It’s quite frustrating, isn’t it?

You’re a word artist. You’re a dreamer.

You love crafting fictional characters and scenarios in your head and adding in little details. You love being creative and spending a lot of your time weaving worlds into words, and words into worlds. You love all the fictional dialogues that sound real and exciting in your head, the cute banters between your characters, the setting, and everything in between. You happily get lost in the world of your own making, and it’s a wonderful feeling — not until you get stuck at an idea because somehow you don’t know how to start writing it.

Then your imposter syndrome starts to eat away at you, and you begin questioning your abilities as a writer, comparing yourself to other writers — we all get to that point. It’s a universal writer problem, if I might say so.

Is it writer’s block?

Yep. It most definitely is.

Whether you’re a seasoned writer or a beginner, you’ll get stuck at some point, and it’s totally normal.

But oh boy, how exasperating it is.

These ideas — they often come at the most random times. And when I say random, I don’t mean when you’re brainstorming just for these new ideas or when you’re sitting in a cafe with your laptop on the table and your steaming hot coffee on the side, trying to get the engine going.

Or when you’re out for a brisk walk on a nice Sunday afternoon with the sole purpose of reactivating your mind so you can get ideas of how to write a new chapter on your ongoing story. Or when you’re discussing writing with a friend, just so you can gather suggestions from a different perspective.

From my experience, these ideas don’t occur to you even when you rack your brain for them, because… well, that’s just how our minds work, apparently.

These ideas are like nail clippers. You try to look for them when you need them, but uh-oh, you’re wrong. They’re not where you think you last kept them. And once you stop turning your house upside down trying to find that damned little object, that’s when they start appearing at the most random places.

Like, what do you mean they were just sitting at the foot of your bed this entire time? And how on Earth do they just magically show up when you don’t need them anymore? What could be the science behind this?

Well, I don’t know the science behind that, either. (I think I’ll have to start digging into that on the side here.)

Suffice to say, you just can’t wrap your head around it at times.

So, when I say these ideas come to you at random times, I mean really random times— like when you’ve taken writing out of your mind for a while and you’re out there doing the most unrelated thing, then an idea suddenly pops into your head like a ping-pong ball.

Like when you’re showering, for example, or most often when you’re doing your business in the bathroom. Or when you’re on your way to the grocery store, or when you’re attending a party, or when you’re just seconds away from falling asleep after a long, tiring day — only then do the brightest ideas strike you in the head, edging you to write them down as quickly as you can or you’ll regret not doing so in a matter of minutes.

Because they don’t wait until you can get hold of a notebook or your laptop before they start evaporating at the back of your head faster than you can even recall what they were in the first place.

And on the “rare occasion” that you get hold of your laptop just in time to write them all down, that’s when you realize you don’t know how to write them.

Uh-oh.

The idea sits there, but the words?

Nah, they’re jumbled.

Suddenly, they’re all over the place.

What happened?

You can’t even determine the right ones to write. You’re sitting there, all set and super excited, ready to type away madly like you’ve never done before. Still, the moment you realize the cursor is blinking at you, the words start scattering away like bees, and all that’s left is the zzz zzz sound in your brain, and question marks begin popping out of the corners of your eyes like floaters.

(I might be going overboard with these metaphors but you get the gist.)

So, the big question is: how does any writer ever prevent this from happening?

The answer is — and I’m only here to say the truth and not sugarcoat things — that no writer can ever prevent themselves from getting stuck at some point in time.

Writing, just like our mood, is not linear.

I know from experience that you can’t write the same way every day. Sometimes you write like a 7-year-old, and other times, you write like someone with a doctorate. There are times when you write as if you haven’t slept for days, struggling to find the right words to put on a page. Other times, however, you write as if you’ve memorized everything in advance, typing away on your keyboard endlessly and feeling unstoppable.

Whether you’re writing good or bad, it’s okay. Getting stuck and not knowing how to start writing an idea is a natural part of the writing process. Being “lost” from what you’re writing and producing the wrong words happens sometimes. Crying because you feel stuck is also okay — but don’t overdo it (this is a self-reminder to the author).

These things normally happen, and no writer is immune to them.

Not even Stephen King or Brandon Sanderson, who both have written and published more novels than we could ever count on our fingers and feet combined.

The point is, nobody can ever overcome or prevent getting stuck in writing permanently. Not even a writer who claims they have the ultimate secret recipe to nonstop writing like a well-oiled machine. It’s a hoax. Don’t buy it. Nobody can actually do that. (Even a machine sometimes stops working.)

There could be several overlapping reasons why you’re stuck — fatigue, anxiety, sleep problems, OCD, or stress. They can be quite small or quite bad. Regardless, they can be quite painful and discouraging.

Knowing what to write but not knowing how to write it? Good lord, this is like being stabbed in the chest. Sometimes even worse.

