I woke up today exhausted, just as I did yesterday.
I'm not going to lie; things have been bearing down on me for a while now. I’ve hinted at a few reasons. But I’ve mostly kept them to myself. They are personal reasons, and I didn’t want to bog anyone down with my problems. I would reach out to friends and my inner circle, definitely. But when it came to writing about them, I’ve mostly kept mum. I felt the world didn’t need my struggles right now. The world was/ is dealing with its own problems. So I’ll handle what I must on my own.
Obviously, these struggles have affected my writing. I have hardly written a word this year. I had so many ambitions and projects lined up at the start of the year, and they ended up falling flat. It was not because they were bad ideas—I had a lot of hope and promise for them. It was because of my mental/ emotional health. I just couldn’t do it. I felt overwhelmed all year. Problems and home; problems at work. I couldn’t focus on anything. I ended up resting more than I would’ve preferred. But maybe that was for the best anyway.
That said, I have been feeling a strong sense of inspiration lately. 2024 is ending—I’m intending to put all of that negativity behind me. Every year, I declare to make something of myself. I made some strides this year despite the struggles—I don’t intend to stop now. I want to keep moving forward. I want to keep writing. I want to keep dreaming those dreams.
So I make this small declaration: a Declaration of Dreams. I declare my intentions as clearly as possible. I will keep focusing on my writing career. I will stay focused. I will not allow anything to deter me anymore. I will write what I want. I will keep dreaming the dreams that keep me alive—the dreams that keep me going. I will live the life of a poet and storyteller. To be more specific, I will make all of my projects come to life.
I have often told close friends that I dream of filling up a bookshelf before my time comes. Just one. I wish to see my published and produced works on it—from poetry to novels, and plays to screenplays. If I can manage to do that, then I can die happy. Why would I want things to end before I accomplish that much? Why would I let my dreams die when I am capable of making them come true?
Things will not get easier for me as I reach for my goals. But I don’t intend to give up. Even when nobody is watching me, I am. And I declare here and now to make myself proud.
Thank you again for reading. I have been hit with a sudden wave of inspiration, and I intend to take full advantage of it. What else can a writer do?
In other news, I’m currently reading The Disaster Artist by Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell. I dressed up as Tommy Wiseau for Halloween this year—though people confused me with Cher and John Wick for some reason—and decided to delve into the book about the worst movie ever made. And wow—it’s absolutely hilarious. The book has also been—oddly enough—inspiring. Tommy Wiseau pursued his dreams to the best of his abilities—and judged harshly/ justly for them—and still managed to create something. How is that not inspiring for any creative? Click the link in the title if you wish to check out the book and purchase a copy from my Bookshop page.
As always, you can also browse other titles through my Bookshop page if you wish. As an affiliate, every purchase will earn me a small commission, which would greatly support my writing journey financially—everything and anything helps in the age of inflation/ price gouging. I have compiled books for writers, books for filmmakers, and other personal favorites. Feel free to explore!
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As always, take care everyone!