#comparison is the thief of joy and all of that lol

[themoonunderstoodmydadjokes]

Y’all ever just have the sudden urge to change everything about yourself and have a deeply uncomfortable dislike of everything you are presently???

[pleaseeeimjustagirl]

♡Weekly Chronicles♡

Hey babes! I've missed you guysss I am so happy I had an amazing trip it was so nice. I went to a convention in Maryland for 5 days it was so nice. I definitely left with a lot of knowledge so many amazing people spoke at the lectures<3 and I'm sorry I missed the weekly affirmations for this week.

♡Education♡

I applied for all my classes for next semester before my trip. I’m low-key excited about the classes I have coming up. Lot of different courses since I'm almost done with my major required classes now I need to fill the rest of my credits with electives. I have an art class next semester just for fun. I can't wait to meet the people in my classes. I have to take this math class I am not excited for at all I hate math lol so every time I update you girliesss on this class I'll probably be complaining lol.

♡Mental♡

Interacting with different people this past week has been very good for me mentally. It brought me back to pre-quarantine Khadija who was such a big extrovert. After covid, I started to have mild social anxiety so this was needed. I dealt with a little insecurities while on my trip interacting with so many beautiful women I started to doubt my looks comparison is the thief of joy, I practiced a lot of the methods my therapist recommended like canceling one negative thought with two positive thoughts. I realized I was all in my head for no reason. I love watching Leo Skepi when I am feeling this way he always gets me together. I highly recommend him if you are dealing with a lack of discipline, self-confidence, or just need someone to get you together with tough love he is that guyyy. Side noteee I missed my antidepressant dose twice in a row because of traveling back to New York and it low-key made me hazy like it was super weird but I took it today. 

♡Physical♡

While I was away I ate super bad! The event was an African-focused event so the food there wasn’t healthy at all. I was going to stick to my diet while on my trip but I decided I'm on a trip let me relax and I don't regret it at all. But I am seeing the consequences of my food choices now I am soooo bloated lol. So I am starting a cleanse tomorrow for the next 14 days I already prepped my ginger shot for the morning I want to flush my system out completely going into the new year. I don't recommend cleanses especially to my babes that have dealt with ED’s always consult your doctors before starting anything. I just do what works for me. 

♡Hobbies♡

Now that I am back I can get back to being consistent with my Italian, pilates, and weight lifting. I was so sad I could not lift I feel like I'm low-key obsessed with lifting lol it feels so good and I've been seeing results, especially in my lower body. While I was gone I didn't have any time to do my hobbies they had us in lectures and events constantly. I practiced my Italian once which I'm happy about. I plan on starting jewelry making next week I'm super excited it was one of my favorite hobbies when I was in middle school. I used to make earrings and bracelets. 

♡Plans For The Weekend♡

My birthday is Sunday, December 31st! I am turning 21 yay! I am super excited I don't have anything planned for my birthday. I am going to have a mini celebration with my family and watch the ball drop my siblings bought me presents so I'm excited to open everything. I'm starting my cleanse so I'll be working out and taking good care of my body internally and externally so I'll be off social media this weekend and focused on my mental and physical health. I plan on creating my vision board and listing my goals this year. My dad is ordering my camera I used to have a YouTube channel but I took a break to work on my self-improvement journey I do plan on getting back on my YouTube grind soon lol so look out for that coming out in 2024! 

This week's little journal entrieee a lot happened this week and I'm excited to see what this new year brings babesss. Comment your plans this weekend and how did your week go?

[fae-iii]

Happy New Year!!! Here's everything I sprited in 2024.

It feels like I hit some burnout for a few months there after pmd hero-partner week and artfight preparation and artfight proper (30-42). Man I went hard during artfight. Ik some people pop off one thing a day during and it's much more consistent than my stuff, but I'm really proud of what I did!! Comparison is the thief of joy and that people and critters &c. were happy to receive my art is and was very important to me! I'm definitely more confident in my art because of it!

In 2025... I wanna maybe do more art with my OCs... more art for friends... more art... I wanna make more art! I'll be happy with whatever as long as I stick to it tho, lol!!

I also wanna talk more with people! I've sorely lacked any kind of social life and I feel like I'm just starting to get comfortable around people online (thank you all my friends and mutuals!!!) and I wanna keep at it. I am this far out of my box and I may recede, but I'm not getting back in!

