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[alltimefail-sims]

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[perpetual-stories]

How To Fight Writers Block

hello, hello. hope everyone is doing well. as you can all tell, this post will be about how to fight writers block.

it’s really annoying to me when I hear people say “oh you don’t have writers block, you’re just lazy.”

first of all, yes, I am naturally lazy. second of all, how dare you. writing isn’t as easy as many think. granted, all you have to do is write down words on paper, but it’s not always easy to find the right words to express what you are feeling, or what you wish to say.

I have had terrible writer’s block for the last few days and it’s horrible! as a business owner or a small writing store, I have to be ready to write and fulfill my clients’ ideas and orders.

it’s not easy. It takes a heavy toll on my imagination, and digs me a deep pit of blockage, drowning in the lack of originality because of the constant writing and repetition or certain phrases and sentences in different projects.

i am making this post in the hopes to remind myself about over coming the dreaded and sometimes skeptically believed writer’s block.

What is writer’s block?

Yeah, I know. We all know what that is, but let me define it.

is the state of being unable to proceed with writing, and/or the inability to start writing something new

some people believe it to be a real problem, others believe it's “all in your head”

What Causes Writer’s Block?

in the 1970s, clinical psychologists Jerome Singer and Michael Barrios decided to find out

they concluded that there are four broad causes of writer's block:

Excessively harsh self-criticism

Fear of comparison to other writers

Lack of external motivation, like attention and praise

Lack of internal motivation, like the desire to tell one's story

How to overcome writer's block: 20 tips

1. Develop a writing routine:

Author and artist Twyla Tharp once wrote: “Creativity is a habit, and the best creativity is a result of good work habits.”

it might seem counterintuitive

if you only write when you “feel creative,” you're bound to get stuck in a tar pit of writer's block

The only way to push through is by disciplining yourself to write on a regular schedule. It might be every day, every other day, or just on weekends — but whatever it is, stick to it!

2. Use "imperfect" words:

A writer can spend hours looking for the perfect word or phrase to illustrate a concept

You can avoid this fruitless endeavor by putting, “In other words…” and simply writing what you’re thinking, whether it’s eloquent or not

You can then come back and refine it later by doing a CTRL+F search for “in other words.”

3. Do non-writing activities:

one of the best ways to climb out of a writing funk is to take yourself out of your own work and into someone else’s

Go to an exhibition, to the cinema, to a play, a gig, eat a delicious meal

immerse yourself in great STUFF and get your synapses crackling in a different way

Snippets of conversations, sounds, colors, sensations will creep into the space that once felt empty

4. Freewrite through it:

free-writing involves writing for a pre-set amount of time without pause — and without regard for grammar, spelling, or topic. You just write.

The goal of freewriting is to write without second-guessing yourself — free from doubt, apathy, or self-consciousness, all of which contribute to writer's block. Here’s how:

Find the right surroundings. Go somewhere you won't be disturbed.

Pick your writing utensils. Will you type at your computer, or write with pen and paper? (Tip: if you're prone to hitting the backspace button, you should freewrite the old-fashioned way!)

Settle on a time-limit. Your first time around, set your timer for just 10 minutes to get the feel for it. You can gradually increase this interval as you grow more comfortable with freewriting.

5. Relax on your first draft:

Many writers suffer form perfectionism, which is especially debilitating during a first draft

“Blocks often occur because writers put a lot of pressure on themselves to sound ‘right’ the first time. A good way to loosen up and have fun again in a draft is to give yourself permission to write imperfectly.” — editor Lauren Hughes

perfect is the enemy of good,” so don't agonize about getting it exactly right! You can always go back and edit, maybe even get a second pair of eyes on the manuscript

6. Don’t start at the beginning:

the most intimidating part of writing is the start, when you have a whole empty book to fill with coherent words

instead of starting with the chronological beginning of whatever it is you’re trying to write, dive into middle, or wherever you feel confident

7. Take a shower:

Have you ever noticed that the best ideas tend to arrive while in the shower, or while doing other “mindless” tasks?

research shows that when you’re doing something monotonous (such as showering, walking, or cleaning), your brain goes on autopilot, leaving your unconscious free to wander without logic-driven restrictions

showering is my favourite thing to do if I may add

8. Balance your inner critic:

successful writers have in common is the ability to hear their inner critic, respectfully acknowledge its points, and move forward

You don't need to completely ignore that critical voice, nor should you cower before it

you must establish a respectful, balanced relationship, so you can address what's necessary and skip over what's insecure and irrelevant

9. Switch up your tool:

a change of scenery can really help with writer's block. However, that scenery doesn't have to be your physical location — changing up your writing tool can be just as big a help!

if you’ve been typing on your word processor of choice, try switching to pen and paper. Or if you're just sick of Google Docs, consider using specialized novel writing software.

10. Change your POV:

great advice from editor Lauren Hughes: “When blocked, try to see your story from another perspective ‘in the room’ to help yourself move beyond the block. How might a minor character narrate the scene if they were witnessing it? A ‘fly on the wall’ or another inanimate object?

11. Exercise your creative muscles:

Any skill requires practice if you want to improve, and writing is no different! So if you’re feeling stuck, perhaps it’s time for a strengthening scribble-session to bolster your abilities

12. Map out your story:

If your story has stopped chugging along, help it pick up steam by taking a more structured approach — specifically, by writing an outline

13. Write something else:

Though it's important to try and push through writer's block with what you're actually working on, sometimes it's simply impossible

feel free to push your current piece to the side for now and write something new

14. Work on your characters:

It follows that if your characters are not clearly defined, you’re more likely to run into writer’s block

15. Stop writing for readers:

write for yourself, not your potential readers

this will help you reclaim the joy of being creative and get you back in touch with what matters: the story.

this is something I really need to do. because of my etsy business i don't write for fun anymore, but instead as a business and a deadline. i'm going to have to pull out my old crappy wattled fanfics or write some new ones.

16. Try a more visual process:

when words fail you, forget them and get visual. Create mind maps, drawings, Lego structures — ideally related to your story, but whatever unblocks your mind!

17. Look for the root of it:

writer’s block often comes from a problem deeper than simple “lack of inspiration.” So let's dig deep: why are you really blocked? Ask yourself the following questions:

Do I feel pressure to succeed and/or competition with other writers?

Have I lost sight of what my story is about, or interest in where it's going?

Do I lack confidence in my own abilities, even if I've written plenty before?

Have I not written for so long that I feel intimidated by the mere act?

Am I simply feeling tired and run-down?

once you identify what's wrong, it'll be so much easier to fix.

