How to overcome a writer's block

From poets to writers (I'm thinking maybe even singers), all of them get a writer's block at one point in life. If you are a struggling writer/poet/singer you may think there's no way out of a writer's block when it hits you. The good part is: YOU ARE WRONG! I personally believe every writer had a writer's block at one point in their career. I've been through it a couple of times but I eventually found the inspiration and moved on. Now I'm going to share my tips with you guys, hoping they'll help you get out of the damned writer's block (no matter how cpic it sounds...it sucks!). To begin with, how do you know you have a writer's block?

You know you have a writer's block when: 

1. There's a blank new document on your screen OR there's a blank piece of paper and a pen waiting for you on the desk
2. You feel worthless
3. You think about the same thing over and over again and it doesn't get you anywhere
4. You get angry because of the above
5. You feel worthless, you even consider you might not have a writer's block - you just lack talent 
6. You keep on writing lines and then deleting them
7. Those phrases become incomprehensible
8. You feel anxious/stressed
9. You think about this failure to write 24/7
10. You even begged your friends to just 'shoot' you

Now here's some tips on how to overcome it. They worked for me, I hope they'll be helpful for you as well:

• Feel proud of your writer's block

After all, you are a writer, and I bet all great writer's got a writer's block at least once in their lifetime. A writer's block doesn't make you a bad writer, it just reminds you that you are a writer...most certainly a good one as well. Maybe you'll be famous one day and you'll have this writer's block to talk about. Maybe this one really changed your perspective of your book/poem... you never know (it would also be nice to mention me when they ask you how you overcame your writer's block. But only if you found my advices helpful xD ) 

• Take a break

Maybe your mind really needs a break...so just take a break. After all, your mind is the master, the source of inspiration and sometimes it just need a well deserved break. Take a break, get your mind off the book/poem/song/blog/anything you might be working on. Try to not think about for a least a day or two. Consider it a well deserved vacation. Speaking of which...

• Try taking a vacation

And if you can't take a long one, just take a "picnic vacation". Get out of your house and roam the streets, go have a nice picnic with a friend or two, ride your bike a while or just go somewhere in nature and admire the miracle of life. That'll surely relax you.

• Meditate

Meditation helps you clear your mind, which in case of a writer's block is tangled with so many thoughts. You may find meditation quite effective, and at least you should give it a try. Life is too short not to try new things! 

• Listen to music

Try to listen to music that has no lyrics to it so those won't be a distraction. You should go for some jazz, classical, lounge or chill out music. I remember I found this song one day on youtube and loved it instantly. I let it play smoothly along with other songs like this one in the background when I'm writing. This really helps me relax my brain.

• Start writing something else

If it's a certain chapter of your book or a certain part of the poem you can't get to sound the way you want to, leave it like that and focus on other parts. Maybe you have a good idea about your book's ending. Write the ending to the book in that case, it'll put your brain to work and most likely you'll get back into the creative state you're usually in.

• Just write

Whatever pops inside your brain. Even if it's stupid things that don't make sense. Just start writing, the first sentence will be the hardest but hopefully the second one will become easier and eventually you'll be back on the track

• Get a coffee 
  

Or a tea, depending on what you prefer. You can even take a glass a wine. That thing will boost up your morale and will do some sort of magic for you, because most of the time, tea or coffee works miracles for me...and I can't explain it. They say the caffeine stirs your mind, if that's the case... stir me coffee, aaaaw yeah! 

• Watch some comedy

They say you should try reading or listening to something you usually are not interested in. It may bring out some ideas. I say, it's annoying! Watching stand up comedy however works best, it helps me laugh and relax and it gives me way more ideas. I guess it's up to you to figure out what helps you most.

• Inspire yourself from your dreams

I do that sometimes. I just happen to have some great, inspiring dreams sometimes and it would be such a pity not to add some creativity (mostly fiction) to them and use them. After all, they do come from my brain as well.

• Always keep a notebook with you 

Because you never know when inspiration strikes. You may be riding a train and get an idea, what do you do then? You tell yourself the biggest lie "Aw, I'll remember this one" And at the end of the day you remember "Heeey! I had a really good idea today. What was it again?" Just keep a small notebook and a pen always around and write it down the moment you think of it. Even if you'll remember it later, you won't remember it exactly the way it was.

