January is a fun month, it is a month of newness, possibility, and budding creativity. It is also a month of stress and mayhem as we attempt to digest our previous year and begin our journey through the next. Peoples lives alter significantly in one way or another throughout the course of the entire year, but January tends to do quite a bit to the psyche through many things. It is winter time so the chances of people getting sick are much higher, which takes away from their energy and will to get things done. People are just getting back from holiday, or are still celebrating the end of a good or bad year. Family is taking up time, jobs and children are sapping our stamina. All so very depressing and yet invigorating!
Personally I think this challenge is perfect for January because it is something new and it is designed to bring people together through creativity. The hard part is dealing with all that other stuff and still trying to keep up with your partner in creating something awesome for others to read and enjoy. To this end we the busy people of awesome must take some things to heart:
Firstly; while this is a challenge it should not be a chore. The idea is to build something with someone else through creative endeavor and camaraderie. Don't feel pressured because you need to meet someone else's expectations, but don't feel like you can just slack off either. There is a balance to being supportive and to taking care of your life while writing, we all know this but sometimes it helps to hear it. If you feel like you're not putting in enough effort, shoot off an email, or open up a chat session with your partner and discuss things. Life, stress, issues that are standing in your way, and then build a plan to work around it. Or just focus on the story or poem or whatever it is you have planned. Above all, believe in one another.
Secondly; Writing should not be a stress inducer, it should relieve stress as a creative outlet and mode of expression. If you are not feeling the creativity talk to people, read some books, make sure you're partner is aware of your slump so they don't feel like you're leaving them free floating and paraplegic.
Thirdly; Sleep. Dream. A lot of us have trouble sleeping, and it can mess with our immune system and our ability to function throughout the day, thus creating more stress. Try to create good sleeping habits, even if you can't just fall asleep building ritual and pattern into it can aid greatly. Do something relaxing, get all cleaned up, light candles, etc. Whatever helps. Reading can be either good or bad depending on what you're reading, and how long. A lot of us like to read hard core and will end up staying up all night doing such. Set a time to stop reading and stick to it. Don't read something with lots of excitement or climactic scenes because this is counterproductive to trying to sleep.
Fourthly; Talk to each other, talk to friends, build your ideas so that they become easier to write about and express. If we sit couped up in our own minds forever things ferment and whither.
Finally; Never start a statement with "I can't." Never make excuses with, "I can't." Don't let negative thoughts rule and control your existence.
I'd like this thread to be a place where we can all discuss what we are doing with this months challenge, and to support one another and boost morale. I think we could all use a dose of it.