18. Quit the Internet:

If willpower isn’t your strong suit and your biggest challenge is staying focused, try a site blocker like Freedom or an app like Cold Turkey

19. Let the words find you:

meditate, go for a walk, take that shower

Word Palette is a great app that features a keyboard of random words, allowing you to simply click your way to your next masterpiece.

You can also try AI auto-completers like Talk to Transformer, where you can enter a phrase and let the app “guess what comes next.”

even though they often produce nonsense, it's a great way to help that writer's block.

20. Write like Hemingway:

And if your biggest block is your own self-doubt about your prose, Hemingway offers suggestions to improve your writing as you go

it's a pretty cool app if you ask me.

it highlights your sentences (if need be) and makes suggestions on how to improve them!

well, there you have it! a lengthy post on how to fight writer's block. now i just hope i can combat my own soon.

like, comment and reblog if you find this useful! feel free to reblog in instagram and tag me perpetualstories

Follow me on instagram and tumblr for more writing and grammar tips and more!

[rpbetter]

Hey there, check out this pinned post first!

Thanks for visiting Roleplay Better, where I believe that you can fucking do better! That kind of language, however, is why it is important for you to read this post before proceeding.

This blog and its posts are meant for an adult RPing audience; be over legal, adult age in the USA, 18+. Do not interact by submitting, asking, reblogging, commenting, or liking unless you are over eighteen years of age. By interacting with RPB or me, Vespertine, you are assumed to be following this rule. If you are breaking this rule, you will be blocked.

I have that rule because this blog can/will/does address topics inappropriate for a younger audience. Those can include, but are not limited to:

not safe for work - violence, injury, sexual language, smut, substance use

“dark topics” and themes like violence, unhealthy relationships, mental illness, trauma, graphic injury, dubious consent, substance use, and so forth addressed realistically

foul, sexual, and otherwise “Adult” language

 unpopular opinions and approaches about writing, RP, fandoms

“negativity” since literally anything can be, and my whole point here isn’t about holding back; it is likely that, at some point, in some post or another, a shoe will fit you-you need to be mature enough to handle that without taking it as a personal attack on you

images and links that may contain things inappropriate for a younger audience

this blog is founded upon the idea that fiction has reflections in reality, but that fiction does not utterly equate to reality. You should write with realism, your characters should be people in their own right, and you should absolutely be addressing many popular topics responsibly, which is to say realistically. I do not support or otherwise condone purity culture, so while realism is a big deal here, fiction = reality arguments are a no

seriously, you have no idea how fucking salty I am! I try to be fair, reasonable, and mellow with everyone, but it can and does come out.

This blog tags for common, major triggers, but it is not for those easily triggered or particularly sensitive. By proceeding, you take responsibility for yourself...like a mature adult. I expect you to utilize blacklist, unfollow, and block. Tag format is simple, it is literally just the word in most cases, with “cw” and “tw” added to particularly common things. Example, a post containing a breakdown of forms of dubcon will be tagged #dubcon #dubious consent. If that was specifically of a sexual nature, since tumblr is unfriendly to using Not Safe For Work now, I will be using #notsafe for sexual topics. In the event that this needs to change, it will be posted about, the previous tag left intact, so that you may update your blacklist.

You are always welcome to send me an ask or private message requesting a particular trigger be tagged for you. I try to check blogs I see following, especially if I follow back, so that I can tag what you require. However, I’m a person, I’m an ND, ill, busy person though, I do make mistakes!

If you find yourself desirous of telling me to tag in a hateful way, don’t. You will not be responded to with an apology and kindness. Do not be rude, it’s uncalled for when informing someone of a problem or making a request.

I will run the blog largely on a queue, and will not be following many people back. This is not personal! I just like to try to provide content at many different times, have a life elsewhere, and I am so happy that you love your fandom, but it might not be something I’ve enough interest in to have on my dash.

Don’t tumblr message me. Use the inbox or submit.

Due to recent events, I am changing this rule. It’s hard for me to receive messages unexpectedly, and I hate to imply that I’ll be able to get to these quicker because it isn’t the truth. Quicker, better responses come from the inbox. However, there have been too many incidents lately in which people needed to speak privately and had to make that a request. If you’re having a problem and need to vent, request sensitive advice, etc.? It’s alright, go ahead and drop me a PM, y’all. I’ll get back to you as soon as I am able. Please, do not be angry with me if I respond to inbox things or my queue is running! You’re important to me, I just might not have the requisite social cognition and energy you deserve at that time.

Aggressive inbox messages will be responded to in kind. I don’t care if you are on anon or not, if you haven’t an ounce of polite communication skills, I won’t have them either. This is not a “we don’t publish anon hate” blog.

I highly encourage asks and submissions on any and all RP topics, and it’s perfectly alright to be salty as fuck in them, you can totally vent here, but don’t take out your frustration on me or be demanding of me. I am always happy to help with information, advice, or just a response to your venting-it’s important to know someone is listening. However, it may take me a few days to a week to get to you, be patient. 

If you are going to vent, leave out usernames. This isn’t a callout or burnbook blog. It’s fine to state characters and fandoms, but if this becomes a problem, it’ll have to change. I don’t want this becoming a salt blog for one or two fandoms I very likely can’t even stand. Practice the fine art of alluding to things, its good experience for your writing! Besides, RPC problems are RPC problems, I promise. It might feel like it’s just your fandom, but there is something relatable in all corners.

I will not overly police comments. Keep the slurs and shit out of it, though. If there is an issue going on pertaining to a serious instance of hate speech, or behavior I, personally, deem as too inappropriate and/or immature to be taking place on my post, I will step in. Otherwise, I expect everyone to be adults in the comments and reblogs too. If you want to argue with each other, that’s your business. If you want to argue with me, I’m not sorry in advance.

Addition to the above: this is not a blog in which it will be tolerated that commentators or those submitting with the URLS are targeted for callouts, shaming, or other instances of bullying. No, I cannot make those people stop bothering you by blocking them, but the least I can do is address that by shutting down their access to this blog and it’s posts by blocking on the URLs I have for them. And I will. Fuck that “we can’t be responsible for” shit. It’s my blog, it’s my content I’m putting out there, I’m not going to just ignore shit like what went down over on COAR, thanks. Not. Cool.