• Eat healthy

After all, you are what you eat. I don't know if you know, but what you eat influences your mood, your immune system, aches and pains. Even  your sleep and focus are influenced by what you eat. So make sure you eat more veggies and fruit. Now, I'm not saying go vegan or anything, just try to balance the amount of meat and fries you eat with healthier food like veggies and fruits. And stay away from sugar! 

• Ask for some advices
  

You can ask some of your closest friends what they think about what you wrote and what do they think should happen next(in case of a book), or what would sound good(in case of poetry). Just make sure you ask someone you can count on. 

Wishing you the best,
Rachel

Stuff you didn't know about your pineal gland

The information around the part of our body known as the Pineal Gland, the third eye, the seat of the Soul, the Anja chakra and so on is still clouded in mist.

Today, we know that the pineal gland (also called the pineal body, epiphysis cerebri, epiphysis, conarium or the "third eye") is a small endocrine gland in the vertebrate brain. It produces the serotonin derivative melatonin, a hormone that affects the modulation of wake/sleep patterns and seasonal functions.Its shape resembles a tiny pine cone (hence its name), and it is located near the centre of the brain, between the two hemispheres, tucked in a groove where the two rounded thalamic bodies join.

The pineal gland is involved in several functions of the body including:

• Secretion of the Hormone Melatonin

• Regulation of Endocrine Functions

• Conversion of Nervous System Signals to Endocrine Signals

• Causes Feeling of Sleepiness

• Influences Sexual Development

But the more interesting part comes just now. Ancient Greeks apparently knew about the pineal gland, in fact they believed the pineal gland was our connection to the Realms of Thought. Descartes called it, the Seat of the Soul. Now it makes you wonder if they really knew the mechanism and the role of this gland or was it just pure fiction? 

And just when we thought there is nothing more to the pineal gland than what we already know, in 2001 Rick Strassman suggested a new approach to the pineal gland in his study and book called "DMT The Spirit Molecule: A Doctor's Revolutionary Research into the Biology of Near-Death and Mystical Experiences".

Now I'll be honest right here and tell you from the start that I didn't get a chance to read the book but I did hear him talk about the subject in matter, and I'll share with you exactly what I've heard and read about.


Strassman discovered that the Pineal Gland was responsible for releasing not only melatonin but also DMT - Dimethyltryptamine. DMT is a profound hallucinogenic type of chemical, a so called chemical cousin of seorotonim. During his testing he discovered that abnormal levels of DMT triggered states of consciousness (hallucinogenic states) that resemble very well the experiences of after life. The hallucinogenic state, like the dreaming state is a temporary disconnection from the physical body, where the dreamer becomes a discarded intelligence traversing higher realms, no longer bound to the restriction of time and the law of physics. DMT becomes the portal that allows the spirit to roam freely outside our body.  

It's believed that DMT is released in high levels to act as a catalyst in near death experiences, being released at the same time as the adrenaline. Therefore, DMT would be responsible for inducing the machinery of afterlife.  DMT is also released in states such as: meditation or spiritual practices.


What I've also learned is that the Pineal Gland is extremely low protected from stress and can be calcified by fluoride and other toxins. 

You may wonder... what's so wrong if your Pineal Gland is calcified? 

See, when the Pineal Gland is calcified it stops functioning at its normal parameters which means it may be making it difficult for you to achieve happy, blissful states of being and pleasant night's sleep. This calcification of the pineal gland makes us lose touch with our spiritual selves/ higher selves. 

Also it seems that the internal secretions of the pineal gland inhibit the development of the reproductive glands, because in cases where it is severely damaged in children, the result is accelerated development of the sexual organs and the skeleton. In other words, the pineal gland takes care of our metabolism, development of our sexual organs and spiritual self, so why would you want a gland so important in your life to malfunction?    

Now that we got that out of the way you may wonder...

What calcifies the Pineal Gland? 

