Weekend Fun: Civil War Christmas in Camp

If you are a history enthusiast or looking for an affordable and educational weekend activity, the “Civil War Christmas in Camp at the Fort Ward Museum in Alexandria, Virginia may be the perfect leisure activity to experience.

Enjoy some hot mulled cider as you explore this educational and historical event. The program will feature a variety of fun and educational activities for all ages. Learn about the history of Santa Claus from historian and interpreter Kevin Rawlings, who portrays a patriotic Union Santa Claus based on a period woodcut engraving from Harper’s Weekly. Re-enactors will interpret how soldiers celebrated the holiday, including opening Christmas boxes from home, decorating living quarters in camp and more. And, weather permitting, soldier-led tours of the fort will be offered.

A Civil War Santa will listen to children’s holiday wishes, read “The Night Before Christmas,” and visit troops in camp. If you have children, they will have an opportunity to create a Victorian ornament or greeting card, and see examples of period ornaments on the Museum’s Victorian tree.

 

When: Saturday, December 14, 2013,12:00pm – 4:00 pm

Admission: Suggested Donation of $2.00 per person.

Where: Fort Ward Museum and Historic Site, 4301 West Braddock Road, Alexandria, VA

For more information, please contact the Museum at 703-746-4848  

or click here to visit their website.

Fall Festivals and Apple Picking

Fall has officially arrived and apple picking season is in full swing!  From Gala to Stayman, or Honey Crisp, your favorite apple is out there waiting to be picked.  

If you live in the Virginia area, apple picking opportunities are abundant!  From Central Virginia to  the Shenandoah Valley to the Blue Ridge Highlands, you will find hundreds of acres filled with over 15 varieties of apples! Take a drive and enjoy a visit at a local farm. De-stress as you enjoy fresh picked, crispy apples along with some warm apple cider and plenty of fresh air.   

Not interested in apples? Enjoy a fall festival with mazes, hayrides, jams, apple butter, pumpkins, cow trains, music and more!  This weekend (Oct. 11-13), enjoy the Hands and Harvest Festival located in the Shenandoah Valley.  The festival will offer many fall traditions along with a BBQ Chicken Dinner to benefit those in need.  Or, enjoy the end of the harvest at an annual BBQ and Bluegrass Festival, next weekend, October 19.   

As the warm summer days fade away, there is a harvest of fall fun just waiting!

Stress Buster: Vacation Fun

If you are looking for a travel adventure to get away from school and/or work stress and don’t know where to begin, consider exploring AdventureFinder.com.  Adventure Finder will give you many ideas for your next trip.  This website will guide you to hundreds of trip ideas to include lengthy excursions to weekend getaways.  Find an exciting trip biking, fishing, whale watching or get away and explore a National Park or historical site.  Find your dream getaway today! 

Free Weekend Event: Explore the Library of Congress National Book Fesitval



If you are in D.C. for the Fiesta, you can also consider visiting The 13^th Annual Library of Congress National Book Festival which will be held Saturday-Sunday, September 21-22, on the National Mall. 

President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama are honorary chairs for the event. The festival will This year's festival will feature authors, poets and illustrators in several pavilions. Festival-goers can meet and hear firsthand from their favorite poets and authors, get books signed, hear special entertainment, have photos taken with storybook characters and participate in a variety of activities. Please visit this link for a list of authors and the genres they represent.  The event will be held, rain or shine on Saturday from 10:00-5:30 pm and from 12:00-5:30 pm on Sunday and is free to the public. 

 

 

Join ELI for a Nationals Stadium Tour - Saturday, September 21

We look forward to your participation!

 

 

Back to School Tips for Staying Balanced

If you are juggling multiple responsibilities and demands in the midst of returning to school, as most students are, lightening the stress load early can best prepare you for achieving academic success while finding time for the social and personal time that you need to stay balanced.   Below are some tips for keeping a low stress level while you strive to do your best to meet your academic goals:

• Avoid taking too many courses.  Don’t overload yourself by taking the maximum amount of credits; instead, look at your schedule and assess your job and family responsibilities to determine a realistic courseload so that you don’t get too overwhelmed.  It is important that you have enough time to take breaks to keep you feeling focused. If necessary, speak to an ELI Counselor (elicounselors@nvc.edu), if you need further guidance with this.