The world's not looking good, tbh... I've realized that, though I don't want to be completely ignorant, I cannot be deluged in constant reminders about the state of the world, so I want to further exercise knowing my limits with distressing stuff and pay better attention to what I can control.

Speaking of, I also wanna get back into a good exercise routine... kinda plateaued for the past year with my weight and goals and stuff. I guess that's a thing I can work on changing. Eating better and exercising- what a cliche, lol! It is what I want tho!

So, like, let's try and have a great year everybody!

1:1 Resolution:

[frownyalfred]

Do you have any tips on gaining more popularity/engagement/success? I'm sorry I have no idea how do phrase that question without sounding like a douchebag influencer lol, honestly I just want to connect with people. I started posting fic a couple years ago but I barely get comments or kudos or hits, so it's easy to feel as though I'm doing it all for nothing especially when I keep comparing myself to all the incredible and way more successful writers and artists in the fandom. It's becoming harder to stay motivated even as I tell myself it's just for fun and I should write for myself first and foremost. I want to make a mark, you know?

Thank you for your amazing writing and posts! Have an amazing day <3

I think that’s a tough one and I’m sorry you’re experiencing that right now. Fic popularity often depends on 1) the popularity of the fandom you’re writing in and 2) the tropes and pairings popular within that fandom at any given time. Then, in third place, we have writing quality. It’s there! It’s important. But for a large chunk of readers, it’s not always the first thing they look for.

That can be really crushing. Because authors might have brilliantly written fic that just doesn’t appeal to the current fandom as much as another pairing or trope. You’ll find yourself staring at nearby fics with thousands of kudos and ask yourself why it’s so much better than yours, when it has so many typos etc.

I have fics I’ve worked really hard on and loved that have gotten very little traction. There are fics I’ve written that got viewed at a lucky time and got tons of kudos virtually overnight. My writing quality, myself, the author — none of that really changed much between those two fics. Not enough to explain the difference.

My advice is to write what makes you happy, but to think critically about what’s popular in your fandom or circles right now. Is there something you could write that would cover both? Are there challenges or exchanges you could participate in that would get you access to popular fandom requests?

My typical advice for these kinds of asks is to keep writing, to read other fics by authors you admire, to comment and engage with content, to get your name out there during exchanges or in discord channels.

But maybe that advice is missing the bit above I’ve outlined — that sometimes, you might be writing just behind the wave of popularity, and it’s not your fault at all. It doesn’t have anything to do with your talent or writing ability. But it will impact the kudos and comments you receive.

Comparison is the thief of joy. But if popularity and success are what you want, see where your writing can overlap with marketing. And no matter what happens, don’t stop writing!

[ping-ski]

Hewwo!!! :3 I hope you are having an amazing day, here is a whole plate of cupcakes! Would it be possible for you to share a few lore details about your Eclipsed By You AU story? I keep looking at the designs and I am so curious about what will be happening, I would wish to nibble on tiny lore crumbs, pretty please?

ama!! hihi! ! i meant to answer your ask much sooner! anyways, since you asked so nicely (and because i am pathetically weak to any sweets </3) prepare for some SERIOUS yappage under that cut

✦ AuDHD demands that I explain EBY origins before any details but you can totally skip this if you want! (Scroll till you see blue text! :3) So... Eclipsed By You was intended to be au/fic just for myself after work when I first got into DCA. I literally was pantsing a self-insert fic from just gameplay, voicelines, and a collection of scenarios I wrote in my notes app before I actually interacted with the DCA fandom lol. I was already in the process of writing it to be a proper fic and planned to make an AO3 acc to post it! I took some time away from it tho cause I got busy irl. During my break I did start to interact more the fandom! The first proper DCA fic I read was 'Solar Lunacy' by BamSara a few months back as a recommendation from a mutual I had from another fandom. I had told them about my fic idea and they suggested I read the fic as my fic had reminded them of SL. After reading through, I was kind of bummed initially because I really didn't think I had anything unique to offer with my own fic that I was hoping to share. I stopped writing it cause damn comparison truly is the thief of joy. SL and EBY had similar ideas going on and I just didn't feel like it was worth posting my fic cause it didn't feel "special" to me anymore. It was easy to give up since writing is really not my strong suit at all, so then I fell back to just drawing! I only came back to it despite the 19 other DCA aus I have lined up rn cause honestly I remembered that wrote it for my own enjoyment! Why did that have to change? Albeit, I did scrap lots of what I initially wrote and started fresh cause my interpretation of DCA changed. Regardless, EBY was always going to be a self-indulgent DCA/Reader fic taking place at the Pizza Plex. Sure not anything original, but that's just a fact of being a creative in general tbh. I felt silly when I realized that haha. I'm having fun and they make me smile, so who cares if its been done before lol. I still enjoy Solar Lunacy and still am a fan of BamSara! (the cotl content has been fueling me lmao)

