grey face and past glowing green lines into bright yellow eyes. Eyes that were filled to the brim with so many things I do not believe I’ll ever fully understand....

 “Are you alright?”

 “The short answer is no, but if you’re willing to listen to the long answer, I’d be more than happy to explain.”

 “I’ll listen,” I said.

 There was a small pull on his lips, a smile, and then it disappeared into it’s typical blankness as his eyes turned to the viewer. Slowly, he zoomed in the holo screen to show the pink planet in all it’s glory. A moment of silence passed as I stared, mesmerized by the swirling clouds and glow of the atmosphere. 

 “I have a complicated relationship with this planet,” he began in his smooth, detached, and chronically bored-sounding voice, leaning back in the pilot’s chair. “It is... the place we were both born. Our home planet, or some would say. But it was never much of a home for me, and, unfortunately, not for you either. Many, many terrible things happened beneath those clouds, my star, and many people, both good and bad, lost their lives there. People like my... siblings? Yes, I believe that is the term. My siblings, as well as your birth parents, they were all lost to that pink planet.”

 I looked back up at him, my young mind struggling to understand.

 “So it’s a bad planet?”

 He patted my head, eyes still transfixed on the image before us.

 “I... I do not know how to answer that question. It can seem like it when all that’s left are bad memories.” Father looked down at me and smiled again. “But I do not believe it is all bad. After all, it is the place we were born, and you are surely a good thing.”

 Staring at the same holo-projection of the very same pink planet all these years later from the same seat he had sat in made the memory sting all that much more. Over time, I came to understand more and more of the implications and events that were tied to that small conversation we had that day. Even now, I know I do not have the entire grim story of my father’s life, nor would I ever.

 I found myself to be the center of attention in the spaceport. Old comrades of father’s, reporters, and the like wasted no time in swarming me. After all, today was a historic day.

 If father wasn’t in the history books already, he was about to be. After all, he was the first android to be granted a funeral. Not just any funeral, either, but a hero’s send off.

 We unloaded the casket I had chosen from the cargo hold, and began the trip to the cemetery dedicated to the soldiers who fell during the revolution. It took a lot longer than I would have preferred to arrive. Trapped in a hover vehicle with my father’s body literally right behind me left me too much time to reflect on things. Too much silence to deflect the memories of the end....

 It had been a sudden change. He had been his normal self, untouched by time, and then... he came home one day, glowing.

 “You’re glittering.”

 “I don’t want to talk about it, not right now.” He pulled me into a hug and just held me for a while. When he did break the silence, it was with a quiet voice. “Remember, my star, I’ll never leave you. Even when you seem alone, I will be there. Please remember. Please do not forget.”

 I had never been so confused in my life, but I nodded all the same.

 “I won’t forget.”

 Then, his condition got worse suddenly. Glitches and errors and breakdowns. I brought him to a hospital, but not many are equipped to deal with android patients yet. Frustrated, I brought him to a mechanic instead, and he told me that some of the bio-mechanical parts were failing. They could be replaced, but it wouldn’t be my father anymore. So, the mechanic and I put it to him to choose, and he chose.

 I remember sitting next to his bedside back home, hands clasped together as I stared at my knees.

 “I... I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry,” I choked out, feeling like I had failed him somehow. 

 Even now, I feel like I failed. Like maybe there was something more that might have been done. But he patted my head.

 “There is nothing you can do. This was going to happen eventually.”

 “But I... I feel like I failed. And I, I didn’t want to fail you.” And I had broke down crying at that point, frustrated, scared, not ready to let go. “I didn’t want to disappoint you.”

 He wiped the tears away.

 “You’ll never be a burden to me. No matter how little time is left or how big a mess you make.” 

 “But....”

 He cut me off with a soft shush.

 “How much of life is wasted hating who we are? Blaming ourselves for things out of our control and choices we made with the limited information we had at the time?”

 I stared at him, not sure how to answer, or even if he wanted an answer. He smiled at me. Not a very good one by most races’ standards, but it was downright stunning for him.