• Take regular breaks in between study periods to avoid burnout.  Use the time to go on a relaxing walk and take in all of the fall scenery surrounding you.  As you are walking, renew your senses as you take in the bright colors of the changing leaves and the crisp fall air.   Or, use that time to take a short nap or relax and imagine a relaxing place so that when you return to your coursework, it’s like you are coming back feeling rejuvenated from a relaxing mental vacation.

• Participate in community groups or college clubs.  Identify an interest that you are wanting to learn more about and join a club related to it.  Additionally, check out volunteer opportunities or consider a Meetup Group as a way of staying connected to the larger community - you can easily get caught up in your day to day responsibilities and forget how necessary it is to socialize with others.

• For courses required for general education requirements or those related to your major, take the ones that interest you the least first to get them out of the way.  If it is a subject that you frequently struggle with, taking it early is a good idea as it will give you the incentive that once those courses are behind you, you will have the ones that interest and energize you to look forward to.  (If you need help developing such a schedule, please contact the ELI Counselors at elicounselors@nvcc.edu.  They will be happy to assist you.)

• Enjoy the learning process as it relates to your overall time management skills and creating optimum social-personal-academic balance in your life.  Once you master a routine that works in juggling academic, family and social responsibilities, it will empower you to approach future semesters and/or situations that require extensive multi-tasking and planning.  In addition, seek to integrate your social experiences and those related to personal growth into your academic goals in terms of what activities energize you and provide motivation as well as life balance.  For example, if exercising with a group energizes you, plan a walking group and coordinate a time to walk a few hours before you attack your homework. 

For more information on this topic, please check out this link. 

Weekend Stress Buster: Take a Break at the Prince William County Fair

Take a break and have fun at the Prince William County Fair.  From rides, clowns and craft demonstrations to nightly grandstand events and show barn performances, there is something to make everyone happy at the Annual Prince William County Fair.  There is a variety of events that include pony rides, No Joes Clown Circus, Jeff Robbins Mountain Music, Home Arts Exhibits, the judging of varied farm animals. Nightly Grandstand events include a truck and tractor pull, Twisted K Bull Riding, Dave Martin Rodeo, ARMA Lawnmower Racing, and a demolition derby, to name a few!

The Fair will run August 9-17.  If you are on a limited budget, plan to go on $2 Tuesday---Admission is $2.00 and all rides are $2.00!!  For other admission fees, please click here.    

This is a great opportunity to relax and have fun right before the fall semester begins! 

Handling Stress Calmly

Imagine you are about to submit an online assignment at 7:30 a.m. on Monday morning. Your computer crashes and you must submit it from another computer. You decide to drive to the library. However, it is pouring down rain, traffic is moving at a bumper-to-bumper pace and the clock is ticking. If you do not submit the assignment by 8:00, you will not receive credit. Does this scenario sound familiar?  This scenario is similar to something that we have all experienced at one time or another.

What are some of the feelings that you experience in such a scenario and how do you typically respond? Think physiology: racing heart, nausea, indigestion or tense muscles.  The feelings of worry and stress may hinder our thought processes and may interfere with our ability to make informed decisions while in crisis mode. In these unpredictable times, we can’t always control our external circumstances; however, we can control our response to them and how we strategize to overcome physical and mental stress in preparation for the next time we are faced with a similar situation.

Some suggestions to promote peace in your life during stressful situations:

·       Be pro-active.  Although we can’t always be a step ahead, try to plan so that you are not completing tasks at the last minute. 

·       Take a Deep Breath.  If you are inclined to take rapid, shallow breaths, practice taking in slower deep breaths to combat the stress response.