I’d say committing to writing is much like committing to a long-term relationship. It’s not always bright rainbows and sweet smiles and cute giggles. There will be moments when inspiration may seem elusive, and the words will refuse to flow. Because aren’t commitments like that?

When you commit to love and passion, things don’t always go the way you like them or the way you plan them to. Suffice to say, you don’t always get to shine and be in your best. There will be bad days, mood shifts, and moments that will lead you to question your choices — but these things do not make you any less of the writer that you are.

So, in what way then can a writer start turning ideas into words and be more productive than ever?

Well, depending on the major cause of your writer’s block, and because they can be quite big or small, there are a few things you can actually do to deal with it effectively. They’re called coping techniques. They are not necessarily instant solutions to get rid of or to avoid ever having writer’s block again. Rather, they are ways on how you deal with your mental “block” when it’s actively slowing you down.

(I actually wrote another article discussing how to write a novel when you feel stuck. If you feel like it might help you, read it here.)

These coping techniques may vary for every writer. How you deal with being stuck and being “lost” in writing might be different from how I deal with my own writing struggles. For instance, I am a person who forgets things easily, so I always bring my phone with me (except on some occasions, like bathing). Whenever a sudden idea strikes me, I just pull out my phone and the notes app is there for moments of urgent note-taking. Funny thing is, while it does help initially, I often forget about it later. So when I read the note, I find myself asking questions like, “What’s up with the guy working in a care home for elderly people and how do I even write this?” (This is an actual idea that has sat on my notes app until today.)

You can say it’s pretty useless — but hey, it does actually help with my writing to some extent. While my notes app is a discombobulation of words that may or may not display confusing titles, it gives me some form of satisfaction that stems from the affirmation that my brain is actually brimming with ideas and not swimming in an empty pit. In short, it helps me feel better about myself as a writer.

Most of the time, writers need self-assurance that they are — in fact — doing so much better than they believe they are. We tend to give ourselves less credit than we actually deserve, and I think that’s one of the many contributing factors to having writer’s block and feeling stuck more often.

The constant pressure to be productive and get progressively better in writing is the kind of burden we put ourselves under every day. That “you need to write every day” mantra does not work for everybody. Following everyday writing routines may actually become more stressful than beneficial for most spontaneous thinkers.

There isn’t a single one-size-fits-all “how to beat writer’s block and start writing like nothing can stop you” recipe that works for every writer out there.

You need to find one that fits you — how you think, how you feel, and how you write.

Follow your own pace and rhythm. Let your writer’s mind breathe because it’s essential. Relax and be calm. Being a writer doesn’t mean you have to always be writing and killing it.

And lastly, while you’re at it: have some coffee.

Sometimes, I feel like I could write a thousand words. But most of the time, I can’t even write any.

I started writing at the age of ten.

Fables, short stories — sometimes in comic form — were usually scribbled at the back of my notebooks in messy handwriting and sloppy drawings. They were stories about unlikely friendships, discovering hidden mountain treasures, fairy godmothers, trees that could walk and talk and teleport — you name them, I was pretty imaginative (not to mention in a kinda weird way, too).

I was a hungry reader.

I devoured everything: from textbooks to storybooks, to comic strips I could find in newspapers, which then evolved into comic books and novels as I grew up. I would dig up any book at home that I could read. Sometimes, I would read novels late into the night with only a lamp on while the rest of the world slept soundly. Then I would spend hours writing fiction — mostly spur-of-the-moment bits of ideas with no overall plot, just random parts I could think of depending on what hit and inspired me that day — and have daydreams of becoming a successful writer and having book-signing events with hundreds of fans.

The backs of my notebooks in primary school would be full of random stories, ranging from a few words to a thousand or more. My writings were nowhere near excellent or remarkable, but they were always wonderful to me. I called them my treasured write-ups, and I had a few friends in elementary who would read and admire them, sometimes waiting until I could write another one. (Bless them. I never even got to let them read a complete, real story.)

And… well, life happened.

Or should I say, an identity crisis happened.

In my teens.

As I grew up, I read — and wrote — less and less.

I made new hobbies. I developed a liking for playing the guitar, watching Korean dramas, and listening to K-pop. As soon as I developed new interests, I dropped writing like a sack of hot potatoes. I would still read from time to time, but not as fervently and excitedly as I used to be when I was a kid.

And whenever I tried writing a few words, I would get stuck all the time. Even in writing essays. I would suck at getting the right words and describing anything. I would spend hours doodling on blank paper, trying to get the words out, but nothing would come, and in the end, I could only write a few words and wonder what the heck was wrong with me.

I eventually learned that what issue I’ve been having is called writer’s block, and anybody who writes gets to it at some point. So I believed it was only temporary. Plus, there was no point in pushing myself too hard. If I couldn’t write anything, there was no need to force it. And I wasn’t even really interested in seizing my momentum back because well — I had other interests and I was having the worst case scenario of an identity crisis.

