Writer Wellness Workbook by Headline Books / Zoom Into Books

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WORKBOOK A GUIDED WORKBOOK AND JOURNAL TO ACCOMPANY WRITER WELLNESS: A WRITER’S PATH TO HEALTH AND CREATIVITY

JOY E. HELD

Headline Books Terra Alta, WV

Writer Wellness Workbook A Guided Workbook and Journal to Accompany Writer Wellness: A Writer’s Path To Health and Creativity by Joy E. Held copyright ©2023 Joy E. Held All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any other form or for any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage system, without written permission from Headline Books, Inc. Disclaimer: This book is written for information purposes only. Every effort has been made to make this book as complete and accurate as possible. This book should be used as a guide - not as the ultimate source. The purpose of this book is to educate. The author and the publisher do not warrant that the information contained in this book is fully complete and shall not be responsible for any errors or omissions. The author and publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the advice in this book.

To order additional copies of this book or for book publishing information, or to contact the author: Headline Books, Inc. P.O. Box 52 Terra Alta, WV 26764 www.HeadlineBooks.com mybook@headlinebooks.com

ISBN 13: 9781958914182

P R I N T E D I N T H E U N I T E D S TAT E S O F A M E R I C A

My gratitude to the many students and friends of Writer Wellness who have inspired and supported me over the years.

Acknowledgment The unwavering love and support of my husband and children allow me the freedom to live and write according to the ideals of Writer Wellness. I’m forever grateful to Christopher, Aurora, Kitri, Elliot, and ABD for being my loved ones. I thank Cathy Teets and Headline Books for continuing to support my work.

Table of Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................7 Journaling ....................................................................................................................................................9 The Writer’s Daily Dozen ....................................................................................................................................10 The Writer’s Daily Dozen Composite List ........................................................................................................14 Dear Future Me ....................................................................................................................................................16 Unsent Letter ........................................................................................................................................................17 This Is Me ..............................................................................................................................................................18 Various Ideas for Creative Journaling ...............................................................................................................20 A Year Ago Today Maps Positive Affirmations The Writer’s Tool Belt ..........................................................................................................................................23 Ideas Ability Grit Exercise ......................................................................................................................................................29 Awareness Levels of Physical Fitness ................................................................................................................30 Setting Fitness Goals ...........................................................................................................................................32 The Goal Walking for Fitness ..............................................................................................................................................35 The Plan Walking for Fitness Journal ................................................................................................................................37 What’s Your Physical Fitness Story? ..................................................................................................................40 Relax ..........................................................................................................................................................41 Your Personal Relaxation Kit .............................................................................................................................42 Basic Seven-Day Meditation Practice ...............................................................................................................44 Seven-Day Meditation Journal...........................................................................................................................47 Nutrition ....................................................................................................................................................49 Food & Feelings Diary ........................................................................................................................................50 Food Memories Good & Bad .............................................................................................................................52 Recipe for Nutritional Success ...........................................................................................................................53 Creative Play ..............................................................................................................................................55 Acronym Fun........................................................................................................................................................56 Sentence Soup ......................................................................................................................................................57 Various Ideas for Creative Play ..........................................................................................................................58 Emotional Baggage Upcycle Anything Including Your Writing Word Tickets: Vocabulary Fun Cubing a Character ..............................................................................................................................................61 Writer Wellness Wordsearch Puzzle..................................................................................................................64 28-Day Writer Wellness Plan Journal ...................................................................................................................65 Final Thoughts .........................................................................................................................................................128 About the Author ....................................................................................................................................................128

This Journal belongs to

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Please respect my privacy and do not proceed or read without my permission. I would do the same for you. Thank you.

Introduction Spring, 2023 Welcome to the Writer Wellness workbook! It’s a companion piece to Writer Wellness the book published by Headline Books, Inc. in 2020. The practices in the workbook are designed to accompany the key concepts of Writer Wellness and offer readers a chance to experience the concepts in a practical sense. There are no right or wrong answers to the questions in this workbook. Think of each activity as a way to extend the ideas in the main book and as a hands-on method for understanding them on a deeper level. Your responses to the workbook activities will reflect who you are and want to be as a writer and creator. Out of the gate, we learn that we are alike in many ways, but it’s our variations that make life, work, interacting, and breathing so interesting. I believe that these differences make us each a unique piece of the life puzzle. How we fit together determines the health, agreeableness, and thriving ability of the whole universe. On a granular level, this workbook offers coping skills. It is designed with a set of actionable techniques that may contribute to your abilities to deal with such things as adversity and worldwide epidemics in a way that is comforting, manageable, and personal. Many of the activities are derived or adapted from the parent book Writer Wellness: A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity in which I first shared the processes that have helped me and others maintain sanity and the capabilities required to raise a family, work, stay healthy, and contribute to society. The five key concepts of Writer Wellness are journaling, exercise, relaxation, nutrition, and creative play. They are the foundation of how I and countless students from my workshops and college classes strive to make the best of what we have whether it be abundance or meagerness. Regular practice of these techniques enables me and others the ability to dive deeply into our emotions, understand more about ourselves and others, and accept things not from the perspective of what we can’t change about them, but what we can offer of ourselves to make something better. The workbook is a safe place to spell out, experiment with, and practice your crazy ideas. It is not the place to drag something through the mud so much, although there are journaling suggestions for clearing your head in advance of working on something else. Feel free to repeat the activities multiple times. For example, at least once a year go to FutureMe dot com and send yourself an email or write an “Unsent Letter” to someone in your journal. Or make a habit of keeping a “Food and Feelings Diary” every 90 days for a regular check-in of your nutritional goals. All you have to do is reflect, collect, select, and connect with your inner wisdom, and the world isn’t as scary because you recognize your strengths and weaknesses and how to apply them for the benefit of all. Be well, write well. ~Joy 7

Journal The unexamined life is not worth living. ~Socrates (470-399 BC) Greek philosopher

Writer Wellness Workbook

The Writer’s Daily Dozen 1. Sleep well-Human beings need sleep. That’s all there is to it although getting good sleep isn’t always a simple task. Sleep restores our energy reserves and helps conserve the energy we need for normal bodily functions. Creative people burn through energy in more than just the physical sense. Thinking, mental processes, and solving problems of any kind deplete our energy. Sleep refills the well. It behooves you to find ways to get more and better sleep. List three things you can do to get more sleep. _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ 2. Eat right-The other element needed to be a good writer is following a healthy food program. There’s more on this in the nutrition section of this workbook, but it’s important to recognize that food is the fuel that gives us the energy to create. List three things you can do to eat better. _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ 3. Exercise-Move it or lose it applies to our physical container and mental abilities. Physical exercise increases blood flow, burns calories, improves mood, and stimulates the brain-body connection. That is helpful when it comes to writing because when the body is in good shape, that’s one less problem or worry to get in the way of being creative. List three things you can do to get more exercise. _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ 4. Meditate daily-There are people who say that meditation does nothing for them. That’s EXACTLY the point. Those are the people who have unrealistic expectations about everything, therefore, meditation is a fail to them because they can’t point to a tangible result. If you have ever sat still and focused your thoughts on a particular subject for a distinct period of time, you have meditated. Meditation is intentional focus on something simple, mundane, repetitive, but with consciousness so you don’t fall asleep while meditating. List three things you can do to meditate more often and better. _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ 10