As you probably already guessed:

The flouride in your tap water and toothpaste. It calcifies the pineal tissue and basically shuts the gland down 

In the late 90′s, Jennifer Luke (scientist) leads the first study on the effects of sodium fluoride on the pineal gland. According to her, the pineal gland was a target for fluoride. The pineal gland simply absorbed more fluoride than any other physical matter in the body, even bones. It seems that the pineal gland is like a magnet to sodium fluoride. This calcifies the gland and makes it no longer effective in balancing the entire hormonal processes through the body.

Mercury and other toxins also calcify the pineal gland. 

Stuff to consider: The pineal gland appears in the embryo after 49 days of gestation. Tibetans believe that is the required period of time for one soul to reincarnate. 49 days is also when the fetus differentiates into male or female gender.

So what's your opinion of the pineal gland?  

Stay tuned for "How to decalcify your pineal gland"... 

21 things I've learned by the age 21

1. Things always seem easy in the beginning

Whether we are talking about cooking, writing a book, getting a job or learning how to play piano (or any other instrument for that matter), things sure look easier at first or when you see other's do it. But I also know that with determination and ambition you can make things easier. 

2. You cannot read more books at the same time

It took me a while to learn this one. As a stubborn person that I am, I thought I could read three books at the same time. The thing worked for a while but eventually I lost track and neither of the three books made sense anymore so I had to start reading each one of them again. Ever since, I take one book at the time.

3. Great memories can easily fade but awkward incidents remain 

It takes a lot of time to remind people of great things we did together, or nice things I did for them, but it takes less than 5 seconds for them to remember all the times I made a complete foul of myself. So yeah, every great thing you'll do will be forgotten but all of your incidents will be remember with the most details. 

4. People like it when you are stupid

Because stupid people can be easily manipulated and toyed around with. Miracle diets,  all sort of products we don't really need but ads make us want and so on, are easier to sell to people who do not have a mind of their own. 

5. Old people and kids have wisdom to share

You should really listen to old people from time to time, they really do have some wisdom to share. Yes! there are some old people that just talk bullshit but most of them have some wisdom to impart, and you should listen before Alzheimer takes their memory away. 

Also...never underestimate the kids! I mean it. Don't do it! Because I used to do so and I've missed some great lessons. They have a fresh mind and perspective of the world that allows them to see things differently. 

6. Coding is sexy 

It creates a special connection between the you and the computer, it makes you a team that create new, amazing things. It's love taken to another level, you speak the same language, understand each other. And yes, I always wish I could do that (and even believe I can most of the times) but whenever I try learning it...it just goes to pieces. There's no connection...just... well, errors! But that never stops me from fantasizing about it. Maybe it's just the mystery behind it that keeps me hooked after all...

7. Holidays are not for relaxation

All those things you imagine you'll do when the holidays come. Sip some hot cocoa in front of the chimney, open presents and watch movies... That only happens in movies! In real life, you have to buy the gifts, get your home clean and decorated for the holidays, expect the family and friends to come around and make sure they have a good time, visit some relatives and so on. 

8. Best things in life cannot be bought

Money can buy most of the things these days but there are some things you really cannot buy with money. Money can buy you a car but not a destination, they can buy you people but not love. Money can buy you medicine but not health, a house but not a home. Money can buy you shiny things and expensive clothes but not happiness. At the end of the day, you cannot cuddle with your money (unless you're a freak), you cannot talk to your money (seriously, if you do this consider visiting a shrink), you cannot kiss your money, read them to sleep, count on their shoulder to cry on or be there for you when things fall apart (when that happens, they usually get out of sight as well).

9. Life is to be savored

Life is wonderful, living makes us miserable. And sadly, we complicate this living so much until it's all about having the things ads make you want and compromising for them. Life is simple, like inhaling and exhaling, like sunrises and sunsets. They do not struggle to look like something they are not or be surrounded by material possessions. Hell, you don't see the flowers using make up nor the butterflies wearing expensive jewelry and yet they are beyond beautiful and unique. You should seriously consider if that make up and expensive cloths/cars/houses/jewelry make you unique or just like everyone else. I say it's what come from the inside and what you have to offer that make you unique.

10. Everything has a place in this world 

Whether it's the roof on the house, the dust on the furniture or you in this experience you call your life, everything has a place. Whomever said "A place for everything and everything in its place" (because there is a long debate on this one) was half right. There is indeed a place for everything but not everything is in its place lately. Make sure you find yours.    

