Suzanne Alyssa Andrew's Blog: The PROCESS blog, page 5

Cheers to your 2021 wins!

The December issue of my Writing Boost newsletter is all about celebrating your writing wins, whether that’s all the glorious moments you were in the writing zone, or something else you consider a win because it feels satisfying or symbolizes progress and growth in some way.

Now’s a good time to reflect on what went well for you this year, so you can do more of it in 2022.

Read this issue of The Writing Boost.

Subscribe via the pop up form here!

Warmest wishes for an enjoyable holiday season!

Suzanne

November Writing Boost: Complexity and Compassion

In this issue find out more about ways we find meaning in big stories, like the extreme weather atmospheric river that flooded the Pacific Northwest. What big questions can we answer (or attempt to!) in our writing? Such as: What ways can your characters react in a situation with compassion, not just anger or conflict? How do you want to raise the stakes in your story at a time of dramatically raised stakes in the world? And more! Read the issue!

I’m also now offering story jams through my coaching programs. Learn more!

Subscribe to my newsletter!

September Writing Boost: Give Yourself Time!

In this issue find out more about:

>the effects of pandemic flux syndrome and languishing on your creative practice

>what The Sparkle Technique is and how it can help you

>my talk on writing with experimentation, play and compassion for The Writers’ Union of Canada

>this month’s courage boost

Subscribe to the newsletter! I’d love for you to follow along!

Suzanne

My slo-mo rebrand

I’ve been slowly renovating my site in advance of launching new writing courses and self-directed trainings this fall. The vibe is more colourful, more inclusive, more creative and more glam rock. I aim to inspire and spark imaginations!

The next step is bringing the same vibe to my social media channels. I’m just starting that! But a quick note of housekeeping is that I updated my Instagram handle to @suzannealyssawriting to reflect the fact this is all about sharing with you, and not so much about me anymore!

Time for some self compassion

Being gentle with ourselves and others is so important when we’re feeling challenged and tired. When I am gentle with myself I can be present without fear or guilt that I’m not doing enough. I can also be clear with boundary pushers who are asking for more than I can provide at this time. I’m doing the best I can right now, and I know you are too, because I think the best of you.

With kindness,

Suzanne

Taking a pause to write

I’m devoting my time to a book project over the next few weeks! My weekly series of journaling and writing prompts will return shortly! Be well and keep writing and dreaming!

Suzanne

Journaling for perspective

New challenges appeared this week, but so did Bonnie Duran’s interview on the Ten Percent Happier podcast. Duran studies the intersections between Buddhism and Indigenous wisdom. She’s an Indigenous scholar and director of the Center for Indigenous Health Research at the University of Washington.

Hearing her talk about the fact we’re all nature and within nature nothing’s perfect, permanent or personal helped me put the week’s events into perspective.

It really is all how we react to things, isn’t it?

How would you apply the idea of nothing’s perfect, permanent or personal to what’s going on in your life? When you put it that way, does anything shift for you?

Those are some good questions to ponder and journal on! I’ll be journaling with you.

With kindness,

Suzanne

(This is from my series on Instagram.)

Journaling as a refresh

From my Instagram series with care!

Remembering R.M. Vaughan

I knew Richard as a warm and witty presence in the Canadian literary community. Every event I attended that he was at seemed warmer and more gregarious. It seems unfathomable to have lost him. I’ve poured over the news articles about his disappearance and it’s unclear why or how he died (“police say his death is not being treated as suspicious”) but reports say he was isolated, and it seems—perplexingly, despite his numerous friendships—he died alone.

If you are in crisis or feeling isolated please call someone. People want to help you. If you are an adoptee, please look for support from an adoptee competent counsellor or psychotherapist, preferably one who is an adoptee and understands the complexities.

Adoptee Remembrance Day honours adoptees we’ve lost.

Journaling about what happened