Joy E. Held

5. Laugh-Very serious people and workaholics have the most trouble with this one. There are scientifically quantifiable benefits to laughing. Oxygen intake improves, muscles relax, mood gets better, and natural endorphins are released that keep you feeling buoyant and happy long after the joke ends. Thankfully, humor can be learned. List three things you can do to laugh more. _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ 6. Read-Reading is a double-edged sword for a writer. It can be an excuse not to write, and it can also be relaxing and inspiring. I suggest reading to support creativity but going into it wearing a suit of armor to protect you from getting sucked into a reading vortex where all sorts of problems may exist, not writing the least of them. This suit of metal inoculates you against thinking “I could never write something this good, so why bother?” Reading like a writer is the same as going on a reconnaissance mission to discover the terrain and report back with pertinent, actionable facts. It also means telling yourself before you begin a book that you are here for the enjoyment and not to analyze, criticize, or agonize. Just for fun. List three things you can do to make reading more enjoyable. _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ 7. Creative play-This idea has so many options that a list of three things won’t be enough. That’s perfectly fine because creative play allows you to stretch your boundaries by going outside the writing space. Museums, live theatre, movies, crafting, attending lectures/workshops/conferences are some examples of creative play that are stimulating, inspiring, thoughtful, and enjoyable. Engaging in creative play gives your writing brain a break while allowing you to appreciate the creative efforts of others. List three things you can do to engage in creative play. _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

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8. Be aware-Writers tend to be hyperaware individuals already, so you may be wondering what this means to a Writer Wellness lifestyle. It applies to paying attention to details. The tiny things that most people take for granted simply because they can’t do anything about them. Details come with the territory, but it’s the microscopic points that bring realism to our writing. Writers are hyperaware of surroundings, but not everyone pays attention to the multi-sensory elements that when applied to a story, poem, screenplay, etc. engage the reader in such a way that they are transported by the writing. A heightened awareness of sensory elements and collecting them in your notebook to use later is the “special sauce” that separates one writer from another. List three things you can do to become more aware of sensory details around you. _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ 9. Share*Donate*Kindness-There is a popular imagery of creativity as being a well that creative people draw from to make stuff. When the well is dry, creatives do things like travel, journal, and more to refill the well and get back to making more stuff. Sooner or later after many repetitions of this practice, one realizes that they haven’t really connected with anything or anyone but a hole in the ground that requires more and more energy to resupply. I understand that releasing our work into the world is a form of connection and sharing, but unless it sometimes has a backdrop of giving for the sake of just giving and without expecting anything in return, even our art takes on a dry, superficial feeling. Ideas for giving back as a writer include donating copies of your books to libraries, volunteering to teach workshops, and supporting other writers. List three things you can do to share your writing without an expectation. _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ 10. Connect with another creative-Connecting with another creative artist calls for a deeper, lasting relationship. It can be a critique partner, an artist in another genre or field such as visual art that you meet for coffee on a regular basis, or finding a true tribe online where you can share and learn. List three ideas you can try for connecting with other creative artists. _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

Joy E. Held

11. Listen-We teach a practice called “active reading” to students in all subjects. It’s a handy tool for learning and retaining more information that includes underlining text, highlighting passages, and making notes in the margins. Active listening is a learned skill that improves how writers think, write, appreciate detail, and learn more about the world. It goes beyond hearing the words of a speaker or liking music. Recognize silence as an important component of listening and realize that there are many layers of sound around us all times. When we listen closely and identify the levels of sound we swim through daily, our writing becomes laced with nuances that bring stories and characters to life in a magical way. List three ways you can improve your listening abilities. _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ 12. Write-Daily writing is necessary to keep the writing muscle in shape, but our expectations for grandeur and productivity can seem overwhelming. It can be difficult to write if we think that every word must be marketable. It doesn’t. Every written word is valuable and counts toward the destination of a finished product such as a book or poem. Most of the time writers need to write down a lot of fluff to get to the core of the work. That’s perfectly acceptable. Journaling, blogging, sending emails, writing letters by hand, and writing outside one’s favorite genre (nonfiction articles for example,) count as writing. The point is to write something, anything, long or short daily. List three things you can write to accomplish daily writing. _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

Writer Wellness Workbook

The Writer’s Daily Dozen Composite List Transfer all the ideas you wrote for the Writer’s Daily Dozen to this composite list. Add new ideas as they come to you. Keep this list in your planner or a short version on an index card in your pocket so not a day goes by without completing all twelve things. At the end of one week, journal about your success, emotions, and future potential to maintain the Writer’s Daily Dozen. 1. Sleep well __________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 2. Eat right __________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 3. Exercise __________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 4. Meditate daily __________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 5. Laugh __________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 6. Read __________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 7. Creative play __________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

Joy E. Held

8. Be aware __________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 9. Share*donate*kindness __________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 10. Connect with another creative __________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 11. Listen __________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 12. Write __________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ After practicing the Writer’s Daily Dozen for one week, journal about the experience. _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ 15

Writer Wellness Workbook

Dear Future Me How many times have you been told not to burn your bridges behind you because you may want to return to a past existence? You may have also heard that destroying one’s way back damages relationships that you may need in the future. While it’s rational and polite to be kind on your way out the door, it isn’t always practical, and in some cases, may be detrimental as in the case of returning to a bad relationship. The same negativity is likely to happen all over again. Pre-commitment strategy is a behavioral economics theory that challenges a present situation or person(s) to make a blood pact with a specific action that will happen in the future. It’s a self-control technique that writers can employ to stay on task and realize goals. Remember when Rebecca Bloomwood in the movie “Confessions of a Shopaholic” put her credit card in a block of ice in the freezer so she wouldn’t be tempted to use it? That’s pre-commitment strategy, and it works for many goals and dreams. Present self is rational and well-intentioned but very self-serving and protective of the now moment. Future self is potentially all over the place facing unknowns and temptations galore. Put an emergency stopgap measure into place to keep your writing on track to becoming an accomplished dream. Write a letter from your rational, well-intentioned present self to your unreliable, tempted future self and make a firm commitment to a desired goal. Want to extend the support? Give the letter to someone to mail to you later. Check out FutureMe.org where they will hold an email you write to your future self until you tell them to send it to you. Today’s date _____________ The Goal is ______________________________________________________________ Dear Future Me, Our goal is ________________________________________________ and we want to achieve this by ________________________________________________ come hell or high water. The plan is to ________________________________________________. Accomplishing this will make us both feel _____________________________________________ and like we did a good thing because ________________________________________________. The things/people/other that may get in the way are _____________________________________. Regardless of the stumbling, mistakes, or unforeseen events, we will pursue this dream with a vengeance, staying focused on the prize. We can do this by ________________. You, Future Me, and I will be so proud of ourselves when we realize this dream through dedication, hard work, and grit. I know you very well, Future Me, and temptation is a possible roadblock, but with help from me (Present Me,) we can do it together. Love, Present Me