11.  Practice makes permanent

Funny story: I had an extremely long math homework - it was basically the same type of exercises over and over again for 30 times or so, and since I've never been good at math and that homework was due next day, I looked over the exercises we did in class and started the first one. For the rest of the exercises I guided myself after that first one without checking out to see if it was correct. Unfortunately it wasn't, and after 2 hours of doing the same type of exercises I ended up knowing the steps to take by heart... only that they were wrong. It took me a while to get it out of my head, thou even today if I see those type of exercises I'll most likely think of the wrong solution first.

That was a funny event I got over, but in life... if practice makes permanent it's not always a good thing. So do not practice with broken relationships, jobs that make you miserable, or anything else for that matter...it'll only make it worse in time. Now I'm not saying give up easily, just consider what you're practicing on for a minute.

12. Comfort keeps you "asleep"

Most of the things that make your life easier don't necessary make it better. Comfort makes it cozy for you to sleep, and unfortunately that is not always a good thing. Many people want you "asleep". 

13. Chase your dreams!

Really go for it, and make it when the opportunity arrives. Do not waste any time, do not delay. If you see a glimpse of what you really want, no matter how far in distance it is or how crazy it may seem to go for it right away... Go for it! 

14. Tears are priceless 

I know tears can get you out of trouble easier (in case you are a girl) but they also make you easier. 

15. Karma is not a "female dog" unless you make it 

Yeap, everything I do always come back like a boomerang when I least expect it. Lately, whenever it hits me, after the first seconds of being angry I smile knowing that something I did comes back around. It's ironic and annoying most of the times, but good things you did come back around as well so that lead me to this conclusion: Karma is not a *female dog* unless you make it! 

16. Everything leaves a trace

Nothing fades without being acknowledged of, and everything leaves a trace. Even if it's just the memories or a hint of perfume. Remember, you leave fingerprints as well in all the lives that you touch... so pay attention to what you leave behind.

17. Love is not a cliché 

Love is ... everything. 

18. Nothing comes easy

Well some things do... but those usually vanish just as easily.

19. Youtube short 5 minutes videos take most of your time 

Because it's just 5 minutes and then, that seems nice and it's only 3 minutes... and so on until you waste hours checking all sorts of videos. 

20. Fail to plan is plan to fail

This took me a while to learn, and I found it harder to plan but once I got a grip of it, it became a great helper. Alan Lakein was so right when he said it.

21. Laughing is you're body's way of taking a break

All the troubles melt or vanish after only five minutes of laughing. A good laugh can light up your day in a matter of seconds.

Slam poets you just have to check out !

At first I intended to do a top 10 list of slam poets, but then I realized each one of them is amazing and every poem has its own story to tell, so who am I to judge which one is better? Eventually I decided I was going to make a list of the poems I like and think everybody should check them out.

1. Andrea Gibson

The thing I like most about Andrea Gibson is her voice and the notes she touches. Almost all the poems I've heard from her have a sad story to tell but in the end she always leaves some room for the good part. Her poems focus on politics, the struggles people face in today's society and gender norms.

The first poem I would recommend from her is Bullets and Windchimes

Favorite quotes from her poems: "And all they know of hate, is that it couldn't beat the love out of me" from her poem Ashes. 

"And when they drop me to the grave, i fell like a bucket into a well and came up full
Carving my lover's name into the skin of a weeping willow" - Ashes

2. Mike McGee

Mike McGee or Mighty Mike as he often calls himself has a funny way of putting this seriously. His poem Like, touches funny, sad and romantic notes all at the same time. I like his poems because of the feeling they leave behind. It's something funny that gets your mind off things but at the same time his poems leave a trace of smart things to consider. I would also recommend Mike's following poems: In Search for Midnight, Neil Armstrong, Soul Food.  

My favorite quotes from his poems are: "Like David Copperfield likes performing grand-scale, lame ass feats of illusion.
Like how the U.S. government likes performing grand-scale lame ass feats of illusion." -  in Like

" I guess I'm just tired of meeting people
that define themselves by what they don't like.
I just don't like that." -Like

"I hope you like me back, even if it's like dust likes furniture" - Like

3. Jasmine Mans 

I think her poem Dear ex-lover has the best chosen words anyone would like to say to their ex lover. It begins with a quote "Someone once told me your poem doesn't start until you start telling the truth. So I call this my first poem" so that alone left me speechless. What followed was an amazing five minutes experience. 

