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It's important to remember that stereotypes aren't inherently good or bad; it all depends on how we use them. It's easy to acknowledge their potential as a shortcut for seeing commonalities among people, but it's just as easy to forget that they're also often lazy ways of looking at the world around us.
Poems by Post is 2 years old! And I have to say, I am incredibly proud of that. If you'd have told me we'd reach this milestone earlier this year, I wouldn't have believed you. Truth be told, I was incredibly close to giving up and calling it a day. But then I was reminded as to why I built Poems by Post in the first place...
Often, in order to see the bigger picture, we have to take a step back. A larger connection between smaller details can pass us by when we're looking at something to closely. Running Poems by Post is no walk in the park. Comprising of many different cogs, each one plays its own role in ensuring that this platform works to inspire our subscribers whilst providing opportunities for grassroots artists. And we don't always get every detail right!
Where do you escape to? As a child, I used to love the idea of a secret little place that was just for me. Books such as 'The Secret Garden' and 'Narnia' inspired my imagination, and I vividly remember making forts and dens around my family home out of old bed sheets and whatever else I could lay my hands on! Nowadays it's nature where I seek respite. Ambling through the woods with my phone at home, I find peace in the disconnection from constant stimulation.
Are you ready to swim? The power of the ocean goes beyond the physical. Whichever societal, personal, or emotional state we wish to express, the ocean offers us the imagery to allow us to do so effectively. The ocean allows us to convey the full spectrum of emotions. Our shared understanding of the unpredictable certainty that the ocean carries, provides us with connection and understanding through language and imagery, of which there is nothing else quite like.
What is family? If you were to ask several different people this question, you'd likely end up with several different answers. Whether taken in the literal sense, or used to describe those friends who feel like brothers and sisters, all of our families are wildly different. And in some case, just wild! The closeness of people is important. For everybody.
What will you make? We all know that eating well and getting regular exercise is good for both our physical health and mental health, yet there's more that we can do to cultivate our minds. It's said that spending 2 hours a week practising creativity helps us to feel happier. That's just over 17 minutes per day! 17 minutes away from social media. 17 minutes away from the news. 17 minutes spent with yourself. Pick up a pen. Write something down. Be creative!
Words are powerful. They are the foundation of our friendships, the formulation of our ideas, and fundamental to our society. However, our conversations over the past couple of years have sometimes drifted towards helplessness and hopelessness. The disparity between our own realities and what we see on our phone screens has been stark, and it can be hard to speak positively when isolation can feel so... isolating. There has also been strength.
What's not to love about love? Valentine's Day has its critics. A commercialisation of love that has all the hallmarks of a Hallmark holiday! Yet as midwinter firms its frosty clasp, celebrating love is like sitting by a warm and cosy fire, comfy slippers on, and your favourite brew in hand. Love is for everybody! And love isn't necessarily romantic. We love our friends, our pets, favourite foods, activities... it is an emotion of wonderful versatility...
Some argue that it shouldn't take a change of the numbers 'pon a calendar to encourage us to make a change in our lives. However, the psychological power a new year offers often provides that boost that we need to make the changes we desire. A new year offers a new dawn; new hope; and new opportunities. Though for all the new possibilities lain before us, we can sometimes forget to look back and take stock of the accomplishments that have gone before.
It's magical, isn't it? The smell of roasting chestnuts wafting through the frosty air. The lights that line the streets and tease smiles out of even the most Scroogiest of beings. The warmth found in a huddle of friends at the bar whilst Christmas songs are belted out. Mulled wine and Eggnog make their big comeback! - and then their memory is vanquished for another year!
Who inspires you? There are people around us who keep us going - whose mere existence acts as a driving force for us through both good times, and not so good times. Chances are that you are an inspiration to somebody else. That's a pretty cool thought.
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