This is definitely not a place for:

people who think giving muses labels, including top/bottom “dynamics,” is a good substitute for character traits, personality, and development

those with no reading comprehension skills

folks dependent upon aesthetics and aesthetics-based purple prose as filler for actual writing

anti-original character/just wants to fuck a FC or canon character club, get the fuck out immediately

y’all who see writing as an obstacle to getting down to action, be that smut, drama, or fight scenes...it’s literally a writing hobby

politics, any manner of phobe or ism, violent/non-inclusive feminists, purity/rpc/fandom/content police of any manner, and exactly any manner of racism, sexism, or religious intolerance - I give not a shit if it’s popular to hate the straights, for example, I neither believe in nor tolerate reactionary classifying of any group as blanket-statement evil

people who are going to tack onto my posts shit like, “it’s okay, OP, you can say x character.” Trust me, if I were talking about one character, I fucking would name drop them, don’t bring me into your fandom drama, I doubt I know or want to know who that anime guy is who looks like 12 other anime guys to me.

About Vespertine

You can call me that, Vespertine. I’d rather you didn’t go with Vesper, but as it is unfortunately so likely to happen, I won’t feed you to the dogs over it either. RPB Mun is also acceptable.

I’m alright with either she/her or he/him, they/them is also fine. Apparently, that was big enough clue-in for the poor reading comp crowd, so while I feel it is not of importance, I’m nonbinary, yes.

Late 30′s, chronically ill but still working adult with neurodivergence. I’m both busy and Busy, and always sick. This limits my brain power and ability to be here. I have an active RP blog that I won’t be sharing to keep responsible distance. That is always going to be my priority, it is my primary hobby.

Please, don’t tumblr message me totally random things if we don’t have that kind of relationship! I’m too ill and busy, and it really fucks my nerves to have a bunch of messages/have to suddenly interact socially with people. Don’t do it. Use my inbox, use the submit, comment on posts. I cannot do random messages of “hey” and so forth.

I only do written RP, don’t expect me to understand much of anything from tabletop. I’ve RPed for the last 23 years consistently, on every platform from AOL chats to forums to messengers and here. I also don’t do RP in discord, so I’m sorry, but I can’t advise you much on anything with a word count, except to stop it for serious RP. Other than that, I promise you that I’ve seen the trends, the drama, the fandoms. I can give a lot of advice and perspective on a wide range of topics, situations, and characters! When I don’t have a clue at all, I’ll try to do enough research to give you an answer.

Do I come off as a horrible, strict asshole? I do! I’m not going to say that I am just a shy bean who is more scared of you than you are me. I’m not. I’m honestly feral, but have common decency, compassion, and sense. All of which are lacking in the general RPC. So, if you can inbox/common/otherwise interact with anyone else on this site, you can totally handle me!

Honesty and openness are policies.

And in the spirit of that, I repeat; you can fucking do better, tumblr RPC!

[jiminthestreets-bonesinthesheets]

Final Fantasy: At Lucis End - CH 1

Fandom: Final Fantasy XV, Final Fantasy 

Rating: Mature

Pairing: Noctis Lucis Caelum/Original Female Character(s) 

AO3

Masterlist

Summary:

    A treaty. A light at the end of the tunnel that King Regis had been staring down for years. A proposal. A wedding that stands to save the lands. A betrayal. That could tear it all down. And a love. So strong yet so torn.

    The war between Lucis and Niflheim could come to an end, but much will have to be sacrificed along the way. And in the end, would it even be enough? Would the loss of life, love, and family be enough to save the people of Lucis? Or will it all come crumbling down in the end?

*** MY WORK IS NOT TO BE POSTED ON ANY OTHER SITE WITHOUT MY EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION. THOUGH REBLOGS AND COMMENTS ARE SUPER LOVED AND APPRECIATED! THANKS FAM!***

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter one

     "And in the heat of battle, Lucis’s fiercest warrior, lands flat on her ass all so she could look cool while taking down a Bandersnatch,“ Libertus leaned back in his chair as he recalled the memory from years ago, snorting a laugh before he continued, "here she was thinking she was hot stuff, goes running in, trips over her own feet, goes catapulting across the battlefield, and ends up skidding back first through a huge pile of who knows what. I was laughing so hard I couldn’t even fight.”

     "Why is this your favourite story to tell?“ A female voice asked from beside him, "I’m pretty sure everyone here has heard it a thousand times already, and gods know I don’t want to relive it every time you get drunk.”

     He laughed again and slapped a hand on the table, “Because it was the exact moment that you finally learned your lesson and realized that what Nyx was always telling you was true. Battles are not won through sheer strength or brute force, but-”

     "But the will with which a warriors heart bleeds for their lands and people, and their willingness to die for their loyalties. Yes, I know.“

     "At least you’ve learned something,” he snorted another laugh and slapped a hand on her shoulder, shifting her armour, “but you were young then. Nyx had just taken you in not long before that, and you thought you were the strength with which Lucis would win the war. So, despite Nyx telling you to hold back and think out your strategy, you go running in, all swollen ego and cocky grin, and in the end you landed in crap. Literally, you smelled like shit for six days after that.”

     She laughed into her drink, despite the embarrassment it was a good story, even she would admit that, “Whatever, I still killed it.”

     The entire table of Glaives erupted in laughter at the pair’s usual banter, “Glad to see you managed to carry over at least some of that ego. But now look at you,” he gestured to her, “you truly are the kingdom’s greatest warrior. Strong, smart, the best fighter I’ve seen in years, and now you stand side by side with the king and his son. You’ve made the Glaive proud. Araceli Ulric, pride of the Kingsglaive.

     "And this has officially gotten too sappy for me,” she downed the last of her drink in one go and stood from the table, “I have to go find Nyx anyways, we have some strategy to work out before another attack. So be ready for a briefing tomorrow.”

     They all groaned in mock annoyance as she turned and made her way to the exit of the bar with a wave behind her.

     "Libertus!“ The name was heard faintly over the chaos inside the bar. He looked around but saw no one, then it was heard again, closer this time, "Libertus!”

     He turned to see a familiar face running towards him, bouncing between the people and scattered tables before he came to a stop where he was sitting. He leaned on the table close to Libertus, “My friend, I come bearing news.”

     "Domenic,“ he turned towards the man beside him, a member of the king’s advisors who he had known for years, "what’s so urgent?”

     "This news,“ he began with a shake of his head leaning in even closer, "if the king knew I had given you this information, it could be my end.”

     "You know I would never betray you. What’s wrong?“

     He took a quick look around then leaned back into Libertus, "We must find Nyx. It involves Noctis.”

     "Is he alright?!“

     "Yes, but…” he moved back and waved for Libertus to follow him, “we must find Nyx. This information must be passed on to him and then Araceli, and it cannot come from anyone else. She must be informed, but it must be Nyx who does so, for if she hears it form anyone else gods save their soul. And If she hears it straight from Noctis it could be bad, she must be prepared. We both know she will need her time to think before addressing the issue head on.”