✦ Some bits on Eclipsed By You- The main part of your ask lol! ✿ On the au/fic name: I actually stole it from another au (of the many) I have. No particular reason for it! I was writing EBY and that au around the same time and alternated working on the two throughout the day. That au is now nameless (actually it's nicknamed "Messiah" as I type) cause EBY grew onto me for what it is now! ✿ On DCA's designs: This might be kind of disappointing lol but- there isn't much of a lore/plot reason for their designs? They just look that way cause... why not :3 It's also part of just how I interpret DCA into my artstyle. Otherwise, they can be interpreted as the canon designs early on! Atleast until some future upgrades! ✿ When in SB are we? Everywhere /hj. EBY will have some pre-virus and post-virus stuff just for funsies! I'm dying to yap but if I say anymore I will get carried away 100%. ✿ On EBY!Eclipse: For this au, Eclipse is his own "person" you could say. With his own AI and personality chip to pair! Carefully built to be a dedicated host and theater bot. He is, including Sun and Moon, the entertainment <3. They are a singular animatronic in this fic! (like those 3 in 1 soaps except it's DCA /j) ✿ On EBY!Y/N: (EBY is a reader-insert, but intended to be written as gender neutral and an adult.) Y/N gets their own bit of lore and issues that may or may not be the stress/frustration from my 2 irl jobs thinly veiled lmao. They work part-time at the Plex as a general theater staff member! Each week, their tasks rotating between concessions, being an usher, and working along side the theater bots! (Kind of like a theater tech.) This is a part-time job just to keep them afloat while they work on their last bit of certifications and training to be a caretaker! They are pretty passionate about helping those in need. A sweetheart honestly. Though, if you don't like kids, maybe look away. Wholesome moments with the littles and DCA + Y/N is pretty decent with kids themselves. (Lots of projection from my own experiences working with children and elderly, as a caregiver turned caretaker. I kind of want to highlight some of my experiences with Y/N.) ✿ On EBY!Sun and Moon: These two are goofballs alongside Eclipse through and through. They all get to be sweet, soft, and doting I promise. Originally, before scrapping a good chunk of the og writing, EBY had a beloved sweetheart anxous Sun and aggressive Moon who was kind of an asshole(Before the rewrite, EBY felt so different. Like everyone was just tolerating eachother and fragments being held together with glitter glue n' dreams. I am very very glad it's different now lol.) Eclipse stayed fairly consistent though. Sweet house husband that he is. Now, Sun is just as unhinged as Moon (making him just as much as a threat!), but we will persevere with the power of friendship <3 We're gonna have some aloof Sun moments. He takes his job pretty seriously! Some goofy Moon bits who's giggles are light and airy. He is very unserious I fear. They're both trying their best, in their own ways. There's not much I can say rn without spoiling haha. It's hard to stay vague hrm. Or atleast I can't think of anything specific to add right now. (I may be able to answer some specific questions if you have any, my brain is just foggy rn) ✿ I'm simplifying it down to your "typical pizza plex fic" with pre-virus and post-fire shenanigans. I'm sorry if none of that is telling I can't think of anything specific cause I'm pretty sleepy rn so maybe it's a little boring sounding but I love it anyways haha Expect some canon-typical violence and non-sexual intimacy! I have intentions on writing the relationship between Y/N and DCA ambiguous so it can be seen as queerplatonic or romantic. (But this could very easily changed, I'm a shameless robokisser sigh.)