 “I don’t want you to waste your life on such things, my star. You make me proud by choosing what makes you happy. So long as you are happy, that is what matters to me.” The smile faded. “And I know these are not happy times now, and neither will be the ones directly after my... passing, but never blame yourself for them, and please keep an eye out for the good times that will come for you again.”

 I nodded, unable to get a single word out from behind the lump in my throat.

 And that lump had returned with a vengeance as I stepped out of the hover vehicle into the gloomy fog that had gathered and watched them unload the casket. Hundreds of people looked on, as well as anyone could, as full services were done in honor of my father, an android whom probably wouldn’t have cared at all for the flowery speeches and high praise being shoveled onto his name. But one of them caught my full attention.

 An android stepped up to the platform. Even in this weather, her form stood out. She had bright, almost neon, red hair, glowing orange lines, and deep blue eyes that glowed with the same energy father’s used to. Slowly, she took the voice amplifier and faced the onlookers. After so many years with father, I knew what the subtle creases on her face meant, distress and sadness.

 She spoke with a more mechanical voice than father, her speech patterns slow and halting, and I doubted the emotional overload was helping her anymore than it helped anyone else speak in coherent sentences.

 “Heroes of legend are not the strongest or the wisest of us. They are those who had the selflessness and courage to do what was right. And he was, most certainly, one of those people, even if not all would call him a person.

 There... are many lessons my friend taught me while he was alive. Nothing is inevitable. Keep fighting, is one he would say repeatedly when we were trapped in... what were hopeless situations. Even went people told him awful things, like that he was just a mirror. Reflecting the world back because there’s nothing inside of him, he did not quit. He held fast to his path, to his beliefs, to us. And, he was right. There were days when, I knew I would die, and I did not because he did not allow us to give up. And, not only did I live, but we changed this planet for the better.”

 She paused for a long moment, eyeing the crowd for a long time before clearing her throat and continuing.

 “But my dear friend suffered greatly to make these things happen, we all did. Time doesn’t ruin people. People ruin other people, and perhaps that is why we find people like my friend so amazing. Because they go out of their way to not only avoid ruining other people, but strive to help them. And I... I am glad that my friend’s efforts did not go in vain. I am glad that none of our comrades and lost friends’ efforts went in vain. The blood and the oil spilled... can never be replaced, but we can make it mean something more than senseless violence as we move forward. That is all.”

 She put it down, and disappeared into the crowd. I found myself mulling over her words for long after the crowds started to part and leave. After many well-wishes and condolences, I made my way to father’s grave, preparing my final good-bye, only to see the red-haired android already standing there. She was talking, but I could only make out the last sentence of it as I approached.

 “I never understood why you did that.”

 “Why he did what?”

 She looked up and offered me an android smile.

 “Well... why he decided to raise you off planet, instead of staying and working with me to fix the mess the war made of the place. He would have had a good-position in office, a home, a purpose... almost everything we androids seek from the time we are constructed.”

 “Ah, well... I can answer that one for you since I asked him a very similar question.”

 Her eyes widened with hope as she stepped towards me.

 “What did he say?”

 “He told me that no amount of power will make you happy. You’ll always want more, and it will never love you back. And that all the real treasures of this world are so small and fragile that they would get lost in the face of power. So, he decided to take his small treasures and find a good place for them to grow.”

 She nodded slowly.

 “Yes, yes... that does sound like him.”

 I smiled at her.

 “Sounds like you knew him well.”

 “Very well,” she replied with a nod. “He was my very first friend, after all, manufactured in the same factory.”

 “Really? Then can you tell me more stories about what he was like before?”

 She nodded. 

 “Yes, but I do have to return to the office shortly.”

 “Then walk and talk?”

 She gave a nod.

 “Walk and talk.”

 And so we did. We walked side by side as she told me about some of the memories she had at father’s side, including the day they found me, a tiny infant, laying among the rubble left by the war.