I became a teen who struggled to fit in. Well, I did fit in with small groups of friends, but I was struggling to understand what I really wanted and what I was really good at.

I became confused. I wanted to become so many things at once, learn so many things at once, while also trying to draw back from getting real friendships, because I was scared no one would really enjoy being friends with me.

I was pretty weird as a teen. There were so many things going on about me. Well, aren’t teenagers supposed to be like that — just weird? To be honest, I don’t really know. All I know is that I hadn’t known any other teen that time who was anything like me, so I was certain I was different, and it was not because I was trying to be.

Suddenly, writing felt like a chore, not a hobby.

Reading became boring. My attention span changed — shortened. I couldn’t even get past a single chapter without closing the book and doing something different, like sketching anime girls with big, round eyes and slim waists and thick, flowy hair and pretending I was incredibly good at it (I wasn’t). The reality was just I had a friend who drew anime a lot, and I wanted to be just like her, but I couldn’t.

No matter how much I obsessed over it.

One thing that I learned then was that trying really hard does not always guarantee success. I knew how to draw, but I couldn’t really draw — and as soon as I learned to accept that, I shut the door on it and diverted my mind to other interests like nothing ever happened.

How quickly I hopped from one hobby to another back then. That’s how I would sum up my teenage to young adult years: a flurry of hobbies strewn on the floor like used socks never to be worn again. When I lost excitement about one thing, I’d immediately jump onto something else, and I would wear that as my personality for like the next four or five weeks.

Or over a month, at max. That’s how fickle — and confused — my crisis-stricken young heart and mind used to be.

Then I went to college, got busy with my studies — still confused — met new people and friends, acquired new interests, earned a degree, and ta-da! I became an adult and obtained newer and bigger responsibilities.

That’s when I slowly found my way back to writing. In the middle of the mayhem which we call adulthood, I slowly began writing again.

This time, not as a chore, but as a diversion.

As a way to disassociate from reality and build a tiny world of my own. But most of the time, I just wrote about the things I felt and the things I couldn’t say out loud.

I wrote to reflect. I didn’t write about magic and witches and random love stories and trees that could walk and talk anymore. Gone were the weird but creative stories I used to imagine.

I just wrote about myself.

Because I had to find a way to spill all my emotional burden so that I wouldn’t burst and sputter wildly like a shaken bottle of soda.

When I started writing for real again, it was in 2020, two years after college and several years after I had written so much that I could call it a serious one. It was when an idea of a cute love story struck me, the first time I felt truly excited and dedicated in my back-to-writing era. The story came out first as a one-shot short story, which I later turned into a 26,000-word pocket novel titled Chasing Ellie. It also became the very first complete story I have ever written. I was so proud of myself, not only because I had found my spark again, but also because I was finally able to write a story from start to finish.

It wasn’t a random part of a bigger story anymore. It was complete. It was a draft — and still is until today — but at least I was able to write it all down without losing my momentum until the end. I finally did it.

I was certain I’d write the sequel to that story almost immediately, but after that, I stopped writing again, and I haven’t been able to write another complete story since then.

You could say I have an on-and-off relationship with writing — and reading — because that pretty much accurately describes the whole thing.

I love writing and I always did — that I have been sure over the years — but sometimes I feel like it’s not really for me, and self-doubt sometimes consumes the bigger part of me.

Sometimes I feel like I could write a thousand words, but most of the time I can’t even write any.

If this is still what they call writer’s block, then I’ve probably been having the worst case scenario of writer’s block that has ever been recorded about a writer.

Maybe I’m doomed.

Maybe I’m not.

Or maybe I’m just being overly dramatic.

While discussing blogging with my partner, he suggested I write a blog post about the things that make me feel calm. The title of this blog alone even originated from him, and I thought, “Sure, why not?” because that sounded like a great idea.

I’ve never really thought about it, but since this blog is all about me (to a certain degree), writing about how I deal with my struggles and the things that make me feel calm is something that I can see myself doing. This is a form of self-care, which may also be beneficial for others who will read this.

So, what are the things that help me feel calm and relaxed?

First: Reading.

I’ve found reading to be one of my safest spaces.

Reading has always provided me with a quick and momentary escape from reality. When life becomes overwhelming, turning to books is my preferred way of coping. I enjoy reading fiction, especially novels, which allow me to detach from the world for as long as I want to. It’s my unique form of diversion.

(To know the benefits of reading, here’s an article I found.)

Second: Writing.

I engage in writing as much as I do in reading, and I’ve discovered that both activities are effective tools for managing stress. Nothing beats the power of being able to shut off the outside world for a while, listen to your running thoughts, and write whatever you have in heart and mind.