[neutron-stars-collision]

Love that last part on the ask. SM is not how you get jobs in the acting world. I hate reading those comments. Most celebrities don’t have an active SM. I think Luke got advice from JB and/or any other famous person on navigating SM. Less is better for your sanity lol. I hate when people say Antonia cost him jobs. Could you imagine a director saying, I’m not going to cast you because a small group of fans don’t like your girlfriend lol. I really believe he is just taking his time and easing into things. He seems like a good person and everyone always has nice ( including directors) things to say about him. His time is coming. Comparison is the thief of joy. People should stop comparing him to Nic and JB. People want him to be jealous. It reminds me of an interview of the group Wham I just saw ( love them lol) The interviewer asked Andrew if he was jealous that George was going solo. He said no. This is my friend and I am happy. My time is in this business is over but it’s not over for George. This shows true friendship and we can see how Luke is proud of Nic and JB. But that doesn’t make good drama or tea for some. People want to talk about his friend groups and wish they all hate each other and make up theories. I feel in my heart something big is coming for Luke in 2025. Keep moving in silence Luke and only let us know what you want us to know.

Love your blogs!! Much needed! Trust me- you are very appreciated by me!!

💯 to everything you said. My thoughts exactly.

If the People's Sexiest Man (I love saying that when referring to Newts lol bc he sure is) feature exuded any energy (apart from BDE), it was contentment with how things are going for him. And I loved that.

We don't need to know more than he's willing to share. That doesn't change any of my affection or support. I just sometimes mourn the fact that apparently before he used to be more active on the socials. And I blame haters for that 100%

[grandmother-goblin]

I’m having writing insecurities again (yes, yes, this is all part of being a writer but I need to whine)

Everything I’ve been writing lately feels so flat and devoid of emotion for me, that it’s lacking detail and depth, and idk if that’s just my own depression-brain talking or if it’s as “blah” as I think.

Like I’ll come across a line while reading other works and I’m like “wow, I would never think of including something like that on my own in a million years and it’s such a good detail/description/phrase/etc.” And that’s part of the learning process! It’s a good thing! But lately it’s been making me feel like my own stuff is a mess.

I know comparison is the thief of joy, but I was told I was such a bad writer for such a long time that those feelings still creep back in now and then. I start to overanalyze, trying to figure out how to fix things and make it so I’m not terrible, and then that kind of kills the fun that I usually have with writing.

I’ll get over this feeling, I always do, it just sucks at the moment lol

[pepperpottes]

i think i've figured out that my problem with writing fic is actually... reading other fic

i mean, my problem is a multitude of things, particularly perfectionism and a serious lack of self-esteem and confidence in my abilities to do a good job with literally anything, but lemme tell you, reading a bunch of absolute bangers on ao3 lately has NOT helped me in that department lol

like. i've read a few lately that are just SO GOOD. the kind of good that you can't stop thinking about it for days. and that's wonderful! i love when something is so well done that i can't get it out of my head. however, i really need it to get out of my head when i sit down to write my own shit, because then this starts:

"that author characterized [insert character] here so well; I can't do that! do i even understand this character at all?"

"their prose was so beautiful and poetic and had such a strong voice; mine doesn't! it's boring and lifeless and basic and there's nothing special about it to even call it a style!"

"their dialogue was so snappy and smart and realistic; mine isn't!" (re: do I even understand this character?)

"that story was so incredibly creative and well-thought out; my ideas are just lame and i don't have the mental capacity to come up with something that good!"

and most of all:

"that piece of work made me actually feel things; there's no way i could ever manage that!"

and then i end up staring at a blank page, internally screaming at myself: COMPARISON IS THE THIEF OF JOY

and i let it steal my joy, every time.

i do this with everything, by the way. not just writing. i have this terrible vice where i always think to myself, why is this worth doing if there's so many other people out there who are better at it than me? why would someone want to look at my pictures when they could look at something prettier? why would someone want to spend time reading my writing, when much better, more creative, more well-written stories exist? why would this company want to hire me, when they can hire someone smarter and more experienced?

i know a lot of this too is that i am so wildly out of practice with anything and everything creative, and that writing is like a muscle, and if you don't use it enough it grows weak again. i know that the more i do it, the better it will be. but just. ugh. i just get mad at myself sometimes for being this way. i'm mad at myself for letting my experiences in college make me hate writing SO MUCH that i didn't do it for eight years. nearly a decade of honing my skills, nearly a decade of ideas and stories, just lost.

(which is kinda silly, because i'm not even a... serious writer? i'm writing fanfiction. like who the fuck cares)

(but perhaps i could be a serious writer someday, like i always wanted.)