 “He felt guilty about the loss of your family, and thought the best reconciliation he could offer was to give you a new family.... Unfortunately, your adoptive aunts and uncles, the other members of his line, we all lost during the war as well, so he was the only one left.”

 A heavy silence floated between us before she spoke again.

 “I am sorry you had to loss him as well. He did not wish for you to loss more family. I am sure he would have stayed by your side until he turned to rust.”

 I smiled weakly at her.

 “He said he would never leave me. He kept his promise.”

 She stared at me, the clearest confusion on her face as we stopped at a cross section.

 “I... Well, I hope so. This is where we will need to part ways, little star. Please be careful on your way back home.”

 I gave a nod.

 “I will be.”

 The red glow of the traffic light in the fog silhouetted her as she stepped into the dark space between the buildings.

 I returned to the ship and sunk into the pilot’s chair, father’s seat, and reached into my pocket, fingering the data stick that the mechanic had given me after father passed: his memory and personality data files.

 Remember, my star, I’ll never leave you. Even when you seem alone, I will be there. Please remember. Please do not forget.

 “I won’t,” I mumbled, tears rolling down my cheeks before I powered up the engines.

[writingstuffb]

Retrospectively

‘So they say that you know who your real friends are when you face a problem. When facing a problem you really truly see the true colours of those who you believed and perceived as “True Friends” or even “Best Friends”; one thing that i will never forget and i have now learnt is that no matter how great your friends seem they are never really your best friends. Growing up we have every faith that friends are forever or that friends are the family that you can chose. That’s where they’re wrong, yes your friends are the family that you can choose but they are not and never will be your friends forever. Until you reach adulthood, your friends are temporary people in your life that will have very little meaning, because if you give them that importance in your life and open up to them, you tend to get disappointed.’That was 16 year old me, and I’m surprised to say I wasn’t all wrong. Looking back at my schooling years I realise what a journey it really was. I clearly remember the chain of events which led me to writing this piece (just a snippet). I remember feeling so lost and depressed that I questioned everything about myself, my reality, faith, family, friends, and my character. I questioned my ability to care for others, I questioned every emotion I felt and always rewired it to mean that I was selfish and didn't care about anyone or anything. I had overthought everything to that depth that I had believed I was incapable of being me. I didn't know what or who I was. Nor did I have anyone to rely on or to help pick me back up and for that I am forever grateful. I’m glad my so-called friends didn't care, I'm glad I distanced myself from my family, I'm glad I got prank calls to my family home, I'm glad I was alone.Having experienced the darkest time alone was the best healing and spiritual period of my life. I may always describe those 5 school years as the worst years of my life, but they were the most character building and healthy periods of growth I have ever experienced. Being alone pushed my to realise that relying on people is not it. It pushed me to refocus myself and concentrate on my faith and it made me place my trust in God (this is another topics alone so I won't go any deeper). 16 year old me wasn't wrong about expectations but she was wrong about friends. Friends are important people in our lives. They are the family we choose. This doesn't mean that they stick with us throughout life, definitely not. Based on my experiences these are the types of friends I have had and continue to have to this day:

Best friends: took my a while to realise this, but I have a couple best friends, but this title is nothing but a title. Often our best friends or who we perceive as our best friends are people we think of when the word friend comes into a conversation. Someone I perceive as my best friend is someone who I can rely on, who has understood my personality traits and knows how to deal with them. This does not mean that they cannot fault me, rather that they can fault me and do so with me. 

One thing I will say is that we can often perceive people as our best friends simply because we spend most of our time with them. But this isn't healthy. I remember someone I perceived as my best friend and I thought that they would always be there for me, but they weren't. Every instance I needed them to simply present to listen to me, or just be the shoulder to cry on, they never answered my calls. They prioritised trivial things and never even called me back. When I would see them, they would reply with a simple ‘I’m not a caller I’m a texter, text me next time’. So I would text... no response. To avoid such heartache, reflect and evaluate your friendships. Take a step back and see when have they proven to you through actions that they genuinely care for you, want whats best for you, share your happiness and success with you and push you to be a better person.

