Lifestyle

5 Things That Made Me a Happy Feminist This Week

Having a SOL Dance Experience with the ladies of See Jane Write was the highlight of my week.

Being a happy feminist has felt nearly impossible these days, for reasons that are obvious to anyone who keeps up with the news. And as we learn of more and more women who have suffered sexual assault by male politicians and celebrities, what’s almost just as enraging is the “Why is she just now coming forward?” bullshit that so many people — including other women — are saying in response to the allegations.

But the purpose of this post is to add a little happiness to your day, so I’ll step down from my soapbox and share with you 5 things that added a bit of joy to my week.

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21 Affirmations for Women Who Write

I regularly post inspirational and motivational quotes on Instagram. One day I posted a quote that simply said: “Let’s see what will happen if you decide not to give up.” A short while later I got a text from a friend who told me that when she saw this quote she burst into tears because all day she had been considering giving up on her dream of being an entrepreneur.

As a writer, I obviously believe in the power of words. I believe we can read books, blog posts, short stories, essays, and poems that can completely change our lives. And as this story shows, even a quote on Instagram seen at the right time can have a huge impact.

But there’s no need to wait around for the right quote to pop up in your social media feed. You can start writing personalized affirmations and speaking them over yourself every day.

Here are 21 affirmations to get you started.

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How I Plan My Week

image via Instagram

I call it the Sunday Slay.

That’s my name for the hour that I spend each Sunday meticulously planning the week ahead and it’s one of the ways I manage to juggle a full-time teaching schedule with writing for several publications, running See Jane Write, exercising, and trying to have a social life.

Here’s how you too can use Sunday to can set yourself up to slay the week ahead.  (more…)

What the Vulcan Run 10K Taught Me About Writing & Blogging

This weekend, for the first time ever, I participated in the Vulcan Run, a 10K race held annually in Birmingham that attracts about 1,000 runners each year.

I have never been more nervous for a race. I couldn’t really figure out why. I’ve run a half-marathon — twice — which is more than twice the number of miles of a 10K. I also trained for this race for a month. Yet, the morning of the Vulcan Run I was so nervous my stomach started to hurt.

I was convinced I’d be too slow to finish the race in the two-hour time limit or that my legs would just stop working around mile five.

Nevertheless, I laced up my Nikes and set off to pound the pavement. This race, like so many others, would not only teach me plenty about running but impart lessons about writing, too.

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My Run Like a Girl Playlist

Do you listen to music when you write?

Marie Sutton, author of The A.G. Gaston Motel in Birmingham: A Civil Rights Landmark, once revealed at a See Jane Write workshop that she was able to muster the energy to write the chapters of her book each night (after a long day of work and taking care of her family) by listening to Kanye West.

I’ve never had much success listening to music while I write. I tend to do better in quiet spaces, although I can be quite production in a busy coffee shop, too.

Nevertheless, music is essential when it comes to accomplishing other goals of mine — especially those related to fitness. Sometimes I feel as if my body cannot and will not make the movements necessary to run unless great music is being pumped into my ears.

That’s why when I was training for this year’s Vulcan Run 10K, which I ran today, selecting the music for my running playlist was as essential as getting in enough short and long runs before the race.

I’ve share my playlist below in case you have a big run coming up, too!

Do you listen to music when you write?

What are some of your favorite songs to listen to while running?