Joy E. Held

Unsent Letter The central purpose of an unsent letter is to provide clarity for the writer not the receiver. The addressee never, ever gets an unsent letter. It is purely a form of cathartic writing to help the producer see things more clearly. For this reason, an unsent letter can be written to any person, place, or thing that you have a relationship with that doesn’t allow for one-on-one communication. This activity is often used when we have things to say to someone that it would be rude, hurtful, or harmful to share. It helps to get the feeling onto paper but not send them because it relieves the writer’s heart and mind of the burden of holding things in that cause stress. You can also write what you really feel as a first draft but not send it then write a second draft with less vitriol and send it. However, remember to discard the first draft in some way (I use fire) to be sure the stinky stuff has no chance of circulating. An unsent letter isn’t always full of venom. They can be written as practice for a difficult conversation or as a loving update to someone you no longer have contact with. I regularly write a letter to my deceased father updating him on me, family, and life. Unsent letters are solely for the solace of the sender. The receiver is imaginary and none the worse for not getting the mail. Just be sure to have matches nearby. A good form of closure after writing an unsent letter is to make a brief journal entry about doing it without going into details. Today’s date _____________ Dear___________________________________________, It is time I told you something _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 17

Writer Wellness Workbook

This Is Me Make a list of forty things that define who you are. Try to keep each item from one to three words. For example: mother, sister, purple lover, student, road rage professional, etc. If you get stuck, think about your relationships, places you go, and things you enjoy.

1. ______________________________________

21. ______________________________________

2. ______________________________________

22. ______________________________________

3. ______________________________________

23. ______________________________________

4. ______________________________________

24. ______________________________________

5. ______________________________________

25. ______________________________________

6. ______________________________________

26. ______________________________________

7. ______________________________________

27. ______________________________________

8. ______________________________________

28. ______________________________________

9. ______________________________________

29. ______________________________________

10. ______________________________________

30. ______________________________________

11. ______________________________________

31. ______________________________________

12. ______________________________________

32. ______________________________________

13. ______________________________________

33. ______________________________________

14. ______________________________________

34. ______________________________________

15. ______________________________________

35. ______________________________________

16. ______________________________________

36. ______________________________________

17. ______________________________________

37. ______________________________________

18. ______________________________________

38. ______________________________________

19. ______________________________________

39. ______________________________________

20. ______________________________________

40. ______________________________________

Joy E. Held

Finalize THIS IS ME by writing a different journal entry looking at your list from the perspective of everything you’ve accomplished in life (taken from the list) then write about how you can use these skills and experiences to realize your future potential. Today’s date _____________ This is me today _____________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ This is where I want to be in the future _________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ I can put these skills and experiences to use to achieve my future aspirations by ________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Use the space below to illustrate some of the items from your THIS IS ME list. Cut images and words from magazines, draw, paste in pictures, etc.

Writer Wellness Workbook

Various Ideas for Creative Journaling 1. A Year Ago Today… Keep your old planners! Date books these days have become bound works of art with notes stickers, and images about events, chores, etc. Don’t throw this valuable history away. Keep the most recent planner near your regular journaling tools. Say you’re journaling on February 22, 2020 and can’t think of much to write. Grab last year’s planner (any year will do) and turn to February 22, 2019. Title the present journal entry “A Year Ago Today…” then copy what happened on that day or week into the present pages. Opine and indulge in reverie over where you were a year ago compared to where you are today. Have things changed? Do you remember any emotions from the past date that are present or different today? Take this idea as far as you want perhaps planning in the present journal pages what you want to see on the same date in the future. Today’s date _____________ A year ago today: __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

Joy E. Held

2. Maps Life is a journey of self-discovery involving many steps and many miles. Maps make wonderful backgrounds for journal pages. Maps in the traditional sense available from an automobile club can be chopped up into small pages and used to depict travels or the idea of going from one place to another. If your awareness is on high, you can find variations on the map theme and use them to inspire a journal entry. Maps of shopping centers, pictures of maps torn from travel magazines, and maps you draw of your neighborhood work great and add color to journal pages. Try this activity the next time you travel. Get a map of the area. For every location visit, make a note on the map (or another slip of paper) about something you did, saw, heard, or experienced at this spot. Sensory details add depth and texture to the writing. Make a collage of the map with the mini narratives attached with glue or tape then write one or more extended journal entries about the trip. Today’s date _____________ The map of my journey: __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

Writer Wellness Workbook

3. Positive Affirmations Choose an affirmation from this list and respond to it. They also make great journaling prompts any day of the week. I am allowed to be healthy and creative. I am willing to embrace the changes necessary to become a healthy, creative person. I deserve a healthy and creative life. I begin every day by promising myself to be responsible for my health and well-being. I make informed nutrition choices that support my creativity and health. I journal regularly for many reasons. I am dedicated to a lifestyle that supports my creativity in a healthy manner. My health and creativity prosper because of my dedication to healthy concepts and choices. My creativity is strong and perpetual because of my healthy lifestyle. I deserve at least five minutes a day for relaxation and meditation. I am connected to my inner wisdom, and I am willing to listen to it. Today’s date _____________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

Joy E. Held

The Writer’s Tool Belt: Ideas, Ability, and Grit Aside from writing equipment and some form of caffeine, a writer needs three things to thrive: • Ideas • Ability • Grit

Ideas Ideas are everywhere. One must be aware of surroundings, sensitive to changes, and intelligent enough to string things together to create something fresh and new. Experienced writers seem to always come up with innovative ideas. Part of the reason is that much of what they’re writing in the present offers up kernels of inspiration for something else to write about in the future. Readers and publishers love this because it’s called a series. Readers like to get hooked on a series of books and publishers love to sell them because it translates to repeat customers. To remain viable and always have something new to write about, it’s necessary to schedule an idea expedition on a regular basis. Get out of the house, get on the internet, go to the library, or get on a bus and ride around for a couple of hours and take notes. Not only does this activity provide ideas, it is refreshing to see the world from a different perspective. You’ll need a notebook and pen/pencil on the journey. Pictures with a camera are fine, but don’t rely on them to remind you of the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and feelings when you get home. Only your handwritten notes can help you there. Use the form below to organize your discoveries. Duplicate this box as many times as you want. For each cell, write brief remarks about what you did, saw, heard, smelled, and tasted on the idea expedition. The sixth box is for any images you want to remember. Don’t worry about artistry. Stick figures and basic shapes are fine. For added impression, dedicate a particular notebook to being the one you always carry along on idea expeditions. This will eventually turn into a veritable treasure chest that you can pull out whenever you need inspiration.