     "Let’s go then,“ he stood, albeit slightly wobbled, and hurried out the door with Domenic, "explain to me on the way, I know where he’ll be.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

     "Have you seen Nyx?“

     "Sorry, Lady Ulrich, I haven’t seen him today.”

     "No worries,“ she said as she continued through the halls of the citadel, "I’ll find him eventually.”

     She continued to wander, searching every room of the citadel and finding the usual staff and Glaive members who always filled the halls, but could not for the life of her find the one person she had been looking for for the better part of her afternoon.

     She turned down yet another hallway when her name was called from behind and she turned with a smile, immediately recognizing the voice, “Nyx! I’ve been looking for you all day! Where were you?”

     She turned and walked back to where he had stopped walking. “I have to tell you something.”

     "And we have work to do,“ she ran the last few steps towards him and gave his chest a light jab, dipping and diving while she laid a few more light blows, play fighting with him as they always did, though this time he wasn’t playing back, "we have to rethink strategy before we are attacked again, and have it all prepared for a briefing tomorrow with the rest of the Glaive. So tell me in the strategy room.”

     "No, Araceli,“ he tried to grab her hands and keep her still but she kept dodging him, "let me tell you now. You’re not going to like this, and it needs to come from me.”

     "Why?“ She dodged his hands again and pretended to punch his jaw.

     "It’s delicate,” he finally manages to capture her hands and hold them still in front of him as he continued, “it involves you.”

     "Me?“ She looked around Nyx to where Libertus and Domenic were standing at the end of the hall, watching on with unmoving expressions, then back to Nyx, "What’s going on?”

     "When I tell you this, I understand you’ll need time, anyone in your position should-“

     "Nyx, tell me what’s wrong.”

     He took a breath and squeezed her hands still in his, “Lucis and Niflheim came to an agreement today, a peace treaty was signed.” she eyed him and nodded, “The treaty called for peace between the two lands on the terms that Noctis marry the Niflheim Princess Lunafreya. He’s leaving in three days to start the journey there, and Regis wants you as part of his envoy.”

     Nyx let her hands go when he felt her pulling them away, watched as she backed away from him with furrowed brows and her lip between her teeth.

     "I know you’ll need some time, but-“

     "When did this happen?”

     "This morning.“

     "Does Noctis know?”

     Nyx sighed, he knew where this was going, “Yes,” she scoffed and looked away, “but it’s not his fault, everyone wanted it to come from me.”

     "Why?!“ She turned on him, anger in her eyes, "Why did it have to come from you?! Why couldn’t he tell me himself?!”

     "This is why,“ he tried to reach out and take her shoulders but she jolted away, "you can’t be angry with him, this isn’t his choice.”

     "He still could have told me,“ she shook her head as she backed away, "we are best friends, basically grew up together, we’ve been through so much, trained side by side. I…”

     Nyx sighed and spoke softly to her, almost afraid to scare her off, “I know this is a lot to take in especially considering how the two of you…” he could see the tears in her eyes welling, ready to spill over, but also knew that there was no way he could comfort her right now. Nothing would make this better, nothing could change it. “You have three days. Take them and sort your emotions, figure out what you want to do, and then talk to him when you’re ready.”

     "This is…" She couldn’t even finish, her voice choking her as she just turned and started walking down the hall, eventually turning into a run, then Nyx watched as she warped herself away.

~~~~~~~~~~~

     She ended up on the far side of the castle before she stopped breathless in the courtyard out back. She had been running and warping for what felt like hours. She was exhausted physically and emotionally, and still felt like she had made no progress in sorting out any of her thoughts.

     She wiped her forehead on the back of her sleeve, huffed to catch her breath, and kept her back to the large double doors to the citadel when she heard them open behind her.

     "Araceli.“ She closed her eyes as she recognized the voice. "Ara?”

     She turned slowly towards the voice, the last person she wanted to see. “Prince Noctis”

     "You know that’s not necessary between us, formalities.“

     "Isn’t it?” She stares at him a moment before she says, “Perhaps it should start to become common practice then, since you are now to be wed then crowned king, I should no longer be so familiar.”

     He looked her over, saw the redness in her eyes and cheeks, the anguish clearly written on her face, and nodded, "You know.”

     "Yeah, I know,“ she nearly whispered, "wish it would have come from you though, wish we could have talked about this before I had to hear it from Nyx.”

     "I didn’t have a choice.“

     "I know,” she ran a shaking hand through her hair and slapped it against her side, “this was your father’s choice, I understand that, but…”

     "I’m sorry,“ he choked, nearly in years himself, "but maybe we-”

     She backed away stopping him in his steps towards her, “Noct, no. These are your father’s orders, your king’s orders, there’s nothing we can do to change that.”

     "But Ara-“

     She stopped him with a hand up before he could make the hole on her chest any deeper. "I shall take my leave now, my Prince,” then she turned on her heel to leave and he stopped her with a hand on her arm and she shook it off much to his surprise.

     “Please, don’t go.” she could hear the desperation in his voice but closed her eyes to try and block it out.

     “But I can’t stay, even after you’re married.”

     “What do you mean?”

     She took a heavy breath, looking up to him with pure anguish in her eyes, “I can’t stay. After you’ve been taken and wed, I’ll have to move on. This… us, whatever this is, it can’t continue after your wedding. And should I stay here it would only prove to be far too difficult to resist being close to each other, as close as we’ve always been, and that wouldn’t be fair to either of us or your new wife. So I’m leaving Insomnia.”

     “You don’t have to leave,” he shook his head, a desperate look in his eyes, “I want you to stay.”

     “Why?” she raised her hands and let them fall to her sides heavily, “Once you’re married, what else have I got left?”

     He didn’t say anything more, didn’t really know what to say, or if he could say anything around the hole that had just been punched into his gut. So instead he watched speechless as she bow curtly, something she only ever did out of pure teasing, and left.

~~~~~~~~~~~

     “Well that went just about as well as I thought it would.”

     Libertus was back at the bar he had been at the day before. It was now coming up on dawn and he was sitting across from a very unusually quiet Nyx who still had not touched his drink. Libertus was already halfway through his second.

     Nyx ran both of his hands through his hair, and without looking up from the table muttered, “This is going to break her.”

     “Yeah, it is,” Libertus nodded, looking into the last dregs of his drink before downing it, and waving at a waiter for another, “do you think she’ll talk to him? Tell him?”

     He shook his head, “Her stubborn ass, no.”

     “She has to!” Libertus waved a hand then slammed his fist on the table, nearly knocking over his new drink as the waiter placed it beside him, “This is literally her last chance! Their last chance!”