·       Do not respond reactively. Take a moment to think through your situation and how to best resolve the problem.  Write down your options and determine which will be the best approach. 

·       Think of a calm relaxing scene such as a tranquil, sandy beach with the peaceful sound of ocean waves in the background or whatever scene helps you feel at peace (you may want to practice this in your spare time so that you can return to this scene when circumstances warrant it).

·       Turn on some relaxing music. Easy listening music may serve to provide a sense of peace and calmness.

As you learn to take responsibility and incorporate these processes into your life, they will help you develop a rational and orderly response to stressful situations.

For additional information please, click here.

Handling Stress Calmly

Imagine you are about to submit an online assignment at 7:30 a.m. on Monday morning. Your computer crashes and you must submit it from another computer. You decide to drive to the library. However, it is pouring down rain, traffic is moving at a bumper-to-bumper pace and the clock is ticking. If you do not submit the assignment by 8:00, you will not receive credit. Does this scenario sound familiar?  This scenario is similar to something that we have all experienced at one time or another.

What are some of the feelings that you experience in such a scenario and how do you typically respond? Think physiology: racing heart, nausea, indigestion or tense muscles.  The feelings of worry and stress may hinder our thought processes and may interfere with our ability to make informed decisions while in crisis mode. In these unpredictable times, we can’t always control our external circumstances; however, we can control our response to them and how we strategize to overcome physical and mental stress in preparation for the next time we are faced with a similar situation.

Some suggestions to promote peace in your life during stressful situations:

·       Be pro-active.  Although we can’t always be a step ahead, try to plan so that you are not completing tasks at the last minute. 

·       Take a Deep Breath.  If you are inclined to take rapid, shallow breaths, practice taking in slower deep breaths to combat the stress response.

·       Do not respond reactively. Take a moment to think through your situation and how to best resolve the problem.  Write down your options and determine which will be the best approach. 

·       Think of a calm relaxing scene such as a tranquil, sandy beach with the peaceful sound of ocean waves in the background or whatever scene helps you feel at peace (you may want to practice this in your spare time so that you can return to this scene when circumstances warrant it).

·       Turn on some relaxing music. Easy listening music may serve to provide a sense of peace and calmness.

As you learn to take responsibility and incorporate these processes into your life, they will help you develop a rational and orderly response to stressful situations.

For additional information please, click here.

Beat the Heat at a Water Park

As the days seem to get hotter and hotter, if you are looking for a way to cool off, consider cooling off at a local water park!  A few in the Northern Virginia area include (but are not limited to):

Water Mine Family Swim Hole, Reston, VA - operated by Fairfax County Park Authority.  According to the website, “The Water Mine Family Swimmin' Hole offers more than an acre of slides, flumes, sprays, showers, floatables and interactive play features, circled by Rattlesnake River with a 2.5 mile per hour current that gently nudges tubes along. A bit of the old west is recreated here. Kids careen off covered wagons, float on rattlesnakes and dash through showers tipped from water-filled ore carts….while the Water Mine's attractions are designed for elementary-aged children, there's something here for everyone. Tenderfoot Pond, with its pint-sized slides and gentle bubblers, gives toddlers a perfect place for water play. Teenagers can join a game of water volleyball, and everyone will enjoy going with the flow in a tube on Rattlesnake River.”.  For more information to include cost and hours, please visit their website.

Splash Down Water Park, Manassas, VA – privately owned and operated.  Splash Down is Northern Virginia’s largest water park.  Cool off in the lazy river or enjoy the leisure pool, activity pool, log walk, tropical twister and cannonball slides!  To learn more, please visit their website.

Volcano Island Water Park, Sterling, VA – operated by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority and located at Algonkian Regional Park.  According to the website, “Volcano Island Waterpark [is] Sterling’s favorite place [to] cool off and have fun…. Volcano Island is loaded with fun features for adults and kids. Volcano Island includes a 500-gallon dumping bucket, water slides, waterfalls and squirters! Visitors will find themselves amidst tropical foliage and grass hats, at the feet of the mighty waterpark volcano!”  To learn more, visit their website.