Writer Wellness Workbook

Idea Expedition Notes Date _____________ Location ____________________________________ WHAT I DID

WHAT I SAW

WHAT I HEARD

WHAT I SMELLED

WHAT I TASTED

IMAGES/DRAWING

Joy E. Held

Ability We circle back to the concept of pre-commitment here. A writer’s ability is increased through engagement with many different things. Formal training such as a college degree in journalism, hands-on experience like volunteering to write a newsletter, and attending conferences or workshops will improve your writing ability. This is your plan for being a lifelong learner when it comes to writing. Do a bit of research and answer the following prompts to create a blueprint for getting better and better as a professional writer. List three conferences for writers with dates, links, costs, and general information that you would like to attend in the next twelve months. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ Find three online workshops dedicated to improving a particular writing or marketing/promotion skill for writers. Include dates, links, costs, etc. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ Research and list three writing craft books you want to study. Include title, author, cost, buy link, and why you think the book will improve your writing. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ List three other types of actions you could take to improve your writing skills. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________

Writer Wellness Workbook

This is your written plan to achieve writing greatness! Make notes here about when each was accomplished and how it helped you become a better writer. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________

Joy E. Held

Grit Writers who have grit are the ones who never give up on their dreams and aspirations. Getting published, leading workshops, or updating your website all require dedication and persistence. Sometimes it’s difficult to get motivated to keep putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) day in and day out. While a writer needs ideas to write about and the ability to do so, writers also need regular doses of encouragement to keep going day after day. How do you cope with the risk, uncertainties, and rejections that a writer endures constantly? Call it passion, persistence, purpose, or perseverance, it all depends on how resilient you are. Resiliency is a matter of how hopeful a person is. Hope is partly the result of how positive or negative a person is. Write a list of all the pros and cons of being writer as you see the job. Here’s the catch: for every con you list, you must also write someway to overcome it. For example: Writing CON: Being a writer is a lonely business. However, I can overcome this drawback by joining a writing group or taking part in online writing sprints. Pros Of Being A Writer __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Cons Of Being A Writer With Ways To Overcome The Drawback __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

Writer Wellness Workbook

Write your thoughts here about the three tools a writer needs to succeed. Ideas ______________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Ability ______________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

Grit ______________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

Exercise I think that I cannot preserve my health and spirits, unless I spend four hours a day at least— and it is commonly more than that—sauntering through the woods and over the hills and fields, absolutely free from all worldly engagements. ~Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) “Walking”

Writer Wellness Workbook

Awareness Levels Of Physical Fitness It’s always a good idea to assess your physical activity levels at regular intervals during your life as an active person. Everyone, regardless of physical fitness level, should keep their physician or health care provider aware of your program or plans to exercise. At your annual check-up, your doctor may not directly ask if you exercise. She may simply say, “How are you doing?” which is code for you to describe anything you want, good, bad, or indifferent about your health. Let them know about your physical activity and how you feel about your progress. Complete this physical fitness awareness journal to remind yourself how important it is to stay alert to changes in your physical, mental, and emotional states as you begin and sustain an exercise program. There are five levels of awareness for establishing and maintaining a regular exercise routine. Level One: Assess Your Physical Activity Level. What kind of regular job do you have and how much physical activity is required? _______________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ How much physical activity do you get now? _______________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Level Two: Take a Look at Your Family Health History. Is there any family history of heart disease? _______________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ What is your family history with physical activity in general? Were you active in sports or dance while growing up? Were your parents physically active? _______________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

Joy E. Held

Do you have any current health issues that you need to work with to accommodate participating in regular physical activity? Are you on any medications that might influence your ability to be physically active? _______________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Level Three: What is Your Plan? Briefly describe the kinds of physical activities you would like to include in your physical fitness plan. _______________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Level Four: Get Ahead of the Problems. There are routine ups and downs associated with an exercise program. List some of the problems you anticipate and some specific ways you can overcome these obstacles. _______________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Level Five: Never Give Up. Describe how you will keep yourself motivated to exercise on a regular basis. (There is more on this in the following section “What’s Your Fitness Story?”) Will you buy good equipment or pay in advance for three-months of yoga classes? Remember to include ways you to reward yourself and celebrate the physical fitness goals you master! _______________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ As your body changes over time, and it will with a regular exercise regimen as part of a healthy Writer Wellness lifestyle, revisit these questions in your journal to keep a written record of your progress.

Writer Wellness Workbook

Setting Fitness Goals The Goal Setting goals leads to a plan of action which is followed by the need for motivation which leads to putting the plan into action then observing and recording the results. Lastly is celebrating the achievement. Once something is achieved, it is time to set a new goal and repeat the process all over again. • • • • • • • •

Set goal Make an action plan Create motivation Put the plan into motion Observe results Record changes Celebrate Repeat with a new goal

Whether you’re a plotter or a pantser, you generally have a beginning, middle, and end in mind when you write a story. The plotter first designs a book by writing a meticulous synopsis (a multi-page document that describes the characters, plot, actions, and conclusion.) The pantser gets whacked in the side of the head by an idea that won’t let go until they write it down. Many writers have made successful careers by being either a plotter or a pantser or some combination of the two. You can do the same thing (plan every detail in advance or fly by the seat of your pants) when it comes to setting physical fitness goals. A plan with a goal is great, but don’t get too enamored with the specifics. Circumstances change constantly, and you need to prepare for changes so that a bump in the journey doesn’t knock you off course. Think about all the people who were habitual about going to the gym before or after work who suddenly didn’t have a place to exercise during the spring 2020 COVID19 virus shutdown. The resilient ones got online, ordered dumbbells or an exercise bike, moved the couch back, and continued working out on schedule until the gyms could reopen. The big picture lesson of the pandemic in relationship to physical fitness was that people knew the value of being in good shape, and they adapted to a change in circumstances because that’s part of what good physical health does for a person. It teaches you that nothing stays the same, ever, but when you feel better and look better, you can put up with just about anything thrown at you. It pays to set fitness goals as well have contingency plans waiting in the wings. Harkening back to the plotter/pantser analogy, a basic requirement to writing a story is that someone or something must undergo a change as a result of experiencing the plot. The main character must begin as one type of person, endure the trials, tribulations, and lessons of life, and emerge at the end of the story a different individual. This isn’t a lesson in novel writing. It’s an opportunity for you to view yourself as the main protagonist in your quest to improve (change) your physical health. You are the star of this story. If you look at setting fitness goals the same way you do plotting a novel, it becomes easier to flow with the plan and

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adapt to the changes. Once you understand that there are specific, manageable steps involved in progress and change, it becomes a matter of filling in the blanks, recording the results, and watching yourself improve day after day after day. For this activity, refer to James O. Prochaska’s transtheoretical or “Stages of Change” model on pages 90 and 126 in Writer Wellness: A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity. Complete this journal about where your Writer Wellness plan is currently in relationship to the “Stages of Change” model.

• • • • •

“Stages of Change” Stage One: Precontemplation-you have not yet recognized that you need to make a change. Stage Two: Contemplation-it has been brought to your attention in some way that a problem exists, and you are thinking about and/or researching a solution. Stage Three: Preparation/Determination-at this point you are intending to make changes for the better. Stage Four: Action/Willpower-because of your efforts and research you take action. Stage Five: Maintenance-this is the point after the changes have been made and you are able to resist temptations to return to old habits.

Today’s date _____________ Stage One: Precontemplation-you have not yet recognized that you need to make a change. Briefly describe your life pre-decision to try Writer Wellness. _______________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

Stage Two: Contemplation-it has been brought to your attention in some way that a problem exists. Briefly describe something in the past (recent or distant) that made you aware that you wanted and needed to make a lifestyle change. _______________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Stage Three: Preparation/Determination-at this point you are intending to make changes for the better. Briefly describe any of the steps you want to take to help you make the changes you desire. _______________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ 33

Writer Wellness Workbook

Stage Four: Action/Willpower-because of your efforts and research you take action. Briefly describe the action steps you have taken to achieve the desired changes. If you’re just starting the program, you might want to complete this after a week into the plan. _______________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Stage Five: Maintenance-this is the point after the changes have been made and you are able to resist temptations to return to old habits. After some time (say a week or a month) of practicing the key concepts of Writer Wellness, complete this section with how you’re doing with the changes. _______________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

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Walking For Fitness The Plan There are four levels of walking for fitness, and each one delivers different results. • • • •

Health walking: slow pace, easy workout or cool down after intense workout. Fitness walking: walking fast enough to raise your heart rate, suitable for most health and fitness needs. Athletic walking: race-walking style but not as fast, raises heart rate to maximum target, good for weight loss. Race walking: demanding, very brisk, particular form required, also good for weight loss.