     “I’m not sure it would make a difference, Libertus,” he crossed his arms across the table and finally looked up, “even if she did, Regis’s words are final, the treaty’s already been signed. I don’t think there would be a way around it, at least not a way that wouldn’t result in the continuation of the war. Regis is trying to end it, she won’t get in the way of it, and Noctis will do whatever he needs to, to help.”

     “And what good is that if our sweet girl and the little prince are both miserable in doing so?”

     “It’s not really a question of being miserable, Lib, it’s a matter of lives. Many of which have already been lost fighting this damn war.”

     He sighed and looked back down at the table as Libertus spoke again. “Do you think it will even matter?” He didn’t look up, but he knew exactly what Libertus was talking about. “I know Regis is tired, and we’ve lost so much already, but do you really think that this peace treaty will end this war?”

     Nyx just shook his head, “It won’t.”

     “Iedolas wants control, we both know this,” he nudged Nyx’s arm, gaining his attention, “and there’s something off about this treaty if you ask me. I mean, after all these years of fighting, why now come to Lucis and suddenly offer a peace treaty? Iedolas was fighting for dominance over the territories, this doesn’t gain him anything.”

     “It doesn’t make sense,” Nyx agreed, “nothing makes sense. Having Noctis marry Lunafreya doesn’t give Iedolas any power, it actually shifts the power completely to Noctis. It gives him rule of Lucis and Niflheim when he’s crowned.”

     “I don’t know,” he shook his head, “there has to be some sort of alternative motive to this but I just don’t know what yet.”

     “Well, the prince leaves in three days,” Nyx said, finally taking a sip of his drink, “I think we should try to figure out as much information as we can before Noctis reaches Niflheim, and keep the Glaive close to Regis. Maybe we can figure out what’s behind this treaty and stop Iedolas before he can do whatever it is he’s planning.”

     “Yeah, and stop this ridiculous marriage while we’re at it.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

     Noctis walked slowly to the edge of the roof of the citadel. He had known that the second she warped away from him in the halls, this is where she would be, but he had decided to give her some time to herself. And as dawn was just starting to hit the horizon, he came to sit beside her, looking out over the swirls of pinks before them.

     “I don’t want you to go.”

     “I have no other choice,” she whispered.

     Noctis risked a quick glance at her face, cheeks littered with freshly stained tear tracks, “There is always a choice, you’re just taking the harder road out of pure stubborness.” She just shook her head. “I thought we were friends.”

     “Are we?” She looked to him then, and he just stared back slightly worried, “Or is there more lingering between us?”

     “I…” he turned and looked down over the city, away from her gaze.

     “Yeah, that’s what I thought,” she turned and looked back over at the rising sun, “but there can’t be more between us now. Not when you have a wife. And I won’t sit back and be left to stand at a distance only to yearn for what she has that I know I can’t, nor can I be a constant distraction to you. It wouldn’t be fair to either of us, Noct.”

     “So you’ll just leave?”

     “What do I gain if I stay?” She pulled her knees up to her chest to wrap her arms tightly around them. “A life of disappointment? A broken heart? I can’t go through that. It’s already hard enough that I’ll have to be a part of the envoy that will deliver you to your waiting bride, and then have to sit through a wedding that I wish with all my being was not taking place. But I will do my duty and make sure you get there safely, and then once you are wed and back inside the walls of Lucis, I will leave. You’ll never see me again after that, it’s for the best, for both of us.”

     “I don’t want that.”

     “You can’t have it any other way.”

     “So let’s leave.” She turned to look at him, his expression completely serious. “Both of us. I don’t want to marry Lunafreya, but I’m being forced to because of this treaty, because my father and king is telling me I have to. But now that we both know the truth, who cares.”

     “Noct…”

     “I only want you.” He placed his hand over hers and she sighed.

     “You don’t mean that.”

     “Of course I do,” he shifted closer to her, “I’ve meant it for years.”

     She shook her head, “That’s not what I meant, Noct. You and I… we wasted so much time where we could have been together, but now we can’t do that. Regis is trying to make peace for the people, and you have to marry Lunafreya to do that. And no matter what, Noct, no matter how we feel about each other, you can’t run away from Lucis. These people need you, and I know that in your heart you could never leave them behind.”

     “But-”

     “Noctis,” she stopped him, “years ago I ran away from something I should have never left behind. I disappointed a lot of people and I will never be forgiven for what I did, this is my punishment. For all the lives I failed I will never be allowed to live the one I want.”

     “I don’t believe that.”

     “You don’t know what I did,” she sighed, “and if you knew, I don’t believe we would be so close.”

     A moment of silence passed between them before he looked back up to her and asked, “Why didn’t you say something before? About how you felt.”

     “So many reasons.”

     “Tell me them.”

     “I can’t,” she shook her head.

     “Why not?”

     “I told you, Noct,” she turned to look at him with a sad smile, “you would look at me differently, and I won’t have that.”

     “I could never,” he answered confidently.

     “You say that now, but you would.”

     “I wouldn’t care,” he shook his head, “no matter what your past holds, I want you to be in my future, always. I will always love you, I always have.”

     She wanted to say it back, but she knew she couldn’t, not when Noctis had a duty to his kingdom before anything else, and she couldn’t get in the way of that. She took a deep, stabbing breath, then said instead, “But you can’t, you must love the Princess Lunafreya now.”

     “My father, if he knew about us he-”

     “Would not change his mind,” She bit her lip, trying to hold back the next onslaught of tears she could feel coming, “as the king demands so shall it be done.” Another moment of silence passed between them, then she asked. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

     “I was afraid,” he nearly whispered, “I was afraid you wouldn’t feel the same and then you’d leave me, but it turns out that’s what I got in the end anyways.”

     She sighed, looking out over the kingdom below them, the sun now past the horizon and whispered, “I’m sorry, Noct.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

                                                     NEXT

A/N: Sooo yeah, thats chapter one, so let me know what yall think XD And I promised i would tag @wisteriayamashi my new friend!! *waves* And I’ll also tag @prettyprompto @tea-time-with-devil-traps @idiotflowerex  If y’all know anyone else that would be interested please tag them! And if anyone wants to be tagged for furture posted just let me know XD

<3<3<3</p>

[knightshade-ships]

Self-Insert Positivity Day!!

I think I’ll just...go through all these questions in order. I can’t really think of any way to really tweak it or improve on it.

What got you into self shipping/self insert content? Who or what inspired you?