(circle back to, "but why would they hire me when they could hire someone better and more talented?")

idk. i'm just tired. i'm tired of being in my own head and not allowing myself the grace to say hey, it's okay if your writing isn't Pulitzer Prize worthy. it's okay if it's not as good as someone else's. it's okay if no one reads it or no one likes it, cause its yours and you should like it, and that's all that really matters in the end.

i'm also just physically and mentally tired from life and work and society and i imagine that's a much bigger factor in all of this than i'm giving it credit for. i punch out after 8+ hours of staring at medical records on a giant, blinding screen and i'm like, what are words? what are thoughts? i don't have any

(side note, i really feel like that job in particular has sucked the life out of me entirely. i used to be creative. i used to do things i liked, even if they weren't particularly good. i used to be... well, smart. i feel like i've regressed. or maybe i was never actually that smart or creative to begin with. BUT that's another rant for another time) (can you tell i'm a former "gifted student")

anyway, this turned into a really long and unnecessary rant about my deepest insecurities, but moral of the story: maybe i should stop reading fic for a while if i actually want to get something done without feeling terrible about myself in the process.

excuse me while i go, well... not write, probably.

[hypergamiss]

In your opinion, why do you think men choose unattractive and mean women to be their wives? I know a woman who is over 300lbs and has a horrible attitude, but her husband makes great money and he thinks she's the hottest thing around. Just imagine a very large woman, with a potty mouth, badly done tattoos and a septum piercing. They got married very young, but before him she had plenty of men interested in her. I don't get it.

I knew her briefly and quickly grew tired of being around her because she's not very nice and we just didn't have much in common. The only reason I kept her around for as long as I did, was because the business she had, gave her access to all the elites in our city--she had the best gossip. I learned about the weak spots for a lot of the upper class families, through her. But I got tired of her because every conversation, she had to remind me that she didn't have to work and that she only created her business because she got tired of being in the house all day. She's even aware of the way she comes across because she labels herself as an "asshole". She expressed that she doesn't get along with most women because she's "not interested in the things most women are interested in--like shopping." Her hobbies are smoking weed and nothing else. In other words, she's trashy lol.

Meanwhile, I'm attractive, sweet, funny, educated and have never been in a relationship. I just don't understand men at all. Women who I would think would be considered undesirable and gross by men, have great options. Men say they want a woman who's nice, attractive, and not lazy and then choose the exact opposite. I'm just confused.

She's just confident. Even if it's a "bad" type of confident, she clearly doesn't ever doubt herself and knows that she can get what she wants. I've said this before, most women think you need to be a 10/10 to be with a man that would give you the world. Literally any woman can get treated right if she plays her cards right. Yes, attractive women will always have the upper hand, but that doesn't mean the less attractive ones can't get the same outcome. If a man had to choose between me and Gigi Hadid, Gigi is winning. But no big deal, there is another man who isn't even on Gigi's radar that can give me everything I want. Think of all of the celebrities or well off women who are not attractive at all but clearly have everything they want in a partner. They didn't get it by having low self esteem and complaining about their circumstances. They decided to fully grasp the concept that women hold so much power. They have the same lady parts as the attractive women and the ability to strengthen their game in other ways that are not superficial.

She knows how to seduce.

She knows how to keep a man on his toes and keep him constantly chasing her, always trying to win her over.

She knows how to keep her boundaries and restrict access to herself when she doesn't get what she wants.

She knows how to reward her man when he does well by her.

She is selfish with her time, she doesn't lose sight of her goals and ambitions.

She puts herself first overall.

Notice how none of this has to do with looks. Looks at this point are just a cherry on top if you know how to make a man crazy about you. I'm not trying to say that she's a good person, but it's fair to give credit where it's due. She values herself and doesn't accept anything remotely close to being below her standards, even if she doesn't meet those herself. You can be a good person and still know how to play your cards right, or else I would just stay single forever because my moral compass wouldn't allow it.

Comparison is the thief of joy. Instead of wondering how she got so "lucky," study her with a grain of salt and learn how to do the same or better.

