Jude Haste is here with a great post about staying motivated during this pandemic.
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Let me introduce myself; Jude Haste born in London, UK and I write comedy quick reads for those living fast-paced lives! I write in a chatty and informal style to engage my adult audience. Thank you, Jan Romes, for letting me be a guest on your blog.
During this pandemic, I have become acutely aware of why others state that your Mental Health is just as important as your Physical Health. In the UK we are now in Lockdown 3, morale is low and the hospitals are overflowing. Children are being schooled at home. Life feels upside down.
For a comedy writer trying to be creative during this period has been a struggle with too many distractions going on around me. But having faced lows in my life before, I feel equipped as I know that I have to stay motivated or negative thoughts will threaten to overwhelm me.
In my case, if I am not writing, I read or take an online course. Escapism that comes from fiction books allows you some time-out. Your thoughts are engaged in worlds of others for a short time and then you can come back to the reality of your own world, refreshed.
Responding to the pain that exists around all of us, we need to restore some faith in ourselves to handle the challenges we face. A healthy mindset and communication are essential to help reduce our anxieties when we face problems in our lives.
In the fictional quick reads I write, characters have to overcome adversities. The pandemic is an adversity for all of us. Mental Health Awareness is something that we all need to be tuned in to. When we eventually come out of this devastating situation we will need to heal. Kindness matters. Empathy matters.
I understand that our mindset is key to getting us through.
I was inspired to write Toxic when my mindset was in a negative place. Through writing the story, I was able to highlight the issue that was affecting me - workplace bullying. The first draft of all my stories tends to be a saddle up and ride off into the sunset affair, with my chapter titles being plot points. It is a mental health journey in itself writing the book, not even I know the ending, except that I want it to be satisfying which includes having a feel-good factor.
I write comedies because humour is essential in our lives. It feels good to laugh and that gives you mental strength to keep going.
We all face problems and issues in our lives. It is how we react to them that ultimately decides their outcome on our mental health and to take responsibility for it. Motivation is the key that drives you forward. Your mindset, therefore, needs to be in good shape.
I wrote Don't Shout it Out because my colleagues and I were feeling very demotivated in our roles as high school teachers. This profession has changed dramatically over the years. Schools are meant to be creative spaces not databases. I became a teacher to inspire young people to be creative as creativity in itself helps you to express yourself, which is therapeutic. Expressing yourself helps your mindset and anxiety levels, allowing you to cope with the battles you come across in your journey. The ultimate goal is peace of mind. We are all in this together.
I feel very privileged that I was able to be creative. It was therapeutic and the issues I touched on were challenging. One of the hurdles I had to overcome was, in order to write a realistic scene with a bullying boss in it, I, as the writer had to become that bullying boss. I had to write his dialogue and describe his mannerisms, take on his mindset.
This experience did leave me exhausted and reminded me that those with the loudest voice do not not necessarily win the argument. The shouting and aggressive actions, body language, I described, in the character of the Boss, would make most people tune out not in. It left me with a headache! Shouting and having the loudest voice is not a sign of strength.
Why is highlighting bullying an important issue? The answer is simple. It affects your mindset both in and out of the workplace, impacting those around you. The boss is a leader, meant to inspire and empower you. To be told you have to deal with colleagues in a clinical manner or else, was at odds with my mindset, which is why I felt the need to tackle this issue. Bullying does not end on the playground.
During this pandemic, I am trying to keep a healthy mindset because others are dependent on me. A decade ago, it was fashionable to hold a positive mindset, but I have noticed over the years that people are manipulating the positive mindset theory to promote their own ideas, push through their own agendas, to the detriment of fostering open, critical debate.
The rhetoric is, 'I feel positive hence positive things will come my way, so be like me and you can have what I have.' Personally, I do not want a golden toilet, just a clean one that flushes will suffice. This mantra has become distorted/hijacked even for some in power, to mean "It's my way or the highway," and "Shape up or ship-out," as mentioned in my novella Jaywalker.
Feeling good about yourself is vital, but it also includes allowing yourself to be a critical thinker, which is equally important as it also encompasses the needs of those around you -- including the planet, which currently is screaming out to us to let it breathe, to stop the pollution.
Motivation does not mean "put yourself first" to me. It is about looking after my mental health so I am fit to look after others. I wear a face mask to show I care for others during the pandemic, as well as reflecting not to take the simple things in life for granted.
To end, I wish everyone safe travels on their own mindset journey. Give yourself a break if you aren't feeling positive. Right now, who can? But stay motivated. The pandemic has meant we have had to reflect. Life is about the journey. My mindset will dictate how I respond to the challenges I encounter.
Do your daily walk, with your headphones on, listening to music. Read fiction daily at home, to energize your thought process and keep up your healthy mindset. Your legacy to your children is the memories they will hold of you from the mindset they develop in life. Being motivated drives us all forward.
We are all being productive in our own households by staying motivated!
We can do this.
You can check out Jude and her awesome books at:
A note from Jan...
I met Jude on Twitter. She's sweet, supportive, and funny. I've read and enjoyed two of her books so far and I look forward to reading even more of her work.