If you haven’t exercised in a while, it’s best to start slowly and with care after you’ve checked with your health care personnel about your suitability to exercise. Once you have the go-ahead, get a calendar printout or your planner and write a walking schedule for one week. This is the pre-commitment stage. Try to exercise about the same time of day for a minimum of six days in a row. Begin with a mile if you can, gradually increasing the distance over time. It’s perfectly fine to time yourself. Remember to stretch first, walk at the desired pace, and cool down with slower walking or more light stretching. Record your results for one week in the WALKING FOR FITNESS WORKOUT LOG. Journal daily about the before/during/after workout experience. Wrap-up the week with a thorough look back in your journal by comparing your fitness goals with the walking workout results. Tips for success: • • • • • • •

Carry water but don’t drink too much while walking Wear good quality, good fitting shoes that support your feet Socks are a good idea to avoid blisters at faster paces Walk during daylight hours for safety, if walking after dark, take precautions such as an exercise buddy and wear reflective clothing Obey traffic signals If wearing headphones, be extra careful Bring along a small notebook and something to write with

Writer Wellness Workbook

Walking For Fitness Workout Log DATE

MILES WALKED

TIME

WEATHER & LOCATION

ENERGY Tired Good Awesome

DATE

MILES WALKED

TIME

WEATHER & LOCATION

ENERGY Tired Good Awesome

DATE

MILES WALKED

TIME

WEATHER & LOCATION

ENERGY Tired Good Awesome

DATE

MILES WALKED

TIME

WEATHER & LOCATION

ENERGY Tired Good Awesome

DATE

MILES WALKED

TIME

WEATHER & LOCATION

ENERGY Tired Good Awesome

DATE

MILES WALKED

TIME

WEATHER & LOCATION

ENERGY Tired Good Awesome

DATE

MILES WALKED

TIME

WEATHER & LOCATION

ENERGY Tired Good Awesome

(Circle one energy level per workout) Total Miles Walked For The Week ____________ Average Mileage Per Week ____________ Average Time Per Walk ____________ Notes ________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ 36

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Walking For Fitness Journal Day 1 Today’s date _____________ Before walking, I felt ______________________________________________________________ My energy level before walking was _________________________________________________ During the walk __________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ After walking ____________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ My energy level after walking was ___________________________________________________ Other notes _____________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Day 2 Today’s date _____________ Before walking, I felt ______________________________________________________________ My energy level before walking was _________________________________________________ During the walk __________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ After walking ____________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ My energy level after walking was ___________________________________________________ Other notes _____________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Day 3 Today’s date _____________ Before walking, I felt ______________________________________________________________ My energy level before walking was _________________________________________________ During the walk __________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ After walking ____________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ My energy level after walking was ___________________________________________________ Other notes _____________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

Writer Wellness Workbook

Day 4 Today’s date _____________ Before walking, I felt ______________________________________________________________ My energy level before walking was _________________________________________________ During the walk __________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ After walking ____________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ My energy level after walking was ___________________________________________________ Other notes _____________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Day 5 Today’s date _____________ Before walking, I felt ______________________________________________________________ My energy level before walking was _________________________________________________ During the walk __________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ After walking ____________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ My energy level after walking was ___________________________________________________ Other notes _____________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Day 6 Today’s date _____________ Before walking, I felt ______________________________________________________________ My energy level before walking was _________________________________________________ During the walk __________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ After walking ____________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ My energy level after walking was ___________________________________________________ Other notes _____________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

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Day 7 Today’s date _____________ Before walking, I felt ______________________________________________________________ My energy level before walking was _________________________________________________ During the walk __________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ After walking ____________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ My energy level after walking was ___________________________________________________ Other notes _____________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

Wrap-up thoughts after this week of walking for fitness. _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________

Writer Wellness Workbook

What’s Your Physical Fitness Story? The Motivation Marilyn’s Physical Fitness Story In the beginning, exercise was about getting healthy. I had given up drinking alcohol and smoking and wanted to continue on with my healthy lifestyle. So, I started exercising. I started to realize not only was my body feeling better but mentally I felt better too. My diet began to change also, and I started eating better. Then the spiritual aspect of taking care of my whole self came into play. Now I am motivated to exercise for the mind, body, spirit benefits that I receive, and I am not willing to give those up. The decision to show up is easy! ~Marilyn Wenzel, yoga and meditation student At the end of the day, no amount of pre-commitment goals, plans, or specialized equipment will make someone exercise. I always tell my students that yoga doesn’t do anything for you. You do yoga. Sticking to an exercise program depends on how motivated you are. The goals, plans, and stuff are worthless without something to motivate you to get moving. Fill in each of the motivational ideas below and write about them in the space provided. From time to time, journal about achievements, setbacks, and anything else related to your new healthy lifestyle that includes regular physical activity. By tracking your progress in a journal, you are creating a kind of running narrative that tells the story of how you set exercise goals, overcame problems, stuck to a plan, and realized goals. That’s your physical fitness story. Today’s date _____________ Begin with what motivates you to exercise in the first place. My reasons for wanting to be in good/better physical condition are ________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Next, define in specific terms how you believe that being in better physical shape will contribute to your life and your writing. I believe that if I’m in good/better physical shape, my life and writing will reflect this by ________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Lastly, describe how you will keep yourself motivated with some form of accountability such as a workout buddy, consistent exercise journaling, joining a class, etc. I will keep myself motivated to exercise on a regular and long-term basis by ________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ 40

Relaxation/ Meditation Relaxation and meditation are about trusting people and things enough to let go of them for a few minutes a day. I guarantee the things and people that matter will still be there when you return from meditation, but when you come back you have a completely new and better perspective. As the philosopher Epictetus (50-135 AD) said, “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” ~Joy E. Held, author and educator

Writer Wellness Workbook

Your Personal Relaxation Kit In the old days someone simply sat down, closed their eyes, counted breaths, and relaxed. Contemporary life as we know it today has made the need to relax as important as breathing but the demands of life as we know it can make relaxing quite difficult. There are many ways to relax and meditate to accommodate almost anyone’s interest, goal, and comfort level. Books, classes, personal coaches, retreats, videos, audio instructions, and the most expensive meditation cushion on the market will do nothing for a person unless they have faith that the practice will truly make a difference. Short promise is yes, regular and serious engagement with relaxation and meditation will make a positive difference in your life. However, none of the aforementioned items will do anything for you. You must put forth all the effort to see lasting results. The effort begins with researching and collecting a set of ways to relax. After you collected the tools, then try them out one by one until you find what works for you. You’ll know the practice is right when it feels effortless and works within the definitions you’ve set for yourself such as time, expense, and rationality. Does the relaxation practice make sense to your practical side? Does it sound like something you could work into your daily life and schedule? Is the cost within your finances? These questions and more will lead you to discover one or two methods that will help you relax and enjoy life. Caution: relaxation and meditation practices are simple by design, so don’t expect a lot of bells and whistles. The more basic the better because life is full of enough gobbledygook. Keep your relaxation habits simple and achievable for the best results over the long haul. Research We used to say go to the yellow pages in the phone book to start your research. That’s still possible, but the internet is the best bet for finding more relaxation and meditation resources than you probably need. Make a thorough list that will take some time to experience so you always have something new to try. Lots of research up front means more time to experiment with the options. When you run out of things on your list, repeat the research. There will be new stuff out there. Websites ________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