These particular water parks are not approved or recommended by ELife, they are referenced to serve as a sampling of the various water parks, large and small, across the local area. 

Outdoor Fun: Have You Considered a Canoeing or Kayaking Outing?

If you enjoy the outdoors, summer is the perfect time to explore the plethora of outdoor leisure activities.  Outdoor leisure activities promote a healthy lifestyle and also serve as a sensational stress buster.   Unsure of where to begin, perhaps canoeing or kayaking would interest you! 

Canoeing and/or kayaking are relaxing, stress free activities that are accessible at many area parks.  You can also enjoy these activities on a grander scale by visiting the Shenandoah River in Front Royal, Virginia.   Experience the beauty of the Shenandoah River on your own or in a guided tour.  Enjoy paddling through the crystal clear waters of the Shenandoah and soak in the sun and have fun.

If you are a novice, there are a number of tour companies in Front Royal that will provide novice to intermediate instruction to help you stay safe and get the most out of your canoeing experience.  If you prefer to study up on canoeing before you go, consider enrolling in NOVA’s Canoeing Class offered through our Recreation, Parks and Leisure Studies Program.  Although this is an on-campus course, not offered through ELI, it only requires two evenings on campus and one weekend at an off campus site to practice and learn the canoeing skills and rules.   If you are interested in registering the class will be offered in the Fall: RPK 171.  This class may even count towards your degree – please check with your Faculty Advisor or an ELI Counselor by emailing elicounseling@nvcc.edu.

Not interested in canoeing, read our future blog posts for additional leisure activities to help relax and enjoy the summer.

Have fun and for more information, please click here.

Managing Your Schedule This Summer

If you have ever taken summer classes in the past, you know it can be a major hurdle to squeeze everything you need to do, from homework assignments and exams, to the leisurely summer activities that you enjoy into one condensed semester.  Below are some tips to keep in mind as you prepare for a fast, yet fun schedule ahead:

• Be sure to make time to get outside, either by getting up a little earlier in the morning and going for a power walk or making time at the end of your day to get out and enjoy the sun.  Vitamin D from the sun is great for renewing your energy during a busy week.

• Don’t overbook yourself.  With summer classes occurring in a more condensed format, it is best not to overload yourself with too many activities or too many classes.  You don’t want to feel like you blinked your eyes and suddenly, summer is over due to a frenzy of activity!

• Make time to spend with close friends and relatives.  With the warmer weather, people are more inclined to want to get together for a walk or ice-cream.  Take advantage of the long days and use this time to reconnect with meaningful friendships and relationships.

• Plan your vacation early.  Even if you don’t plan on taking a vacation until mid to late summer, make sure you know when and how much time you will need to plan in advance.  If you start feeling super stressed, think of your upcoming vacation that will serve as a relaxing getaway.

• Allow time for reflection on your long term goals such as when you plan to graduate, what career you are seeking or if you plan on changing careers.  If possible, find a quiet place outside where you can contemplate your next steps in the long term scheme of things. 

• Plan ahead as much as possible, so that when classes are in full swing, you will be aware of your long term plans since you will have them mapped out where you can look ahead to the next week or month and know what is coming up.

The semester moves fast in the summer, so you’ll need to buckle down and plan out what assignments are due and when.  The earlier you do this the better.  In the midst of all of the craziness, be sure to make time for some summer fun and relaxation.

Summer Fun: Time to Relax and Enjoy Free Weekend Entertainment

Are you looking for an inexpensive and entertaining summer night out?  Discover the endless entertainment at the Fairfax County ‘Free’ Summer Entertainment Series.  If you live in the Northern Virginia area, the summer entertainment series will provide a relaxing and enjoyable ‘free’ night out. 

Pay tribute to our Military and enjoy the music of The United States Army Field Band “The Volunteers, The United States Navy Commodores, The United States Air Force Band Celtic Air, the United States Air Force Singing Sergeants and more.  Enjoy area community bands, jazz, rock, folk, puppet shows, magicians and more! The entertainment is endless!