[sttoru]

hi! just here to ask for some advice from writer to writer. how would you manage to feel comfortable again in a fandom you love but the community just kinda... isn't the best, yk?

i love my fandom and the characters i write for and had a bunch of ideas but there is just some people on here that i can't stand (blocking only does half the job lol, they're friends with everyone in the fandom so it gets hard) and idk, i just feel out of place most of the time because everyone seems to be friends with everyone and they have their group and all and it's very uncomfortable to watch and be on the sideline

but again, i love writing and the fandom, is just the people. i'm currently taking a break from tumblr / writing in general but i want to come back so badly and do something on here

hi bbyyy, i’m sorry to hear that u feel that way ☹️ . i totally understand because i have been struggling with the same for a long time. the best advice i can give you is to treat tumblr (n other social media that u use just for fun \ fics) like a hobby. keep in mind that it’s nothing serious; it’s not going to determine how your future will look like, if you’ll make many friends yes or no, if you get a partner blah blah blah —

most communities suck, yeah. i learned that the hard way and now i just post on here and disappear again, only occasionally returning to check in on my feed and inbox. it’s bought me PEACE and i actually enjoy my own blog that has its own little community of mutuals, followers and anons.

which is why you shouldn’t obsess over the community as well. people will do their own thing, they’ll have their own friend groups, make their own content — honestly, best thing u can do is focus on yourself and your own blog. not on others. if you love writing for certain characters and have fun while writing fics — keep doing it !! there will always be people out there who will like your works. don’t let others stop you from doing what you enjoy 💓

p.s comparison is the thief of joy. the less you compare yourself to what others have and you don’t, the more you’ll find joy in your hobby. everyone moves at their own pace :)

[unrelaxing]

It was my birthday yesterday! L came over and bought cake and took me to dinner the night before, then on my actual birthday we both went to my parents' for dinner.

J is in London— this is the first birthday we haven't spent together since she moved in with me in 2017. I think parents thought this was a big deal, because when my auntie called to greet me she mentioned it with a Tone, meaning it must've been a conversation they had. If she truly felt bad, I would've accepted cash as comfort 😉.

Truthfully, it's hard to miss J considering we're pretty much still in constant contact. Mostly I wish I was in London, too, because it looks gorgeous and I've always wanted to go. She's not compulsory in the fantasy 🤣.

It's interesting to want to do what someone else is doing. It's not really in my personality. I've always been completely happy with my own life. I've wanted to improve things, and I've taken inspiration from other people on how to improve (mostly in terms of organising myself), but actually looking at what someone's doing and wanting it for myself is rarer. I've taken "comparison is the thief of joy" very seriously.

I find it isn't as negative an emotion as I expected. It still feels more like a feeling of "I'll do this one day" than "why can't I have that," except with more urgency than I usually feel. "It would've been nice to do this with her," but with excitement to do it one day, too.

My parents got me a Kobo! I love it already. Initially, I was going to request a new carpet shampooer (lol), but thought that MAYBE I should stop being such a stereotypical 30 year old. Did not stop me from saying "a new bed frame" when my sister asked me what I wanted. She came through, by the way, because she's the best. Hasn't come yet but I'll take a pic when I've got it all set up. Because I'm a stereotypical 30 year old.

Happy birthday to me.

[blixabargelds]

ough might log off until i finish a single fic or get close to it or at least feel better about how it's going lol bc comparison is the thief of joy and also the thief of productivity and also i cant stop thinking nobody is going to give a shit if i never posted ever again bc everyone is always hyping up everyone's writing which is so beautiful and wonderful however i am struggling so much with my writing and i can tell ppl are losing interest too so logging on is kind of a bit like being repeatedly battered over the head with reminders that everyone else can simply just write and put stuff out all the time and i can't and im losing my worth and nobody care me and everyone's brain works and mine doesn't and fgjfgdkjdhjl

[celerydays]

You know, I admire your online presence so much 🥺

From your artwork, to your dedication to the HL fandom, to your journaling (which I love soooo much), and your tarot reading nook! Everything is *chef's kiss* 🤍 I recently started to draw because I was inspired by your work. But maybe I'm going to take years before I get to your level 😅 Nevertheless, I'm glad I got to know you, and I'm just too shy to go off anon 😄

Take all the time you need for part 3! I'm sure it's going to be a very yummy treat for all of us! 😉😋

Thank you so, so much for this, you've truly made my whole day! My whole week, even! 🥹😭💕

Wuhhhh I'm speechless lol – I'm so glad to hear that you've started to draw 💗 it's honestly so rewarding and I hope you enjoy the journey!