Honestly, like a lot of the replies I’ve seen, I’ve been shipping myself with characters and inserting myself into their worlds since before I knew it was a common thing that people did. It seems like for as long as I can remember, with every movie or TV show I watched, or every game I played, I’d find some way to imagine myself right in the thick of things, making friends with the different characters, helping them with their fights...and eventually, in some cases, even dating some of them.

It wasn’t that I had a particularly troubled childhood--I had friends at school, a brother to play with at home, and things at home were pretty good for the most part. But I had--and still continue to have--a very active imagination. Being in the “real world” wasn’t good enough for me; I wanted more. I wanted adventure and action and fun, a chance to make a different somewhere, and self-inserting made that possible for me. I still kept in on the down-low, though. I’m...a little too used to the weird glances and questions people sometimes give, so for the most part it’s just between me and fellow self-shippers!

I didn’t actually get into the self-insert/self-ship community until around October of last year. I’m not even sure what really prompted it--I just remember noticing a lot of blogs at around the same time, openly posting and gushing and sharing content about things that I’d...always done, but had never realized that other people do this, too. It was a great moment for me to realize that I wasn’t alone, and that there was a whole online community who would understand my hobby!

What do you like to do when it comes to self ship/self insert? Are you a content creator, or do you enjoy taking part in things?

I’m largely a writer, and I’ve written all sorts of self-indulgent things for my various ships throughout the years. Most of them were pretty bad, not gonna lie, but I had fun writing them anyway. I kept most of them tucked away in notebooks--sadly, I don’t have much of my older pieces, but I remember filling three separate notebooks purely with a self-insert series set in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon (and these were three separate “books”. I’m actually very proud of past me for cranking out that much work, and I envy that level of executive function).

I haven’t posted much recently, but it’s mostly because I have too many ideas of what to write, and not enough ideas of how to execute any of them. I’ve also tried to get back into drawing more self ship content, too--I’m not always confident in my art, but you can’t improve if you never practice!

I really like taking part in the events the self ship community has--takeovers and “to my S/I” are probably my two favorites, just because it’s a great chance to get to know each other and their various F/Os.

How long have you been self shipping or creating self inserts for?

Like I said above, it’s pretty much been going on for as long as I can remember. Most of my self inserts are just me, but tweaked in some way--stronger, or faster, or with some sort of skillset I only wish I had in real life. In my ff.net days, my self inserts were under the very thin disguise of being OCs (I named them after myself 95% of the time, and looking back I doubt this really fooled anyone. But I was 14 at the time, so I convinced myself that this was a Very Clever and Foolproof Thing).

Have you made any friends within the community?

Oh geez, yes! I’ve met so many wonderful and lovely people in the community, and I’m partially scared to list them all out in case I forget someone by accident ;-; But I’ll list of a bunch of notable people that come to mind, either because we’ve talked a lot, they’ve inspired me in some way, I admire them and their blog, or some combination of all three.

@mezzanottespazzatura (Discord friendo and always listens when I constantly bombard her with half-baked AUs xD)

@tayshipping (Fellow AC and Overwatch shipper!!! We don’t talk much but I’d love to change that sometime)

@catbov (We haven’t talked much but I see you in my notifications all the time and I love you)

@raspberrylimerickey (Fellow Grimm shipper, also your ship names are A+)

@justafictionalthing (You’re so nice to me I know we don’t talk much but I love you)

@sun-bea-m (You’ve also popped up in my notifications a lot lately--I see you and I love you)

@comic-books-and-snipers (We should definitely talk more, your blog [and also your old one at @xdigital-hearts] is part of what got me to make my own blog!)

@selfshippingsylveon (I remember you being one of the first blogs I followed and I’m so glad I did, I love seeing you on my dashboard!)

@felixschreave (I’m really glad you liked that Jhin letter, also you said nice things about me in the tags once and I still smile when I think about it aslhlhsdafh you’re awesome)

@shiroeswife (it’s so good to have you on my dash, your blog is 11/10 quality)

@husband-of-lucoa (Your ship[s] with Lucoa and Palutena are A+ and so are all of your adopted kiddos??? Such a good family omg 11/10)

@plucky-belmondo (A fellow friend of Kirby and the Gang(tm)! We haven’t talked all that much but I associate Richter solely with you now and that’s just how it’s gonna be on this earth)

@little-fairyfox-ships (You pop up in my notifications every now and then and it makes me smile because I’m still so flattered you follow me?? That could apply to everyone else who follows me too, though, I mean why are you all here I love you--)

@selfshippingnerd (Dude, you’re one of the first self-shipping blogs I found on this site!! You’re honestly art goals and I love seeing the works you make for your ships!)

@magi-roses-draws19 (Every now and then I have to stop myself from rapidly liking/reblogging everything you’ve posted because I just really like your blog, you’ve got excellent taste)

@thadeeliv-si (We haven’t talked all that much but I smile whenever you pop up in my notifications)

@come-along-here-and-spin-with-me (You’re just??? So nice??? We should talk more but tbh I get nervous to because I really admire your blog and I don’t know why you follow me ashlfdhasldfh)

@the-ruby-eyed-rat (I JUST remembered I have that Pokemon ask you sent me sitting in my drafts still ;-; Thank you for sending me asks even though I keep getting distracted by shiny things before I can finish them)

@theno-lifequeen (Thank you so much for sending me numerous Skitty pictures whenever I start getting sad on here, it honestly makes my day and I appreciate it so much <3) (Also I’m amassing an army and soon my Skitty forces will crush my depression into the ground)

And to all of you reading this, even if I haven’t tagged you: I want you guys to know that I appreciate all of you so much, all of your ships are canon, and your F/Os love you even more than I do! Have a great day, everyone!!

[thebellwitchblog]

Some Things I Feel the Need to Address in Fandom

Hello there! I’ve been in fandom for a long time and as such have witnessed it evolve into what it is today. I wasn’t around during the times when people feared Anne Rice and her lawyers, but I did pop into the scene soon after when the horror was still fresh in everyone’s minds, and I’ve been around in some capacity ever since. Fandom has always always had problems that needed addressing, and that’s what I intend to do in this post. Yes, there are plenty of posts just like this one floating around Tumblr and other sites where fandom gathers, even in the author’s notes of fanfiction where disclaimers once stood.

All fandoms across the board have the same problems, some more so than others, but the same general themes show up. Of course depending on the canon material there are more problems of certain types than others, but really most problems stem from one thing: People are trying to police how others experience fandom.

What do I mean by this? Well, simply put, select people are trying to decide what is and isn’t acceptable for other people to do in fandom. This goes beyond educating about polite ways to interact with each other and straight into deciding what is or isn’t okay to headcanon or ship.