Circumstantial friends: now this is the largest group of people we will befriend. A lot of the people we meet are circumstantial friends and there is nothing wrong with that. They crossed your journey for a specific reason in a specific time. They either joined your journey as help and taught you a lesson or you taught them a lesson. They were for that specific time and nothing else. You are often friends with them simply because you see them all the time.

Sometimes it is difficult to label people as circumstantial friends but it just sort of happens. If you genuinely want someone in your life or if they want you in theirs, just send them a message. A simple ‘Hey, I was thinking about you how are you?’ and from their response/the conversation you can tell if there really is a friendship there after you have left the time frame you were friends in. One thing to look out for is who makes the most effort, does the conversation only happen when YOU send them a message, and are YOU the only one who drives the conversation, if so there aint a friendship there. Unfortunately, you gotta leave them where they were. I have a specific example, during my last year at secondary school I went through a lot of shit and I confined in this one person who lets call her Charlie. Bless her soul and I am forever grateful to her, she really listened to me and heard me when I felt as though I had no one to turn to. Charlie actively helped me in this situation and showed me that there was a silver lining and helped me believe that I would be okay. A year later, we had graduated school, moved to college and we both ended up at the same college, we stayed fairly close, spoke every morning, spent lunch together and then one day we just stopped. Nothing wrong had happened, no one fought we just stopped, when we saw each other it was a casual hello and that was it. Another two years go by and we go to the same university, different campuses, but we don't speak at all, we don't see each other, nothing. There are no bitter feelings, no sadness nothing. We both understand that we were circumstantial friends and that’s okay. Close friends: friends who you rely on and trust. It is as simple as that Mutual friends: people who are friends with your friendsand that concludes my experience of looking back at my life in the a fairly short list. I really need to work on how to be concise ik. I hope you enjoyed reading this piece and I hope I stick to this and continue writing stuff.signing offwritingstuffb x

[voxofthevoid]

YoI  Plot Bunnies

I’ve finished one YoI fic and am now working on another but since ideas are not kind enough to come one by one, I’m constantly besieged by rabid plot bunnies. I don’t know why I’m listing them here. Maybe to look back at them in the future and think Haha I can’t believe I ever thought I’d write all these. I really want to though.

All of these are AUs despite my intense love for canon fics. Ah well.

01. Superpower AU

Viktor and Yuuri have been married for years but Viktor’s superhero persona and Yuuri’s supervillain persona are arch enemies. Drama and Angst probably.

02. Fae AU

Viktor is the Seelie King, Yuuri is the newly crowned Unseelie King. Events similar to the Sochi banquet still happen but since these are fae, the miscommunication ends up a bit more disastrous. Sex and humor mostly.

03. Harry Potter AU

If I ever write this, it’s going to be ridiculously long. It starts out happy and then becomes not-so-happy. Set during Tom Riddle’s rise to power. Slytherin Yuuri and Ravenclaw Viktor. Set in Hogwarts because Reasons.

04. Demon AU

Two short fics featuring demons and soul contracts. Both Viktor and Yuuri will play the role of the demon. Likely to be big heaps of pain.

05. Hell Girl AU

Everyone is horrible, most people are dead, Viktor is the newcomer in a strange town and falls for a man who may not be a man at all.

06. Attack on Titan AU

Short, maybe 3 chapters. Can’t give details because it’d be spoilery but it incorporates recent manga canon, and has both Viktor and Yuuri choosing the wrong time and wrong person to fall in love.

07. Zombie Apocalypse AU

One-shot, a few thousand words at most. Viktor POV. Snippets of him meeting Yuuri in the middle of the whole zombie mess, falling in love and probably a bad ending.

08. Darker than Black AU

Viktor is a contractor incapable of feeling emotions and Yuuri is his human handler who ends up in love anyway. Could end happy or sad. Would involve 7 types of love as codenames. Yuuri’s Eros, Yuri’s Agape, Viktor’s Pragma. Irony.

09. Vague Natsume-inspired AU

Details unclear but I do want to write something based on how Natsume Yuujinchou frequently shows humans getting attached to youkai and then losing the ability to see them. Angst potential is high.