Please click here for a complete listing of the events, times and locations.     

Father's Day Fun: Sunday, June 16

If you are looking for a Father’s Day activity, consider attending the 40^th Annual Sully Antique Car Show:  Sunday, June 16, 10am-3:30pm

Treat your Dad or yourself to a fun day out at the Annual Antique Car Show.  This event, which has become a tradition for my family, has something for everyone!  It is a great place for Dad to spend time with his family and enjoy his day browsing over 400 antique and classic cars. After working up an appetite, he can enjoy some classic fair food such as fresh lemonade, hot kettle corn, pulled pork, hotdogs and more.  While dining, he can experience live music by Jumpin Jupiter!  To end the day, he can take some time and browse the treasures of over 100 vendors at the flea market. 

The event is located at Sully Historic Park, 3650 Historic Sully Way, Chantilly, VA  20151. Admission includes a tour of the first floor of the 1794 house: $10/adult, $8/senior, $7/child.  For directions and more information, please click here.  

The Annual Car Show is presented by the George Washington Chapter, Inc. Model A Ford Club of America and the Fairfax County Park Authority.

 

Test Taking Skills to Promote Your Success

Have you ever felt shocked at your test results---expecting an A and receiving a low grade?  To enhance your test taking skills and get that ‘A’, take a moment to review the common test taking errors and tips referenced below.    

Read the Instructions/Questions Carefully:  You have probably heard this tip a thousand times but failure to read the instructions and each question carefully can result in careless errors. Do not skim---read thoroughly and carefully.  Sometimes, wrong answers can be the result of skipping over important directions.  

Label Your Test: Make sure your name and student ID are on the test along with any other information required by the instructor or testing center.  You would be surprised at how many students, anxious to get started, forget to put their name on the test or the Scantron!  Failure to include your name will most likely result in a zero!!

Sequence Errors: Concept errors such as misunderstanding a principle involved in solving the problem or steps involved in the process can create problems in answering the question correctly. When studying, take time to review your lecture notes and textbook carefully to ensure you follow the proper sequence is answering the question.  (Use flash cards and/or mnemonics when studying, to help remember and recall the order.)

Missing Problems in the Test: If you are anxious and/or have a tendency to rush, you may miss problems or skip a step.  If you are confused on a question, circle it and come back to it later. If you have a tendency to skip the last step or part of a question, be sure to look at this part of the problem first.  Always remember to review your test before turning it in!

Spending too Much Time on One Question: If you are spending too much time on one question, circle it, and refer back to it after you have completed the other questions (as you move forward through the test – other questions may prompt you to remember the answer to the question that stumped you).  If you are taking a timed test, you may want to consider wearing a watch (testing centers do not allow cell phones at your testing station).

Recording the Incorrect Answer:  Accidentally, copying the wrong answer from your scratch paper to the actual test can result in a disaster. To avoid this, strategically plan to compare your answer on the scratch paper with the one on the test.

Review your Answers: Careless mistakes such as forgetting to add two numbers in a long math problem, skipping steps or accidentally missing a question, can result in zero credit or a loss of points. To protect yourself against this common error, after completing each question/problem, review your answers thoroughly.

Preparing for Future Quizzes/Tests: Once you have received your quiz/test back, be sure to review it and look up every question that you missed.  Determine the reason why you missed the question and learn from it so you will understand the concept(s) and be able to apply the correct information on your next exam.   For more information on this topic, visit this link.

To further promote your success, ELI offers many resources and tips through our NovaELIfe social media channels. For links to our informational blogs, academic resources to include free online tutoring, Facebook and Twitter, please click here. 

Exercises That Reduce Stress

What better way to unwind and/or start your day right than to engage in some exercises that are known to relieve stress? You are probably already aware of these types of exercises; in case you need a refresher and a reason to engage in their benefits, listed below are the types of exercise along with their stress-relieving qualities.