The major problem with this is that fandom arose from people that were passionate about some creative work or another and wanted to share this passion with others, even if they didn’t agree on certain aspects what bound them together was their shared love for the source material. There have always been ship wars and discourse in the communities, but here within the last few years, particularly here on Tumblr, these have gotten out of hand.

It is perfectly fine to disagree about who should be paired together, to disagree over headcanons and how characters should be remade. It’s okay to disagree, but once disagreements become demonization and a toxic us vs them ideology then fandom becomes a dangerous place. I’ve witnessed all out vicious wars on here over things like shipping a 17 year old with someone in their mid-20s. This isn’t okay.

Fanon is literally anything you want it to be. That’s why it isn’t canon. Fanon is taking the canon and changing it up as much as you would like until it’s perfectly suited for you. Do you ship these two characters? Great now they’re together in your fanon. Do you think this character gives off major ace vibes? Well guess what! They’re ace! In your fanon. Your fanon does not under any circumstances get to invalidate someone else’s. Let me repeat that one more time, but bolded. Your fanon does not, under any circumstances, get to invalidate someone else’s.

So far I’ve talked in really general terms, but now I’m going to address some more specific things I’ve seen. Again, these aren’t about any specific fandom, but specific problems I’ve seen people fighting over in multiple fandoms.

Shipping minors with adults. This is, not gonna lie, a very very iffy area and it comes up a lot. Whether or not this is okay is dependent on the age gap. NOT the age gap in the canon work, but rather the age gap in your fanon. What do I mean by this? Well, let’s say a character in canon is 21 and you’re wanting to draw them with another character that’s maybe 15 in canon. How could this be made remotely okay? Easy! Age up the younger or de-age the older enough that they’re within an acceptable age gap. This sort of stuff has existed in fandom since the dawn of fandom. It’s really nothing new. Note: This is not pedophilia! Pedophilia, by definition, is a chronophilia (sexual attraction to individuals within a specific stage of life), and mental illness, characterized by the sexual attraction to pre-pubescent children, which the DSM-5 includes up to age 13, by adults. Even without changing the ages, a 15 year old being shipped with a 21 year old is not pedophilia. It is Hebephilia or, more likely, Ephebophilia depending on whether the 15 year old is experiencing puberty or just after it and what definition of the two you reference as these have not been formally included as a mental illness as of yet and thus do not have an agreed upon age range, but regardless 14 and 15 year olds do not fall in the range of pedophilia.

Shipping canonically non-het characters in het relationships. This is what we’ve been doing all along with cishet characters this entire time, guys. Literally probably 90% of slash/femslash (oh geez are these terms even used anymore? I think I’m showing my age) is two canonically heterosexual characters being shipped in a pretty gay relationship. Granted this usually happens because there wasn’t a lot of representation, but now that representation is growing it’s to be expected that people are going to do the same with the LGBT characters. This goes right back to what I touched on earlier in this post- let everyone experience fandom like they want. Note: It is not homophobic to ship a non-het character with someone of the opposite gender just like it’s not heterophobic to ship two het characters in a gay relationship. This especially goes for characters that we don’t know their sexuality specifically we just know that they’re non-het.

Feeling like the creators of the source work owe you something. This one isn’t something you see outright stated a lot, but it’s evident in how people act towards animation studios, authors, etc. Whenever something doesn’t go how people want it to in the canon, then people practically riot and threaten the creators- even the voice actors and actors will get hate from fans when they don’t have any, or very minimal, control over where the story goes. Yes, you can get upset over what happens in the canon and get worked up, but when it gets to threats and absolute chaos? Especially when it’s just a rumor? That’s not okay anymore. That’s when it gets toxic. We have headcanons and fanon for a reason. It’s there so that if the canon material goes completely opposite of what you’d like you can still have that perfect ending. That’s a large part of why we have fanworks. 

Other Problematic Ships. Policing ships isn’t always due to age gaps. I’ve witnessed it with canonically abusive characters a lot, for instance. Regardless of why a ship is “problematic” there is no excuse for telling someone they cannot ship it. Not only does this fall back to the whole “Let everyone experience fandom how they want” ideology I’ve brought up on multiple occasions throughout this post, but also they can interpret this ship however they want. People disregard canon a lot in fandom, so why is this any different? More often than not the character isn’t abusive in their fanon no matter what the canon might say. Even if the character is still abusive in the ship, that doesn’t mean they’re not allowed to ship it. I’ve talked to some people where these ships were an honest to god coping mechanism for them after they got out of an abusive relationship. Note: This does not make it okay to romanticize abuse.

These next few points aren’t specific to fandom but instead Tumblr as a whole that are a huge problem in fandom as well.

Echochambers. Tumblr, and social media in general, is notorious for this. People surround themselves with like-minded people and block anyone that even slightly differs from their opinions. Why is this a bad thing? Because when we’re surrounded by the same viewpoints our viewpoint narrows. A lot. And misinformation spreads faster and is harder to get rid of. Not to mention other problems such as nurturing an us vs them ideology. Things get blown out of proportion, people become unable to cope with opposition, and it’s just not a good time for anyone involved.

Callout Culture. Callout posts are so so so common that it is honestly overwhelming. If you’ve been on this site and actively posting for any length of time, you’ve probably been called out by someone for some perceived crime against humanity. Whether or not you actually committed this crime, or if this “crime” is actually worth the backlash, you’re now blacklisted by a varying number of people depending on how many followers the person has. Congratulations! Crimes can be, but are certainly not limited to: - reblogging a post from someone you didn’t know was some vile creature in human clothing (whether they actually are one or not doesn’t matter. What matters is they’re considered one). - you used a term you had no earthly idea was a slur. No slap on the wrist for you, you’re going straight to the gallows. - posting fanart of a ship someone considers problematic (see two prime examples above!) Why is Callout Culture such a problem? It demonizes and turns entire communities against someone for minor mistakes or entirely bogus reasons in the first place. If someone makes a mistake they shouldn’t be blacklisted immediately; they should be informed of why what they did was wrong first and foremost and given the chance to change.

Holding Grudges. Please. I am begging you. Let. People. Grow. If someone says something years ago and then not only apologizes but proves they’ve changed? Let it go and move on. What is the point in insisting that people need to widen their views if you won’t let them live down a mistake they made beforehand? If they change then reward their efforts instead of holding their mistakes over their head. This goes for actors and actresses, directors, producers, people here on Tumblr, etc.

I could keep going and bring up even more problems, but honestly I’m tired. It’s time to wrap this up.  tl;dr stop acting like you own fandom and let people do what they want. Let people ship what they want, headcannon what they want, etc etc etc. Fandom belongs to everyone and canon material belongs to the actual creator, not you. The only thing you own is the stuff that you make. Mind your own business, stay in your lane, and let things go every now and then. You’ll be a lot happier, I promise.