Favorite quotes: "I will marry a man, and I will lay my head on his chest like red roses on mahogany casket" - in Dear ex-lover

"Apologies are like oxygen masks on hijacked planes." - Dear ex-lover

"Stop looking for the light at the end of the tunnel and start looking for God in the darkness." -Dear ex-lover

4. Sarah Kay 

Sarah Kay's Montauk poem creates such vivid images in my mind. I feel as if I am there with her experiencing everything she talks about. I adore her poems because they always have a happy note and a silver lining to them, and if that isn't enough she always has a cute smile on her face. Her voice is so soft and soothing and her poems create wonderful images in my mind. This poem focuses on the importance of taking a break from the city life and how there are some things the city cannot provide. 

Favorite quotes: "Time goes to Montauk to take a break" - Montauk.

"There is no one left in the water. I tuck my legs up, the setting sun makes the water glow golden...that summer I've learned how to be alone" - Montauk.

"Cuz no matter how wide you stretch your fingers, your hands will always be too small to catch all the pain you want to heal" - If I should have a daughter.


5. Rachel McKibbens 

Rachel has a voice like I've never heard before. Every time she starts reciting a poem I'm like "ok, this is cool" but by the end of the poem I'm nearly crying. Her voice fits perfectly the pain or the serious matter in her poems. One of my favorite poems by her is For M. This poem is about a girl -poet as she calls her, trapped in a hospital where Rachel has taught through the Healing Arts program. 

Favorite quote: "If this were a prettier story, you'd be a princess trapped in a tower by a twisted witch who resembles every pill you've been trained to swallow." - in For M

"Your eyes reflect a cricket  language no one likes to admit they know all the words to" - For M.

"Wish this world could come to accept that awkward shade of blue. You say it is the color of being alone, that it wears you like a mother holds her brilliant child. And you asked me once what color my alone is...as if you and I are not the same" - For M

6. Rudy Francisco 

Almost all of Rudy Francisco poems I've heard were love poems. Also I noticed he cares about women being treated as equals or the way they should be treat. This poem, Chameleon begins with a funny story but in the end it turns out to have some deep meaning to it which I go crazy for.

Favorite quotes: "We carry guitar cases filled with phobias hoping that we can turn fear into our strongest instruments. I know our hands break things just as frequent as we fix them." - Chameleon.

"This is an apology to every woman I've changed colors to get inside of" - Chameleon

"They cut you from the finest cardboard they could find" - A letter to Chris Brown.

"I hope that your pillow files a restraining order against your dreams" - A letter to Chris Brown

"I bet if we dusted her heart for fingerprints, we would only find yours." - Scars/To the New Boyfriend

7. Lauren Zuniga 

In her poem To the Oklahoma Lawmakers, Lauren talks about the bill they passed requiring women to receive an ultrasound prior to an abortion. 

Favorite quotes: "To remind me that I chose to be a murderer instead of bringing a child into a world where we kill people in the name of freedom." - To the Oklahoma Lawmakers.

"Why don't you just send me a card... every mother's day" - To the Oklahoma Lawmakers.  

8. Catalina Ferro 

A very funny poem I like to listen to whenever I feel down. Besides the fun part in the poem, Catalina has such a easy way of putting things and she interpreting her poem is making it even more funny. So I recommend her poem Emergency Exit Row for whenever you need something to light your day up. 

Favorite quotes: "I am not hero material, I happen to like my life." - Emergency Exit Row.

"I am a New York city Slam Poet and if things go down I'm the only one here who knows where to find God." Emergency Exit Row

9. Tara Hardy 

Tara Hardy's Uncommon Woman is a really good poem to boost up your morale when you feel the other one doesn't appreciate you the way you deserve to. As she states in the beginning of the poem this is for any woman whose ever been told she's too much.

Favorite quotes: "Let the easier girls pick up the socks" - Uncommon Woman.

"While you stood in shoes that were always too small for you." - Uncommon Woman

"Anyone common enough to get to go coward at the depth of his love for you wasn't meant to walk beside you." - Uncommon Woman.