If you haven’t signed up for a yoga class, it might be a good idea to check out your local gym. Yoga is proven to improve focus, reduce blood pressure. It helps you practice new postures that enhance concentration and promotes relaxation through deep breathing techniques. Ashtanga, vinyesa, and Bikram are more athletic varieties, while Hatha yoga is more easygoing and focuses more specifically on reducing stress.

Tai Chi is a type of exercise that involves focusing on the present moment while enhancing flexibility and improving mood. It involves a meditative focus and connects types of physical exercises to specific breathing patterns. It also is known to improve balance, promote better sleep and enhance cardiovascular functioning. In contrast to yoga, there are no pauses between poses. It is similar to yoga in that the exercises vary in intensity.

Qigong is another type of exercise that is similar to Tai Chi and Yoga that incorporates very slow movement with associated breathing patterns.

Walking on a regular basis can not only reduce stress but also improve your confidence in your sense of well being. It releases muscle tension and relaxes breathing. It is recommended that you start with two 10 minute walks; then, gradually increase your walking duration to five or six 30 minute walks. Frequent walking can lower your risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and lower your cholesterol.

Pilates is a series of exercises that focuses on alignment and lessens back and neck pain. It is similar to yoga as it focuses on performing the exercises while living in the moment, thereby reducing worry.

Tennis is another useful exercise and sport for reducing stress since it has the added bonus of working with a partner and therefore keeps you socially connected. It is also great for your cardiovascular system; additionally, this sport stave off heart disease and high blood pressure.

For more information on this topic, visit this link.

Maintaining Your Focus During Busy Times

How often do you feel blindsighted by distractions - visual or auditory - that prevent you from maintaining focus on the things that matter such as prioritizing tasks, making time for friends and family and/or taking time out to de-stress? Below are some tips to help you stay on task and minimize internal and external distractions:

Be selective about what you are targeting. Since the brain forms a mental image of what you focus on, by focusing on important tasks and priorities, you are more likely to tune into them on a regular basis. If your target is something distracting however, it may divert you from important priorities.

Explain what you see to others to heighten your understanding of why it is important to accomplish certain tasks and/or to remind yourself of what is important in your world right now.

• How often is the time you spend in aimless activities productive? For example, if you are searching for a product on the web, how useful will it be to your productivity and growth? Are you looking to improve your way of functioning in the world or merely searching aimlessly and not knowing what you are looking for? The latter activity in and of itself can be an unnecessary distraction from adding things to your life that enhance your overall purpose.


• Keep a positive attitude during challenging tasks and struggles to improve your energy and alleviate the distractions that negative thinking can present. If you are struggling with a difficult task, reminding yourself that "I will push through this and do my best", rather than "this is impossible" will make the activity less stressful and burdensome, while filtering out negative thoughts that can cause distraction.


• Even during the gloomiest of times, look for ways to best handle the situation even it means taking personal time do reflect such as a nature walk or a yoga class, rather than letting yourself fall prey to the pressure of the situation.


• Engage in activities that are mentally stimulating to improve your attentional flow, that feeling of being so engrossed in what you are doing that you lose track of time!


• Avoid too much multitasking. When you are sending a text while answering a call, it can overload your language circuit, thus potentially causing you to make unnecessary mistakes or forgetfulness later on. Ever misplace your keys because you were texting and e-mailing at the same time? Be sure to take breaks in between tasks to ensure optimal focus and performance on tasks.
• Reduce external distractions in the form of computers, iphones, or ipads. We are so driven by technology nowadays that we can forget the importance of connecting with close friends and family and/or taking time to enjoy the outdoors and exercise without paying attention to that e-mail that you are expecting any minute!


• Keep in mind that by reducting external distractions and getting away from the computer for awhile, you can improve and personalize your connections with the people who you are close to and develop new ones in the process.

Just being aware of the many distractions that are pressing down on you and having the awareness to minimize them to tend to what matters can enrich your life during hectic times! For more information on this topic, visit this link.