It gets hard sometimes, ngl, and comparison is the thief of joy (still a problem for me even to this day, if I let myself think about it too much!), but nothing beats being able to look at your progress as you put in the work to develop your art over time if you stick with it 🥰

And now that you mention it, I really would like to get back into journaling and tarot soon too 💖

Enjoy the process! Learn to love all the natural little stylistic quirks your hand adds to your art! Have fun! ILY! 😘

[femmefatalevibe]

Hi! I love ur blog and have been pretty much stalking it lol. My college is opening soon (in like less than 2/3 weeks) and I'm super insecure and anxious. I'm fat - nearly obese - and all the girls in my college are all pretty and skinny. I'm being driven mad by the fact that I'm the only fat girl in our year, while all other girls are just normal weight. I promised myself I would start being healthy in summer break but now it's almost over and I cannot lose weight in like 2 weeks. So I'm stuck being fat and its making me so anxious, I'm not comfortable in my body - I always feel like I'm older and bigger than the rest of the people and its super uncomfortable. Not only this, but I also lose confidence and stop doing things because I'm afraid they make me look stupid and fat or that people will judge me. Like, I'd stop participating in class, or in a club etc.

How do I deal with this inferiority complex, lack of confidence and overweight in general?

(Also, the problem isn't even other people bcs I've never been bullied for my looks but still there's this social anxiety I've developed. I also recognize that other girls aren't responsible for my insecurities and they're just living their life and it's more of a me problem).

Hi love! I appreciate your love and support. Means a lot <3 Congrats on starting this new chapter of your life!

Honestly, the best thing you can do is realize that comparison is the thief of joy. Instead of focusing on what others look like and are doing, redirect this energy into focusing on becoming your best self. Making it your mission to show up as the best version of yourself every day. Not because others may judge you, but because it raises your self-esteem, confidence, self-love, and motivates you to reach your goals from a positive place.

Do nice things for yourself every day. These habits can include self-care activities like a comprehensive skincare/shower/grooming routines, having your nails done weekly, doing face masks/blowouts regularly at home, focusing on your daily outfits/makeup routine, meditating, journaling, reading books, and listening to podcasts – in addition to habits that could result in weight loss like eating a predominately healthy diet, taking long walks regularly, and establishing a consistent workout routine.

Beauty and confidence do not correlate with a jean size, but how you choose to treat and carry yourself. It's a mindset, attitude, and presence you carry into every space that gets graced with your presence. Your body and aura are at their best when you're regularly nourishing it with healthy habits and daily self-love (the latter sounds a bit corny, but it's true, lol).

Best of luck! Hope this helps xx

[greatprotector-if]

Hii, I want to make if game but I'm kinda slow writer. Also I have never written so many words like other authors and it's a bit paralyzing. Do you have any advice how to deal with it?

anon i am so sorry this is 100% just rambling. the TLDR; my advice to you is this: comparison is the thief of joy. i know it's hard not to compare yourself to others, it's a super natural instinct for most of us, but seriously, as long as you're doing the best that you can, it doesn't matter how much or how little everyone else is doing. try changing your scenery! write in a different location! write using different materials! don't even bother with proper grammar and punctuation or whether things sound good or make sense for your rough draft. just write. Don't go back and fix things. and it might suck and you might just end up having to rewrite the entire thing in the end but at least now you know what not to do! and i am wishing you the absolute best in all your if writing endeavours <3

i'm fr just a guy so i'm so sorry if this advice is shit. i'm not a professional. idk if you came to me just because you saw the "slow writer" in the intro post and you saw a kindred spirit, but just in case you are not aware.... i am such a slow writer and i'll be so honest when i started tgp by far the longest thing i'd written was 11k words and it took like... 10 months to finish. usually the stuff i wrote was 500 words in Total and i was also the type of fanfic writer on wattpad who'd post three chapters and then never touch the book ever again

so, not a great foundation for a game that requires this level of commitment, and i knew that!! but i dunno i was so excited about the idea and the characters and i felt like i needed to share it with the world so i just went fuck it and started. when i first got that intro post up i had nothing but a handful of characters, a vague idea and a dream.......

basically what i'm trying to say is. I get it.

and my advice to you is: just do it LOL just write your if game!!!

it will be scary and impostor syndrome is SUCH A BITCH. you will encounter authors who will write like 100k words in the time it takes you to write 5k and THAT IS OKAY. I FEEL THIS EVERY DAY. BUT YOUR WORTH IS NOT BASED ON HOW MANY WORDS YOU CAN WRITE IN AN HOUR, SO TRY YOUR BEST NOT TO BE TOO HARSH ON YOURSELF. COMPARISON IS THE THIEF OF JOY. if your best one day is 15 words and they aren't even good words? that's fine. at least you're getting something down. you are doing the best you can in that moment, and that's what's most important!!!