10. Tokyo Ghoul AU

Probably set in America with Viktor being a newly transferred, legendary Ghoul Investigator and Yuuri being the manager of the ice rink he frequents for stress relief. Guess who’s the ghoul here?

That’s it. For now. Here’s hoping it stays that way. Some of these are more developed than the others. And yes, I know most of these are AUs based on other anime. Idk.

[foursprout-blog]

21 Tiny Stories for Those Who Have Lost Their Motivation

New Post has been published on http://foursprout.com/happiness/21-tiny-stories-for-those-who-have-lost-their-motivation/

21 Tiny Stories for Those Who Have Lost Their Motivation

This morning I didn’t feel like doing anything.  It’s a combination of exhaustion from a few days of hard work and preparation for our upcoming Think Better, Live Better 2018 conference, and a lack of sleep with a sick 3-year-old in the house.

I couldn’t motivate myself to do anything important, which is a rare occurrence for me.  I just felt completely drained.  I started overthinking things and doubting myself, and wondering whether anything I do is worthwhile.

I sat there in this funk for nearly an hour and wondered how to snap out of it.  Should I just forget about today?  Should I just give up on this project in front of me, because I’m not as good at it as I thought I was?

That’s what I was considering, at least for a fleeting moment.  But the better part of me knew this mild state of depression would soon pass.  And just as I started to feel better, a neat bit of synchronicity arrived in my email inbox from Gina, a new course student Marc and I have been coaching over the past few days.  The opening lines of her email read:

“I feel so drained, so uninspired.  I’m stuck again!  My mind is spinning with worry and overwhelm and just a general lack of enthusiasm.  Anything you could share?  What’s something small I could reflect on and try to remember when I’ve lost my motivation?”

With our student’s permission, I’m answering her inquiry publicly because I know we all need a good reminder in this area sometimes—heaven knows I needed one this morning, too.

While there are many approaches to momentary self-motivation, reflecting on and learning from other people’s stories is paramount.  The right story at the right time can move us at our core.  Fortunately, the nature of the work Marc and I do as personal development coaches and authors allows us to hear these kinds of stories from clients, students and readers on a daily basis.  So, this morning, that’s exactly what I was reflecting on when Gina emailed me.  And right now, with full permission from the original sources, I want to share powerful snippets from some of these stories with you.

What follows are super short but incredibly focused accounts of real life, real struggle, and the inner resilience of the human spirit.  There’s definitely something inspiring here for all of us to think about, and tap into, when we need an extra dose of motivation:

“Today marks a full year that I’ve been eating right and working out daily.  This time last year I weighed 301 pounds.  When I saw my weight on the scale at the doctor’s office I knew it was time for a change.  Now, after a year of exercising my will power, and using no dieting pills or gastric bands, or anything artificial, I went back to the doctor’s office for my annual check-up. “172 pounds,” my doctor said.  “You know, your positive lifestyle changes just added roughly 10 years to your life expectancy.”  My 11-year-old daughter, who came with me, grabbed my hand and said, “I look forward to spending those extra years with you, mommy.”

“The drummer in our local jazz band, Nick, is legally deaf, and has been since he was born.  But he can still hear low bass tones and feel the vibrations from the drums and other instruments.  Honestly, he’s such an incredible drummer, most people don’t believe he’s deaf.  Sometimes I can’t believe it myself.”

“This morning, on my 47th birthday, I re-read the suicide letter I wrote on my 27th birthday about two minutes before my girlfriend showed up at my apartment and told me, ‘I’m pregnant.’  She was honestly the only reason I didn’t follow through with it.  Suddenly I felt I had something to live for.  Today she’s my wife, and we’ve been happily married for 19 years.  And my daughter, who is now a 21-year-old college student, has two younger brothers.  I re-read my suicide letter every year on my birthday as a reminder to be thankful—I am thankful I got a second chance at life.”