Books ________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

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Videos online/DVDs ________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

Classes/studios near me ________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

Retreats ________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

Ideas and referrals from people I know ________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

Equipment I might need to purchase ________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

Notes __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ 43

Writer Wellness Workbook

Basic Seven-Day Meditation Practice Relax/meditate and journal about the experience daily for seven consecutive days. Here’s the basics of what you’ll do: 1. RELAX/MEDITATE daily for seven consecutive days following the plan below. 2. Journal a few lines before and after each relaxation/meditation practice. 3. Read one article from anywhere (online, magazine, etc.) about how writers can benefit from practicing meditation. 4. Write a paragraph describing what you did and any thoughts you have about the whole experience. Tools/equipment needed: 1. Journal (old school pen/paper or digital) 2. An article on the internet or in a magazine about how writers can benefit from meditation 3. Music if you like to have that playing when you relax/meditate 4. A timer 5. A comfortable place with minimal disturbance/noise; light blanket Relaxation/Meditation Plan Please try to relax and meditate at about the same time each day. Note the day, time, and duration of your relaxation/meditation session in a journal each day. If you want to set a timer for varying lengths, you may do so and note times in your journal entry. Write as much or as little as you want. If there’s a day when you don’t feel like relaxing/meditating at the regular time, choose another time that day. Try not to skip day. Even a short time is better than none.

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Relaxation/Meditation Steps Day 1: PLAN Create a plan by writing on a calendar or in your journal exactly which days and at what time you will relax/meditate. Find a comfortable place to sit down, not lie down. You can recline slightly, but don’t lay flat. Cover yourself with a light blanket if you want to. Set the timer for 5 minutes. Close your eyes, breathe normally, and think about your plan. Play soothing music if you like. Day 2: LET GO Write a few lines in your journal about one thing you would like to let go of today. Find a comfortable place to sit down, not lie down. You can recline slightly, but don’t lay flat. Cover yourself with a light blanket if you want to. Set the timer for 5 minutes. Close your eyes, breathe normally, and think about the one thing you want to let go of today. Visualize the one thing you want to let go of and imagine it disappearing into a puff of smoke or becoming a cloud and floating away. Repeat this visualization over and over until the time is up. Play soothing music if you like. Make a brief entry in your journal about the experience and any sensations you noticed during and after. Day 3: GRATITUDE Write a few lines in your journal about one thing you are grateful for today. Find a comfortable place to sit down, not lie down. You can recline slightly, but don’t lay flat. Cover yourself with a light blanket if you want to. Set the timer for 7 minutes. Close your eyes, breathe normally, and think about the one thing you are grateful for today. Visualize the one thing you are grateful for today and imagine your gratitude expanding and expanding as if it is filling with air. Imagine yourself full of peace, light, and gratitude. Breathe normally until the time is up. Play soothing music if you like. Make a brief entry in your journal about the experience and any sensations you noticed during and after. Day 4: Repeat the LET GO meditation setting the timer for 7 minutes. Day 5: Repeat the GRATITUDE meditation setting the timer for 7 minutes. Day 6: PRACTICE relaxation/meditation without any predetermined mental plan. Journal briefly first, then follow the steps from any previous instructions. Set the timer for 7 minutes or longer if you wish. Keep track of your breathing so you don’t fall asleep. Repeat to yourself • Breath (inhale) • One (exhale) • Breath (inhale) • Two (exhale) • Breath (inhale) • Three (exhale) • Etc. When you reach breath ten, start over with number one. Play soothing music if you like. Make a brief entry in your journal about the experience and any sensations you noticed during and after.

Writer Wellness Workbook

Day 7: PRACTICE AND RESPONSE to article- Repeat any of the previous relaxation/meditation practices. Briefly describe the article you choose to read about how writers can benefit from meditation. Write about whether you think the advice or ideas in the article are generally worthwhile and whether you think they would work for your personally. Will you try them and why? If you ever feel like the suggested time isn’t long enough, extend the time by one minute each day. Please try to do all the activities in the order they are presented.

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Meditation Journal Today’s date (Day #1 PLAN) _____________ Length of time I meditated ______________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Today’s date (Day #2 LET GO) _____________ Length of time I meditated ______________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Today’s date (Day #3 GRATITUDE) _____________ Length of time I meditated ______________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Today’s date (Day #4 REPEAT LET GO) _____________ Length of time I meditated ______________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

Writer Wellness Workbook

Today’s date (Day #5 REPEAT GRATITUDE) _____________ Length of time I meditated ______________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Today’s date (Day #6 PRACTICE) _____________ Length of time I meditated ______________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Today’s date (Day #7 PRACTICE AND RESPONSE TO ARTICLE) _____________ Length of time I meditated ______________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ At the end of seven days of meditation practice, briefly reflect on the experience. _____________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ This space is for your reaction to the article. _____________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ 48

Nutrition Even when all is known, the care of a man is not yet complete, because eating alone will not keep a man well; he must also take exercise. For food and exercise, while possessing opposite qualities, yet work together to produce health. ~Hippocrates (460-370 BC) Greek physician

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Food & Feelings Diary If you ask me at night what I had for lunch earlier that day, I will have trouble remembering. That’s generally because eating is such a habit that unless something eventful occurs around the meal, I’m hard pressed to recall a past meal. However, when I wanted to assess my personal eating challenges, I kept a Food and Feelings Diary for an eye-opening and enlightening week. I discovered foods that made me feel bloated had additives that I didn’t want to eat. I did my first F&FD around the time the “blood type diet” became well known. I looked at this food program, compared the recommendations to the digestion problems I was experiencing, and began following the plan. Even if you’re not looking to change any dietary elements, it’s a great exercise in awareness to keep a FF&D at least once a year. The chart on the next page is for tracking one day’s worth of food intake for an average adult. Duplicate the chart so you can record your food and feelings for seven consecutive days. After one week, write about the experience, what you learned, and any changes you want to make in what you eat. Today’s date _____________ After a week of tracking what I ate and the feelings associated with that, I discovered __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ 50

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Food & Feelings Diary

Meal

Food Eaten

Beverages

Feelings/ Energy

(Before Eating)

(After Eating)

Notes (Time/Stress Level, Etc.)

