Keep Moving: Looking Ahead to Year 2023

Today marks the start of the third year writing for this blog site. For the past three years I’ve learned so much about myself through writing and sharing my words with the world.

This year l put out some of my favorites pieces to date. At the same time, I faced some of the toughest times creatively. I came to a point where I felt stuck, completely sucked dry of any ideas. I felt burnt out on the one thing I love to do the most. As a writer, it is the scariest feeling to feel like you have nothing left to say. There is no doubt in my mind that writing is what I want to pursue, therefore I vowed to myself not to quit. I think the first step in following any personal passion is to be your own biggest supporter. When your efforts seem futile, you have to keep moving.

Oftentimes I find myself revisiting and reading over works of mine as a reminder to myself of my potential. In the name of recognizing my own personal growth through my writing journey thus far, I want to take a look back and proudly showcase some of my favorite pieces I have written within the past year.

I think it’s fitting that one of the first times I felt truly proud of a work that I put out came earlier this year when I wrote about my love for writing.

As mentioned previously, this year met challenges that I had yet to face so intensely before. Just when I thought my creativity was all used up, I decided the only way I could accurately portray such daunting feelings is to write about them, so I used them as inspiration and turned them into one of my favorites pieces I have released to date.

https://faith-it-til-you-make-it.com/2022/08/31/writers-block/

The dichotomy of these two works is distinct, but I now realize this is the reality for many creatives.

Since the start of my pursuance of writing, and this year especially, I turned to words directly from various writers in order to stay inspired and driven to keep moving with my passion.

In the notes app on my phone, I keep a list of quotes that I feel I can relate to or that motivate me. These are just the quotes I added to the list shortly before the new year.

Inspiration is all around us; in the busy streets, on our televisions. It’s potent in every melody of the songs we play and in the lines of every book we read. It’s abundant in all aspects of art, we just have to open our eyes and recognize it. I personally am guilty of not searching for it enough. This year, I owe it to myself to seek inspiration. I will read more, observe more. Only then can I write to my best ability.

As a firm believer in manifestation, in every article I have ever written for New Year’s Day, I typically speak on my goals for the coming year. I’ve come to learn that goal setting or the trendy idea of “New Year’s resolutions” are merely wishful thinking without progressive action.

While we all have the capacity for our words to become our truth, sometimes the things we wish to manifest for ourselves are material possessions we expect to acquire immediately. These expectations only lead to despondency and reduced ambition. As of recent I’ve found solace in positive affirmations. In your daily life, you must speak with a positive attitude as if you already have everything you could ever dream of. Rather than expect to receive anything you want, truly believe that you deserve it and actively put your efforts into making it become a possible reality.

You can’t put a measurement to success, nor can you compare each of your own achievements to those of someone else. There is no timeline to when you will see your wildest dreams come true. All you can do is hold yourself accountable under your personal goals and pursue them with tenacity.

2022 taught me about patience and approaching each day with optimism. I can’t be certain what the future holds for me and my journey through writing, but I do know I am full of creativity and with it I will achieve big things someday. Until then, I just have to keep moving.

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Happy New Year! Here’s to a happy and prosperous 2023! 🎆🎇

To All the Boys I’ve Never Loved Before

I have never caught the eye of any person. I have nothing to base the feeling of young, all-consuming bliss that comes with the spark of a first kiss, a first love. I never experienced those short-lived middle school relationships or found my high school sweetheart. Nothing more than childhood crushes that you draw a heart next to their name in the yearbook and declare to someday marry. So, with a hopeful heart that still patiently awaits love, here I am to reveal all my hopes, dreams, and fears to my future forever.

Since I was a young girl I’ve been a sap for that fairytale type of love. I wanted to be like the princesses I’d watch in movies, and have my own prince. I yearned for a dramatic Romeo and Juliet-esque love story, or the cliche love story from some of my favorite cheesy films like Titanic or The Notebook. I’ll admit, I’m a hopeless romantic.

I’ve always loved the concept of love, in all its beauty, despite its obstacles. In fact, seeing how wrongly love can abuse a person, only drew me to want it more, hoping maybe just maybe it would work out for me. With me, jealousy or the thought of searching for another should never exist. The heart can only break so many times before there’s nothing left to fix, so I will first say, don’t make the mistake of losing me.

With a mold like mine, of course I’ve had my doubts that I’ll ever find the one. These doubts will follow me even once I get to you. I will need you to assure me, every chance you get, the extent of your feelings for me. Every now and then, reassure me of my worth.

I’m attentive and considerate, as you should be too. I won’t often openly share my feelings. No matter what I’m truly feeling inside, I’ll always don a smile. You’ll just have to know when I’m happy or sad. And although I may sound like a hypocrite, one thing you’ll never have to question, one thing that will never need reassurance, is my love for you. Yes I can be shy, but when content, I’ll vulnerably spill my whole heart on the table. I wear my heart on my sleeve, ready to either be handled with care or left damaged.

It’s the little things that satisfy me, so here’s a few things to take note of: First and foremost, if we don’t share the same taste in music, there’s no chance for us. Music will forever speak to my soul, and with me liking an array of genres, you’ll need to be prepared to endure multiple instances of my loud, off-key attempts at singing.

I like to laugh. My happiest moments are experienced with laughter. So if you can’t make me laugh, you’re one strike away from losing your chance with me. I absolutely hate getting scared. I just can’t fathom the idea that anyone would enjoy their bones nearly jumping out of their skin, so take this as a warning. If you say you want to protect me from harm’s way, you will be highly appreciated as my designated bug killer.

I can be stubborn. In an argument, chances of winning are low for you. But, if you’ve messed up, you can attempt to earn your way back into my heart with a nice evening dinner. Or maybe you’ll be forgiven if you come bearing a bouquet of roses, which are my favorite, and not just because they are a symbol of love. If you fail to do this, then you can always be replaced by chocolate, which I like to think is always there for a girl when her heart has been broken, and will never upset her. The only thing better would be a puppy, which could also easily fill an empty spot in one’s heart.

I’ll never beg for a connection. Perhaps this is why I’ve yet to be with someone. I’d like to think that I’ve got a lot of love to give, but here’s a message to all the boys I’ve never loved before: If my wishes are too much, then kindly move along. I have no problem waiting for the right one and until then, I am embracing that true love begins with loving oneself first.

~ Sincerely, Faith