ALSO WRITE WHAT YOU WANT TO WRITE. you cannot appeal to everyone. there will be people who simply will not enjoy your game and you know.. we ball anyway because there will also be people who LOVE YOUR GAME JUST AS MUCH AS YOU DO, IF NOT MORE. i find that a lot of the time i'm stuck because i'm so worried about catering to my audience, and while it's okay to be conscious of these things, don't let it paralyze you. do not make your story about a bunch of bullshit you don't care about just because it's popular or something or you will just Never progress because you don't care about writing it. those days i shit out 1k (WHICH IS A LOT FOR ME IN ONE DAY) are because i'm like JUMPING OFF THE WALLS EXCITED ABOUT WHAT I'M WRITING ABOUT. WHO CARES IF WHAT YOU WANT TO WRITE ABOUT IS CRINGE (cringe culture is dead anyway) OR SUPER NICHE OR WON'T GET YOU A MILLION FOLLOWERS IMMEDIATELY. i mean don't get me wrong validation feels so good i'm a bit of an attention whore myself but also you deserve to create things that make you feel good, and this is what sustains a long-term project. You know? You feel me? You pickin up what i'm putting down? plus there will always be other people who vibe with your story, no matter how much you think you're the only one it appeals to.

but just in case you aren't just here for incoherent moral support, i would highly recommend straying away from plain old google docs or whatever it is that you usually use to write and trying new things! pen and paper??? pen and Cardboard box (this one works really well for me for my art block for some reason LMAO)??? write while sitting on the stairs instead of at your desk??? stimuwrite 2.0 (i cannot recommend this enough the bubble wrap sounds are sooo good)???

also. remember that rough drafts are just that: Rough Drafts. just write!!! maybe it'll turn out great, but maybe it'll be complete shit. maybe it'll make you want to throw up just reading it back. DON'T DELETE IT AND WORRY ABOUT HOW TO MAKE IT SOUND BETTER. I DONT CARE IF YOU ACCIDENTALLY USED THE WORD "JUST" 3 TIMES IN 1 SENTENCE. AS LONG AS YOU GOT THE MESSAGE ACROSS ENOUGH FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND IT YOU'RE GOOD TO GO.

ok sorry i am mildly sleep deprived at the time of writing this i'm so sorry if i literally just didn't answer any kf your questions at any point in here. i have no idea what i'm doing i just roll with the punches!!!!!!

[pedrospatch]

Nah, I hear you. Your thoughts and feelings are completely valid! Before reading TLOU fic, I was super into red dead fics (still am!) but became a little disheartened upon learning just how dead the fan base is. There is very little content and the content that exists is littered with abandoned WIPS and one shots. Don’t get me wrong, these are still great! But it’s not like TLOU fan base that is booming and has so much content on Tumblr and AO3.

I guess what I’m trying to get at is that I understand what you mean. If it provides any insight, as an avid fic reader for a lost fan base and a booming one, I am beyond grateful to writers who put in the time, deliver content, and demonstrate the effort and love they have for the characters and the story. I don’t have enough words to express just how important people like you are! I don’t want to diminish your feelings at all, btw. I’ve been thinking this for a whole for a few writers that have expressed similar sentiments in the past and just had to tell you that you drop incredible work, we see you and appreciate you and think you’re fucking amazing dude. Keep your head up. ❤️

You’re not diminishing my feelings at all! ❤️

Honestly, comparison is just a thief of joy and I do it a lot more often than not. And I try to keep the sad girl hours to a minimum because I can’t just be dropping negativity into my blog all the time lol but at the same time I want to be open with it just in case anyone else might be feeling the same way as I do and I know a few people do

idk I will be honest. I just don’t feel good enough

and I don’t know why. I do get interactions, maybe not thousands upon thousands like the popular and bigger writers get but I get them and I am so grateful ❤️ but at the same time somehow I just don’t feel worthy like other writers? I can’t even explain where the feeling is coming from?

idk. I’m still gonna keep writing and posting and stuff but yeah I just feel inadequate, like a lil tiny shrimp in a massive sea of big fishies 😂

sorry this turned into a long answer lol idk I know it’ll all be fine in the end ❤️