Breakfast

Snack

Lunch

Snack

Dinner

Snack

Writer Wellness Workbook

Food Memories Good & Bad Do you associate any memories with certain foods? Do you know why you connect a food to a memory? This is a good exercise for anyone but especially for writers. Even the smallest of food recollection tells a story and can be a great way to indicate a character’s background. Instead of “info dumping” backstory, explain how a particular dish conjures a poignant recall in a character that gives the reader something new and important to know. This exercise also helps you see what certain foods mean to you personally and why you may or may not need to address an over-attachment to mashed potatoes. Today’s date _____________ List ten foods and ten memories you associate with each food. If possible, explain why the memory is important to you. FOOD 1. _________________________ 2. _________________________ 3. _________________________ 4. _________________________ 5. _________________________ 6. _________________________ 7. _________________________ 8. _________________________ 9. _________________________ 10. _________________________

MEMORY _________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________

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Recipe For Nutritional Success The brain of a writer is constantly buzzing with questions. I write historical fiction with strong-minded, independent women as the protagonists. They always have a goal, dream, or desire that is unique among females for the period of the book. The character Molly Hilliard wants to be a full-fledged doctor in 18th century America when only men are considered suitable for the job. Fiction heroine Vina McGregor wants to run her own bake shop and tavern on the American frontier in 1800 when tavern licenses are issued only to men. Each woman had to overcome restrictions and adversity to achieve their dreams. As do you and I. Researching the history of recipes and cookbooks for Vina’s story led me to discover that early recipes didn’t always list specific amounts, just ingredients. Cooks were supposed to discern on their own how much sugar or peaches or flour to use for the pie based on the number of mouths being fed, availability of the ingredient, and equipment being used. An oven in frontier America was different from an oven on the east coast during the same period in history. Your recipe for nutritional success can be compiled without specific amounts or numerical calculations. Baking is a science and cooking is an art because of the nuances involved in the ingredients and the sensitivities of the baker or chef. You can devise a nutrition plan for yourself with this understanding in mind. Feeding a family? It works the same way. Answer the following questions to create a personal nutritional recipe for success. 1. Does your family have a particular ethnic background that contributed to the foods crafted and served in your household when you were a child? Briefly describe this history and some of the foods typically served at your table. _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 2. List your three favorite foods when you were a child. List your three favorite foods as an adult. Briefly explore how these lists have stayed the same or changed. _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

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3. Visit two medically sound websites on the internet such as WebMD or Mayo Clinic and research two kinds of food programs that interest you. List them and what you like about them. Why do you think they might work for you? What does ‘work for you mean?’ (lose weight, maintain weight, increase muscle, kick sugar, etc.) _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 4. Do more research on the professionals near you who might be able to help you with a nutrition makeover plan. Identify at least three in your community. You can add someone from the internet as a fourth/back-up helper if you want. Search “registered dietician near me,” “naturopathic doctor near me,” or “food counselor near me.” Your general physician would also be able to refer you to someone. Interestingly, the explosion of telehealth visits over the phone and internet have exponentially improved access to qualified professionals. Start with your health insurance provider for the steps and personnel they offer. List the three people and their contact information here. _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 5. This space is for writing out your plan for a nutrition make-over. Based on the results of the above research, pre-commit in writing the actions steps you will take to achieve your goal. Consider sending this recipe for a nutrition make-over to yourself via FutureMe.org. _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

Creative Play Women with clean houses do not have finished books. ~Joy E. Held, author

Writer Wellness Workbook

Acronym Fun An acronym is an abbreviation formed from the initial letters of other words and pronounced as a word itself. National Aeronautics and Space Administration is commonly known as NASA and pronounced like it’s a word as well. Taking this idea to a different place, use the letters of the words below to create new words then use those new words in a poem or short paragraph. For example: WORD: IDEA Words created from the letters of IDEA: Interesting Daring Engaged Active Poem using the words: It’s interesting how Daring and engaged An active toddler can be! Your turn. Come up with your own words or use this list as a springboard to get you started. CREATE YOUR NAME CHANGE

ARTIST WELLNESS GROW

WRITER DREAM LOVE

THINK PRAY LISTEN

JOY

_____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ 56

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Sentence Soup This activity has four parts and a few necessary supplies. It can be great as a creativity jump starter or for a break during a long writing stint. Supplies: • Magazine with paragraphs of any length. • Scissors (ripping can suffice but it could get tedious) • Paper • Pen/pencil • Computer if you want to spoil the hands-on part of the experience Part 1: In the magazine find a paragraph about anything. The larger the print font the better. Copy the paragraph word for word onto a clean sheet of paper. Cut or tear out the paragraph. Cut or tear individual sentences out of the paragraph. Rearrange the sentences in any order you like and write the new ordered paragraph below the first one (handwritten copy of the magazine paragraph) you wrote on the paper. Part 2: Put each sentence into a bowl and draw them out one by one. Write the new paragraph in whatever order you draw out the sentences. Part 3: Cut the sentences up into individual words and phrases. Place these into a bowl and draw them out randomly. Write a new paragraph using all the same words and phrases in whatever order you draw them out of the bowl. If possible, try to have all four paragraphs on the same sheet of paper. Part 4: Make a mini collage from the word slips and a few images cut from the magazine either on another sheet of paper or a page in your writer’s notebook.

Writer Wellness Workbook

Various Ideas For Creative Play 1. 1. Emotional Baggage Design a suitcase for your “emotional baggage.” Take a shoebox and tape the lid on one side so that it opens like a piece of luggage. Decorate the outside however you like. Write the words “Emotional Baggage. Handle with Intention To Lose” somewhere on the box. Also, on the box write: “It’s not what happens that matters. It’s how I react to what happens that matters.” Fill the “suitcase” with concrete representations of your emotional hang-ups, troubles, dilemmas, sticky situations, and general difficulties. Anything you worry about or obsess over is fair game to be in this box. It’s a physical reminder of the control you have over the burdens of life. Be creative with how you represent the troublemakers. For example, write problems one at a time on slips of paper or index cards, cut pictures from magazines, and toss actual things into the box such as old keys or other objects associated with unpleasant memories. Add worries anytime, but also remember to occasionally review what’s in the “Emotional Baggage” and reflect on it in your journal. Be prepared for the problems in the box to melt away or at least soften over time because you’ve gone through the physical process of removing the barriers from your life. This is one time that “garbage in” does not get followed by “garbage out.” Instead, tossing life garbage into this make-believe refuse disposal may help you forget the problem. Occasionally take inventory of what’s in the box. You have the option of keeping it in here forever or throwing it away for good once the problem is resolved or isn’t as much of an issue any longer. Today’s date _____________ List some of the problems you put inside the “Emotional Baggage” then write something short and sweet about it. a. _____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ b. _____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ c. _____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ 2. Upcycle Anything Including Your Writing One of the hallmarks of creativity is the ability to re-envision something as something else. The brain workout “60 Things to Do with a Wooden Stool Besides Sit On It” is a good example of what creativity is. Try to make a list of sixty things you can do with a wooden stool besides sit on it and learn a lot about yourself. Ingenuity or being original or inventive is another signal of creative abilities. Upcycling is taking a discarded item and creating something new and useful out of it with a potentially better quality or value. This is an environmental as well as artistic practice. There are a number of ways I’m sure you can imagine upcycling average things like egg cartons and plastic ice cube trays. They can be decorated and used to store tiny things like paper clips and 58