[fatecaster]

12 Inspiring Quotes for 2018 – Monthly Motivation to Look Forward To - Reblog

Find the original blog post at: http://ift.tt/2BazsYw

12 Inspiring Quotes for 2018 - Monthly Motivation to Look Forward To

I believe that we all have our own inner wisdom to guide us; that said, I also understand that we can use our shared wisdom to fine-tune our individual motivation. These quotes, one for each month, offer observations, wit, and encouragement to infuse the coming year with energy and perspective. I hope that you enjoy them and that help you in discovering your own sources of fulfillment.

#1 – “In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can.” ― Nikos Kazantzakis

Exterior validation is fine, applause if fantastic, but there is no greater motivator than the voice inside that says, this is what I want to go towards, this is what I want and need. Consider this.

It may be that no matter where you are in your life, and who you have in it, the one constant is your belief in yourself and your goal. Just when you are feeling that you are most vulnerable is when you need to, and can, find your own inner-validation. Consider conducting this thought exercise: Think of a time when you envisioned a goal and made it come true.

 You know from your own experience that this works.

#2 – “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”― Mark Twain

Writer, raconteur, philosopher. Mark Twain may be on to something. Perhaps if you examine your past successes, and the life stories of those whom you respect and those that you love, you see that it is getting started is the first step to carrying out that great project.

Whatever you desire to do, whether it's going back to school, opening a business, learning a language, working on your screenplay, or enacting a yoga practice, there is power in beginning the project. Suggestion: Pick your project. Then see what it is like to make your first move. Remember: this is why erasers were invented, so be fearless.

Starting compels you, it motives you in a way that has a power that mere plans and dreams, while they may serve as a blueprint, can never quite match. To find more inspiration here is that may present useful ideas.

#3 – “Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start.” ― Nido Qubein

At the beginning of a fresh year, you find that you may have perhaps have packed the baggage from the past. Perhaps you can use the wisdom that you have acquired through experience, the good and the interesting, the challenging and the beautiful, and discover among the memories, values, and ideas that you carry the materials to fashion the life that you desire. As has been said, start where you are. This is your life, so craft your blueprints, lay the scaffolding, and start building. For inspiration, check this out.

#4 – “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” ― Thomas A. Edison

Thomas Edison knew something about experiments. Things may not turn out as you planned. You may find your way beset by obstacles, issues that are circumstantial, other-induced, and of your own making. Try not to catastrophize unexpected consequences. This may not a sign of failure; this may be an opportunity to try another approach, another method, other means. For ideas on perseverance, consider reading this.

#5 – “There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” ― Nelson Mandela

There is beauty in the small rituals and comforts of quotidian life. And then there are the things that excite your passion.

There is a good reason to stay with your strengths and build on past successes. Never let it be said otherwise. And yet small successes aren't the stuff that gets your pulse racing, your brain firing, and your heart thudding. Sometimes you want to get on that wild mare and have the ride of your life. For more inspiration view this video.

#6 – “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.” ― Samuel Beckett

We all know of the people who seem to succeed at everything that they put their hand to. They seem so enviable. Often, we have been inculcated to avoid failure. We may date the safe person who won't reject us, take the class for the easy "A", stay in a town that is easy and known, and there is nothing wrong with that. But let that be from desire rather than fear. For more on the subject, view this video. Look around you and you'll find that the great successes are intertwined with the most spectacular failures. Want to research and learn about what we can learn from failure? If so, please go to this page.

#7 – “Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” ― George Bernard Shaw

If you have had the experience, like almost all of us have, of questing in search for ourselves, I believe that you'll agree that a common result of the chase "to find oneself" is that we were there all along. Past an initial period of experimentation, you now know yourself through meditation and experience. Now is the time to move forward with enacting the goals that exhibit the truth that you desire to live and the actions that you want to manifest. Want more ideas on the subject of self-invention? Here's a video to enjoy.

#8 – “Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” ― William James

In a world of 24 hours news stories, that can sometimes seem overwhelming with quotidian worries and cares and responsibilities, perhaps the question of What can I do to make a difference? may be answered by committing intimate acts of kindness and personal, philosophical, and political acts of engagement as you see fit. Consider the importance of actively listening and being respectful. Act within your moral boundaries. Speak truthfully. Do your best. Plant a tree, bring soup to the sick, babysit, vote, support your favorite charity. This video will give you more ideas.

#9 – “There’s no such thing as ruining your life. Life’s a pretty resilient thing, it turns out.” ― Sophie Kinsella

Picture Life as a glorious experiment: a conceptual art piece in the making, a poetry reading with the mic out so you have to shout, a very good dim sum restaurant, a music festival, and a half-baked pottery studio with a kiln. Perhaps we would get more quality work done and generate more joy if we weren't so concerned with ruining our lives, which truly are resilient. Life is a paradox, it is both fragile and ephemeral and pretty tough. For ideas on living your boldest life yet visit this page.

#10 - “We have to dare to be ourselves, however frightening or strange that self may prove to be.” ― May Sarton

Sometimes it seems like the most radical thing that you can be is a joyful, authentic human being who is having a blast while endeavoring to do one's best. Want to discover some more? Check out this article! You are a unique, wondrous, amazing entity who in all of history has never existed before. Celebrate! And those things that are labeled as "faults", the insecurities, worries, idiosyncrasies, those are what make an individual juicy and fun.

#11 – “All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring.” ― Chuck Palahniuk

Perhaps there should be an eleventh commandment: Thou shalt not be boring. An injunction about excess worry and care. Have fun, it may help you to live longer, and if not, you'll probably amuse and delight the people in your life anyway. For more ideas try this.

For more on the art of being interesting view.

#12 – “If I had my life to live over again, I would have made a rule to read some poetry and listen to some music at least once every week.” ― Charles Darwin

We equate Darwin with a hard-nosed realist and survivalist in the literal sense. The words of wisdom to read poetry and listen to music coming from Darwin seem like a way to ensure the survival of the most enjoyable and worthwhile life. Think of immersing yourself in culture as an experiment and then draw your own conclusions. For more ideas, check out this video.

Conclusion

Creating this list was a joy. It allowed me to immerse myself in the quotes of great individuals and to share with you my hopes of creating an exciting new year. Did you enjoy the list? If you find motivation and worthwhile ideas, please leave a word in the comments and consider sharing this with others. Thank you for visiting the site and for reading 12 Inspiring Quotes for 2018 - Monthly Motivation to Look Forward.

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