“I got my acceptance letter and full scholarship to MIT last week.  Now my single mother can use the money she’s been saving diligently for the past 18 years from working three jobs, almost every single day, to give herself the better life she deserves.”

“Today, my company employs 47 intelligent, hard working individuals and turns a net profit of nearly $5 million a year.  I started this company 11 years ago after I was laid off by IBM.  If they hadn’t laid me off, I might still be working in a shared cubicle at IBM’s headquarters.”

“Last night, like he has numerous times over the past three years, my grandfather proposed to my grandmother who has Alzheimer’s and sometimes struggles to remember who he is.”

“At four o’clock this morning I awoke to my daughter calling my name.  I was sleeping on a sofa chair in her hospital room.  I opened my eyes to her beautiful smile.  My daughter has been in a coma for exactly 99 days.”

“My chemo therapy is making me lose chunks of my long strawberry-blonde hair—a physical attribute I’ve always believed made me attractive.  This afternoon I had a cute male nurse shave my head because my hair has become incredibly patchy.  As I was tearing up because it was hard seeing the rest of my hair fall to the floor, the nurse bent down in front of me and sincerely said, ‘Gosh, you have the most beautiful eyes.’”

“It’s been exactly 15 years since I had just a few bucks to my name and could not buy my daughter pens and paper for school.  A local charity stepped in and bought her school supplies and clothes.  Now my daughter has graduated from Yale, started a successful business, and I work for her.  And I’m donating money to that same charity to pay the kindness forward.”

“Last week I interviewed a motel housekeeper in Miami Beach for a side project I’m working on.  ‘Do you like your job?’ I asked.  To my surprise, she smiled from ear to ear and was breathless for a couple seconds.  She finally collected herself and said, ‘I can’t believe how much I love my job!  I get to make dozens of our guests happy every day and feed my two beautiful children at the same time.’”

“A 9-year-old patient of mine will be undergoing her 12th surgery in the past two years to combat a rare form of cancer.  Even after all the surgeries I’ve never seen her frown.  She’s still 100% sure she’ll survive.  And I’m certain her attitude is the primary reason she has survived to this point.  She still laughs and plays with her friends and family.  She has intelligent goals for the future.  A kid like her who can go through everything she’s been through and come out smiling is the reason I wake up and work hard every day.”

“I recently found an old hand-written note my 86-year-old mom wrote when she was just a junior in college.  On it is a list of qualities she hoped she would someday find in man.  The list is basically an exact description of my dad, whom she is still married to today, and whom she didn’t meet until she was 39.”

“I’m a struggling musician, and a bit of a loner based on my ongoing struggles with depression.  I always thought my music career would take me farther than it has.  After a local concert this evening, a teenage boy walked up to me, shook my hand and then hugged me.  He said, ‘Thank you.’  ‘For what?’ I asked.  ‘I’ve been really stressed out lately.  Let’s just say I’m not one of the popular kids at school.  But I have something I look forward to every day.  When I get home from school, and no one is home, I put your two albums on shuffle and sing along as loud as I can,’ he said.”

“Ten years after I had six miscarriages in a row and was told I would never have kids—that my uterus was incapable of holding a baby past twelve weeks—I sat in my 8-year-old son’s bed this morning to wake him for his birthday.  Just sitting there, breathing with him, and knowing that I have my very own version of miracle makes me want to make the best of whatever comes my way, every single day.”

“The homeless man who used to sleep near my condo showed up at my door this afternoon wearing the business suit I gave him over a decade ago.  He said, ‘I have a clean home, a good job, and a family now.  Ten years ago, I wore this business suit to all my job interviews.  Thank you.’”

“Today, my 18-year-old autistic son, Kevin, played guitar and sang every single word, flawlessly, to a song he wrote for his girlfriend (who is also autistic).  He did it in celebration of their two-year dating anniversary.  His girlfriend’s smile lit up the room.  And although my son struggles with a severe speech impediment, he has been practicing for this every single day for the past year, and it paid off beautifully.”

