I have taken one writing class, and that was more than a few years ago in my junior year of high school. It was a poetry/creative writing class, and we didn't receive feedback - only grades and criteria met checklists. I think I would have liked that class more had the teacher offered input on my writing; so I am glad I will get some here, as I have little experience in creative writing.
A Simple 5-Second Habit to Rewire Your Harshly Self-CriticalBrain
This will be one of my first more or less negative responses to an article, maybe I woke up on the wrong side of the bed, but I did not like this article. I do appreciate it, and advocate for the message it promotes; many times when my best friend has cheated on her diet I tell her to just focus on the next meal, and when she eats healthy food to remember to feel good about it. For myself, I associate the small victory method of combatting self criticism to goal making. Instead of one large goal, I break it down into several small segments that I get fulfillment out of when I check them off the list. Anytime I skip the gym, I just remember that tomorrow I can try again and when I do go I feel so happy that I am more motivated to get back on track - and that feeling follows me when I end up skipping again and getting into a slump, the memory of success motivates me to try again. However, REBS (reality based self congratulation) in itself doesn't make sense to me as an acronym, and when I googled REBS I received an image of a military truck
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Beyond the weird acronym, the author repeatedly stated that it was a science based system but provided no related science based evidence. There was minimal explanation of how your brain works, but where are the sources? I know the author has a PhD, but no degree-holding individual is exempt from providing evidence for their claims (I know its not a super serious article but more of a motivational piece, it just kept nagging at me since they were using that specific phrase).
As I said, this review is particularly negative. I think some of that stems from the fact I already use the methods given in the article and that I am a person who, if I am reading an article that claims science-based anything I want the science-based proof to back it up. The message was great, and very similar to the Growth Mindset article, but the presentation was lacking (in my opinion).
Seven Ways to Crush Self-Doubt in Creative Work
I am very familiar with self doubt, I was filled with it in writing my first story here. It didn't turn out the way I expected, I was unsure if I had adequate use of various words or descriptions, and overall was worried it just wasn't good. Like the author, I have a lot of self doubt with my art - often it doesn't come out the way I wanted it to in my head, and then I just quit the painting all together. I once had a painting I spent five years working on and still didn't finish (my roommate accidentally broke it, I try to see that as a more or less of a blessing - if he hadn't have broken it I would have never started over).
Comparing myself to others, I would agree, is more harmful than beneficial. After other students Favorite Places posts started rolling in I found myself comparing my hippie-philosophical post and seeing it as more silly rather than meaningful. I also found regret that I have not traveled much (yet). I had to remind myself that it isn't something that can be compared, that is really how I feel and I shouldn't compare what I enjoy to what others enjoy. Also - I have plenty of time and plans to travel to more places and fine new favorite spots!
Another relation to art is abandoning the perfectionism - I didn't like the end result, and so I would just add it to the pile of finished art to never be hung on the walls. I don't feel perfectionism pressure in my academic life as much though, because the pressure of deadlines outweighs it; I might not be happy with the way a lab report looks, but since it's due I'm happy that I just completed it.
This class is definitely a test of vulnerability, because I am putting my original-first-impression thoughts out for anyone to see in addition to trying a new thing - creative story telling. The saying is true, that you are your worst critic. While I can think of some pretty brutal things about my own work, none of those thoughts ever come up when reading someone else's; so the same is probably true of someone reading my work.
As I've posted here and many other time - small goals are my life blood, and I have yet to find a negative consequence to making them as opposed to making large ones (so long as I don't forget the big picture along the way).
The sixth point in this article sums almost the entirety of the previous one; make small achievements and reward yourself for them. If you fail, it is just an opportunity to do better next time.
As you can probably tell from my blog - I talk a lot and have no problem striking up and maintaining a conversation. This is actually an insecurity of mine, because I see others who are quiet and self reflective and a whole grass is greener thing comes into mind and I become envious. Often I feel my lack of filter is a downside and (as with vulnerability) leaves me exposed because I am more or less an open book (and, where some people clam up when they are nervous - I verbally throw up, it's hard to stop talking). As the author tried to be more serious in an effort to squash his goofy/creative side, he was less happy but found he thrived when he was himself. I think the same can be said for myself, that I am happier when I am myself (seems like an obvious statement, but I believe most of us struggle to accept who we are).
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