Stress Management Suggestions: Food for Thought

So, by now, you are probably tired of hearing about the benefits of exercise and meditation in reducing stress. In light of juggling multiple responsiblities during a busy semester, below are a few new suggestions to add to your list of stress management techniques that you may not have heard of before:

• Steal the Mic from Your Inner Jerk: Often, when we are at our lowest point, silencing the “inner jerk” that says you are not good enough is a good way to empower yourself and reinforce that you are in charge of your own feelings and destiny.

• Avoid rushing too much; use that time that you are waiting in line at the grocery store to think about your weekend plans or read a magazine article that might teach you something new that you can apply to your daily life such as dietary guidelines or new exercise routines in a journal like Health magazine. More importantly, if you need time to deal with a “heavy” or unexpected situation, be sure to set aside that time to reflect. E-mails, phone calls and basically life moves at a rapid pace; dealing with an important decision or situation really requires filtering out distractions and thinking in a quiet place as much as possible.

• Use that space in between a situation and the response that you choose to really get in tune with the answer that you know is right and always remember that there is that space for you to make the appropriate choice, even if the choice is “you don’t know yet.”

• Take time to bond with family and friends. Often, they can provide perspective and insight that you may not have thought of or remind you of times when you felt lighthearted and not under stress – what kinds of choices you made then and how you coped with unforeseen obstacles.Using these techniques as a topic for journaling is a great way to come to terms with stressors that are causing you to re-think past decisions and get into a process for making appropriate choices.

For more information on this topic, visit the following link.

Journal Writing as a Way of Clearing Your Mind

If you are looking for another way to manage stress and your New Year's Resolutions, journal writing is an excellent way to stay on track. Regular journal writing can help open your mind to new perspectives and discoveries while forcing you to settle into a place where you can be quiet with your thoughts. Below are some tips to making journal writing an enjoyable stress-reliever:

• Silence your inner critic who is being judgmental about your grammar and writing style or who simply tells you not to write unless it is for school or business. Once you release that self judgment, it will free you to write your ideas as they float into your mind.

• Examine new discoveries that you may not have stumbled upon without writing it on paper. You may have noticed things about your surroundings and goals that weren’t brought to light before. Maybe you have developed a new interest or energy toward something that wasn’t there before or you see new ways to re-evaluate your current lifestyle that will allow for more freedom, better health and flexibility.

• Journal writing is a personal experience that is intended for your eyes only. Resist the inner concern that others may see what you have written or that other people will judge your writing.

• Delve into the process of what great insights come to mind when journaling, rather than pressuring yourself to stick to new goals. The process of simply thinking and writing in the moment can naturally lead to new ways of thinking of what you truly want and don’t want that maybe you didn’t explore before because you were moving too quickly with the hectic pace of life and day to day responsibilities.

• Bask in the originality that comes with creative writing that is strictly your style and not judged by anyone else. Writing that is truly your own can freely guide you to write down your honest thoughts and ideas, getting them out on paper, that you don’t get with the merely thinking about them.

• Write about your surroundings and observations. Use your senses to capture the stories taking place in front of you and the physical environment; it can make the world more interesting and create a trail of insights that may lead to a new goal or idea.

• Reflect on specific details of your experiences as opposed to what they will mean in the immediate future or past. For example, if you are taking a trip to visit family, instead of anticipating what will likely happen based on your last trip, observe your feelings as you are at the airport and as you embark on the plane ride. Keeping your reflections in the present opens a new window interest that can be stifled from assumptions based on past or future events.

• Add texture through the use of sketches, poems or symbols that are unique and personal to you. This will not only expand your creativity, but will help merge symbolic meaning, either literal or figurative, into your present thoughts that can only bring more meaning and focus.

• Journaling also provides a unique opportunity to release feelings of tension and inner stress that you may not be able to address when a situation that triggers them presents itself. Embrace your journaling time as a way to get in touch with and release inner feelings of unrest and tension as a way of taking care of yourself, without the interference of other demands an responsibilities.

For more information on this topic, visit this link.