“Yesterday, after completing eight straight months of depression rehab at a live-in treatment center, I spent my first day out with my five-year-old daughter.  We sat on my parent’s front porch all day making construction paper collages.  The sight and sound of my daughter’s laughter and the simple pleasures of cutting construction paper and peeling Elmer’s glue off our hands are the best reminders I’ve had in eight months of why I’m choosing life.”

“I sat down with my two daughters, ages six and eight, this afternoon to explain to them that we have to move out of our four-bedroom house and into a two-bedroom apartment for a year or two until I can find another job and build our savings back up.  It’s a conversation I’ve been avoiding for over a month, as I’ve struggled with the doubts and regrets of not being able to provide a financially stable household for us.  But my daughters just looked at each other after I told them, and then my youngest daughter turned to me and asked, ‘Are we all moving into that apartment together?’  ‘Of course,’ I immediately replied.  ‘Oh, so no big deal then,’ she said.”

“My dad is a blind cancer survivor.  He lost both his eyes when he was in his early thirties to a rare form of cancer.  Despite this, he raised my sister and I, and took care of my mom who was in and out of rehab for alcoholism and depression.  My mom is a fully recovered alcoholic now, my sister and I have graduated college, and my parents are still together and back to being happy.  I’m certain none of this would have been possible if my dad hadn’t been such a resilient, positive force in our lives.  My dad’s inner strength literally lifted our family up in its darkest hours.”

“At 8 A.M. this morning, after nearly four months of lifelessness in her hospital bed, we took my mom off life support.  And her heart continued beating on its own.  And she continued breathing on her own.  Then this evening, when I squeezed her hand three times, she squeezed back three times.”

“My grandpa keeps and old, candid photo on his nightstand of my grandma and him laughing together at some party in the 1970’s.  My grandma passed away from a heart attack in 1999 when I was 14.  This evening when I was at his house, my grandpa caught me staring at the photo.  He walked up, hugged me from behind and said, ‘Remember, just because something doesn’t last forever, doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth your while.’”

Essential Daily Reminders to Think About, Too

I sincerely hope the stories above motivated you think better about your present circumstances.  But, perhaps some of them also reminded you of how you’re falling short.  If it’s the latter, I want you to take a deep breath.

We all need our own time to travel our own distance.

And right now, you just need to keep peaceful, productive thoughts and perspectives centered in your mind, as you take things one step at a time…

Don’t waste your energy fighting against where you are.  Invest your energy into getting to where you want to go.  Let go of everything from the past that does not serve you, and just be grateful it brought you to where you are now—to this new beginning.

Don’t fall back into your old patterns of living just because they’re more comfortable and easier to access.  Remember, you left certain habits and situations behind for a reason: to improve your life.  And right now, you can’t move forward if you keep going back.

You may not be responsible for everything that happened to you when you were younger, and you may not be responsible for everything that happened to you yesterday either, but you need to be responsible for undoing the thinking patterns these circumstances created.  Blaming your past for a limiting mindset does not fix it.  Change your response to what you remember.

When you look back on your past, think of the strength you gained, and appreciate how far you’ve come.  It hasn’t been easy.  You’ve been through a lot.  But you’ve grown a lot too.  Give yourself credit for your resilience, and step forward again with grace.

Too often we spend our time waiting for the ideal path to appear.  But it never does.  Because we forget that paths are made by walking, not waiting.  Now is the time!  And no, you shouldn’t feel more confident and motivated before you take the next step.  Taking the next step is what builds your confidence and motivation, gradually.

Love what you do, until you can do what you love.  Love where you are, until you can be where you love.  Love the people you are with, until you can be with the people you love most.  This is the way we find happiness, opportunity, and peace in the long run.  (We discuss this in more detail in the “Happiness” chapter of our book.)

Ultimately, it’s about letting go of what you assume your life is supposed to be like right now and sincerely appreciating it for everything that it is.  At the end of this day, before you close your eyes, smile and be at peace with where you’ve been and grateful for what you have.  Life is good.

Your turn…

Before you go, let us know:

Which story or point above resonates the most with you right now?

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