10. Marshall Davis Jones 

Touchscreen- This is the right poem at the right time, in the era of technology evolving as  seconds pass. It feels good to know some people appreciate the old ways, I mean yeah, technology is great and we should really use it to our advantage but I think these days it just got too far. As someone (I'm not sure who stated this) would say: "We live in the era of smart phones and stupid people" 
Favorite quotes:"But with 3000 friends on line, only 5 I can count in real life, why wouldn't I spend more time in the world where there are more people that 'like' me" - Touchscreen.
"It used to be hard to connect when friends formed clicks but it's even more difficult to connect now that clicks form friends" - Touchscreen.
"My smile is 50 % genuine and 50 % genuine HD" - Touchscreen.  


11. Shannon Matesky 

Shannon Matesky's poem Myspace focuses mainly on the issue of social networking and how it's taking control over our life. I like the hint of sarcasm in her poem, it's at the right place at the right time so I say it's welcome!
Favorite quotes: 
" I see devices replacing the physical" - Myspace
"We are giving people reasons to stalk, spy, and be nosy but we don't care as long as your profile allows pictures and comment posting."- Myspace
"We can't deal with the face to face so we let technology replace the space that people are supposed to fill." - Myspace

12. Rafael Casal 

First week of a break up  is one of the best poems to listen to if you're going through a rough break up or have ever been through a break up. The poem is funny yet deep and reaches sensitive notes. 
Favorite quotes: "First week of a break up is like the first time guys have sex. It's awkward and boring, and we keep telling each other we're doing alright and it's a lie." - First week of a breakup 
"Just tun into their maintenance team, tell you you're ugly then tell you how to fix it with Maybelline" Barbie and Ken 101 


13. Shihan 

Shihan has such a energetic way of reciting his poems. He can go from extremely funny and energetic to being serious, profound lines in a flash of a second. This type love is one amongst my favorite romantic poems. 
Favorite quotes: "Hating how jealous you are but loving how much you love me all to yourself" - This type love   
"I'm tired of girls thinking that being attractive is an occupation" - Sick and tired.
 "And I'm tired of the media pushing these ugly African models
 Trying to convince me they exotic when they just plain ugly" - Sick and tired.
"And I'm sick of being an invisible man to everyone except the cops" - Sick and tired.

14. Thea Monyee 

I have to admit, the first poem I heard from Thea was Woman To Woman and I am so embarrassed to admit that I judged the book by its cover once again. I was so sure her poem wasn't going to be that good when I saw her, but then as soon as she started to speak I couldn't help myself from laughing and feeling good. Her poem is so great, it has so much sense into it, it's well put in a really funny matter and it has some lessons to share with you. I recommend this poem to everyone (especially those who have been cheated on). It's AMAZING! 
Favorite quote: "I guess the gaps in our relationship are were you taught you were gonna fit in" - Woman to Woman
"Your shirt is so short it already shows your best assets so there's no point in waisting time trying to figure out what you're thinking after all" -  Woman to Woman


15. Dana Gilmore 

Dana Gilmore has a unique easy, homey way of putting things. I first heard her poem Wife, woman, friend part 2 and only noticed afterwards it's actually a 2 parts poem and I've seen the last one. It was amazing anyway, completely fell in love with her poems and so I would definitely recommend her poems. Just begin with this one: Wife, woman, friend part1
Favorite quotes: "I showed him more support than his own father, brother, sister and mother"  - Wife, woman, friend part1
"Just because I'm crying don't mean that I'm the victim"  - Wife, woman, friend part1
"When I needed you I had to compete with clubs, drugs, the streets and PS 2" - Wife, woman, friend part2
"At the end of the night they all made me feel the same, I had a million things to lose and not a damn thing to gain." -  Wife, woman, friend part2


Other slam poets I would recommend: Bassey Ikpi - apology to my unborn, Hebrew Mamita - PhD in Him, Suheir Hammad, Shanelle Gabriel, Staceyann Chin, Nicole Homer, Black Ice, Lemon, Daniel Fritz, Akua, Christine Hatch, Malcolm Jamal, Aja Monet and last but not least Phil Kaye. (hope I didn't forget anyone)