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earrings. But have you looked at your writing from the same creative perspective? Yes, the writing is an act of creativity, but can you dig deeper into the work and find ways to upcycle ideas, characters, settings, or anything else? An obvious idea in fiction is to write a series of books using the original settings with characters scattered throughout the first book. This workbook is an upcycle of the activities in the original Writer Wellness book first published in 2003. I teach a variety of online workshops created from the ideas in that book as well. Do you have a book series in mind? Are there ideas in your journal that you can turn into something else like a blog post? Use this space to list some ideas hidden within your own writing that you can explore and possibly turn into another profitable project. Today’s date _____________ a. Original writing ______________________________________________________________ Something else I can do with it __________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ b. Original writing ______________________________________________________________ Something else I can do with it __________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ c. Original writing ______________________________________________________________ Something else I can do with it __________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 3. Word Tickets: Vocabulary Fun If you write, you love words. Yes, they can be difficult to wrangle at times, but you know you can’t do your job without them. A writer doesn’t necessarily have to have a giant vocabulary in their head, but it helps keep the brain learning, growing, and producing creative ideas to actively expand your vocabulary regularly. Sure, we each have a go-to vocabulary list that we constantly rearrange, and that’s fine. However, a writer’s unique voice is largely dependent on the words they use and how they use them. There is also rhythm, tone, and sentence structure habits that contribute to creating written voice, but vocabulary definitely ranks high in what identifies this trait. And all writers need to constantly hone their voice by writing and challenging their word choices. Word Tickets is an activity that can be done in one sitting and over time. I first bumped into this practice when reading Poem Crazy: Freeing Your Life with Words (1996) by Susan Goldsmith Wooldridge. She explains how to cut words from magazines and tape them onto tickets that you can buy on rolls for raffle drawings and the like. You can use index cards cut in half if you don’t have the tickets. Once you have a good collection of word tickets (which I have since dubbed “poem tickets” because the results are often poems,) put them into a special container specifically designated for them. A clear plastic food storage bag, an envelope, a small tin, or anything that takes your fancy will work. The more tactile the better because this is a multi-sensory activity, and it is motivating to have the word tickets kept inside something you like seeing and handling. Change the container often too. Remember, tickets let you in somewhere.

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Draw out seven word tickets and write a journal entry, poem, or paragraph using every word in any order or the order they came out of the container. Keep a random set of word tickets in your pocket, book bag, or purse and draw them out as conversation starters or quick journal springboards. Writers are word collectors, borrowers, and gatherers. What other ways can you think of to use word tickets to spark your creativity? Today’s date _____________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

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Cubing A Character

(or Yourself or Someone You Know)

You might have encountered the cubing writing strategy in high school or college English class. It was developed in the early 1980s by Elizabeth Neeld Cowan and Gregory Cowan and described in their book Writing (Wiley 1980.) Based on the six sides of a cube, the technique is helpful in the pre-writing stages when we are inventing characters and building their stories. It doesn’t matter if the story is plot-driven or characterdriven or a mashup of the two arrangements. Cubing provides a writer with six valuable perspectives from which to write about. In fact, using the six basic questions of cubing, a writer could potentially flesh out a whole plot and/or a complete character sketch. Educators have invented variations on the cubing theme, and they are all fascinating to consider. I have stuck with the six original vantages of cubing to help refresh your memory or learn how to use the strategy to your advantage. You might want to try this activity on yourself first, perhaps in your journal to get a feel for the landscape. Branch out from there to relatives, people you know, celebrities, and characters in books. Equipment: • Paper • Something to write with or computer • Timer (important) • The six cubing questions Cubing questions: • Describe it. • Compare it. • Associate it. • Analyze it. • Apply it. • Argue for or against it. (I highly suggest when developing a character with this method arguing both for and against it. This will provide you with interesting ways to have other characters view the character you are cubing!) Rules: • Write for a specific amount of time for each cubing perspective. • Answer the questions in the order presented here. Don’t jump around. • Keep the pen moving or the keyboard clacking no matter what. • Be open-minded. Steps: Set a timer for 3-5 minutes. I like to use five minutes per question. I can usually come up with five things in five minutes. Thirty or thirty-five minutes later, I have a complete character sketch with a variety of usable material. 61

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Character cubing questionnaire: • Describe her/him in as many ways as possible in five minutes. Physical, mental, emotional, etc. It’s all fair game. _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

•

Compare the character to anything, anywhere, or anything that comes to mind. Physical, mental, emotional, etc. is all possible. _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

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Associate the character with other places, people, ideals, history, etc. What else do you think about when you have this character in mind? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

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Analyze the character’s purpose in life, but don’t go over five minutes. _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

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•

Apply the character’s traits determined thus far with the above questions to situations that come to mind such as how a character born into a family of doctors and lawyers wants to be an art teacher. _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

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Argue for the character to be a winner and a loser. Provide reasons. _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

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Writer Wellness Wordsearch Puzzle

Word Bank BOOKS CHANGE CREATIVITY EXERCISE FITNESS HEADLINE JOURNAL MEDITATION

Answers Writer Wellness Wordsearch Puzzle

NUTRITION PLOT PUZZLES RELAXATION TECHNOLOGY WEB WELLNESS YOGA

28-Day Writer Wellness Plan Journal This journal will help you with the SAMPLE TWENTY-EIGHT DAY WRITER WELLNESS PLAN found in Writer Wellness: A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity on pages 104-107. There are a couple of extra journal pages in case you need them. The 28-Day challenge is a good way to institute the program into your life or get back on track if you’ve fallen by the wayside. This journal is designed to help you track your progress, respond along the way, and reflect at the conclusion. The page on the left-hand side is for general notes about what/when/where/how/etc. for each of the five key concepts of Writer Wellness. Use this section to essentially track what you did, how you felt before, during, and after each concept and any other notes you want to add. The blank journal page on the righthand side is for an overall reflection at the end of the day. Of course, feel free to customize the journal in any way that works best for you.

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Day 1: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

Exercise

Relaxation

Nutrition

Creative Play _________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ 66

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Dig deep for this page. My thoughts about today’s challenge _______________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ 67

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Day 2: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 3: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 4: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 5: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 6: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 7: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 8: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 9: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 10: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 11: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 12: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 13: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 14: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 15: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 16: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 17: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 18: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 19: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 20: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 21: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 22: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 23: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 24: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 25: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 26: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 27: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 28: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 29: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 30: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Day 31: Today’s date _____________ Briefly describe what you did today for each of the key concepts of Writer Wellness. Journal

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Joy E. Held

Final Thoughts I hope you found some inspiration, motivation, and fun ideas in the Writer Wellness Workbook and Journal. I enjoyed putting it together. Please use this workbook as a jumping-off point to starting and then maintaining your lifestyle make-over on the road to better health and creativity. Be well, write well. ~jeh

About the Author JOY E. HELD, AAS, BA, MFA is an author, blogger, book coach, editor, educator, Yoga Alliance Registered yoga and meditation teacher, certified Journal to the Self facilitator, and workshop presenter with over 500 articles published in trade magazines, newspapers, literary journals, and historical fiction. Joy is a member of the Author’s Guild. She holds degrees in education, journalism, and an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. Joy is a wife, mom, and nana residing in West Virginia. She enjoys journaling, walking, herb gardening, and reading.

Contact her: Joy E. Held P.O. Box 1322 Parkersburg, WV 26102-1322 writerwellness@gmail.com www.joyeheld.com

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