The ability to express my ideas and release my emotions is freeing in a very profound sense. Writing makes me happier — and bolder. It makes me feel in control of my thoughts and feelings, and helps me recognize what I’m dealing with. It not only makes me feel calm, but also makes me more productive and creative.

(For the benefits of writing, read here.)

Third: Talking to a loved one.

Talking — or simply spending quality time with a loved one — is one of the most helpful emotional and mental supports a person can ever have. In an event that reading and writing are simply not enough, I find calm in sharing what I think and feel with the person I love and deeply connect with.

In my difficult times, nothing calms me as much as connecting with a loved one does. The sense of not being alone, feeling seen and loved, heard, and having a strong emotional support system is incredibly life-changing and deeply motivating.

Personal connections are incredibly valuable. There is nothing quite like having someone to share things with, especially when things get difficult.

(To know the mental health benefits of connecting with a loved one, read here.)

Fourth: Rewatching favorite movies and shows.

How many times have you watched your favorite movies or shows? A couple of times? A dozen?

No matter how many, I’m not here to judge you for that, because SAME.

I think I’ve watched the Lord of the Rings series about a dozen times now. I can’t even tell how many times I’ve binge-watched Stranger Things and Squid Game, nor can I tell how many times I’ve seen all the Harry Potter and Narnia movies. In all honesty, these shows are just a few examples because I generally avoid watching new ones.

The reason is that I’m an anxious person who relies heavily on familiarity, so watching unfamiliar films makes me nervous. I have a love-and-hate relationship with surprises. Sometimes I love them, most of the time I don’t. That’s why I find the best comfort in watching films I’ve already seen before, all because they’re already familiar to me, and I know my way with them. They’re one of my stress-relievers.

So, no matter how many times I’ve seen a movie or a show I love, I’m still going to do it in the future.

Fifth: Connecting with nature.

All I can say is: nature is absolutely beautiful.

I love connecting with nature. Life can sometimes feel rushed, with pressure building and creating a relentless need to finish everything I’ve started and succeed in everything that I do. All of us go through this at some point, and it’s a crushing feeling, isn’t it?

Well, when things start to feel like this, here’s what I do: first, I take a pause, let out a long, much-needed breath, and step out of what I’m doing for a while into an open field where I can see the trees, leaves, and the sky. Second, I walk a few steps while observing everything around me, touch some leaves or grass, breathe in the natural air, bask under the sun if it’s not too hot, and take pictures. Then I just stay outside for a while and let nature do its thing.

It’s incredibly calming. Nature has the power to heal you in areas you don’t even think require healing.

Sixth, but not the least: Coffee.

Yes.

I am one of those “coffee is life” people who can proudly wear an I Love Coffee t-shirt any day, like it’s a badge of honor. I know this doesn’t make sense since I am an anxious person (and caffeine is bad for anxiety), but I just love coffee from the bottom of my heart. Take it away and I won’t be able to live a day.

Ironically, there’s just something about coffee that is so soothing. I can’t tell whether it’s the strong aroma of a fresh brew or the rich taste that comes into your mouth from your first sip. I’m convinced that whoever discovered coffee is an angel.

Coffee is just… warm and relaxing — like an embrace. It has superpowers. It just makes me feel good.

I still have other things to add here, but these six are the biggest and the most significant ones. These are my safe spaces.

What about you? What are the things that make you feel calm?

Oops… I know why you’re here.

You’re procrastinating, aren’t you? Otherwise, you wouldn’t be reading this.

Well, anyway, if you really want to beat procrastination, reading this blog alone won’t help, but hopefully, my words will motivate you.

As someone who identifies as a chronic procrastinator, I find this to be one of my biggest challenges. Ironically, this is also the reason I started this blog. Like you, procrastination is my greatest enemy; it slows me down and often limits what I can accomplish in a day. (Talk about something that can be truly annoying.)

We all struggle with life’s repetitive cycle at some point, and things can get truly dull and monotonous. Routines can get boring and lifeless. If you enjoy being spontaneous (like me), doing the same thing every day can become truly exhausting, even if it’s something you’re passionate about. This is often when procrastination begins to set in, and let's be honest—it's not easy to overcome, especially once it has already taken hold.

So, how do we stop dilly-dallying and start being more productive?

Let’s go ahead and jump right in!

1. Start journaling.

I know, I know. Journaling? How will that help?

Well, even if you’re not the type of person who likes writing, this can still work for you. This is not a task. You don’t even need to do this every day because even that can get boring for you.

But what can journaling do, and how can it help?

Psychology Today says that writing can help you stay motivated and focused. It will empower you to prioritize your tasks effectively and create a solid plan for the day, leading to significantly enhanced productivity.

Think about journaling as speaking to yourself, but instead of saying it aloud in front of the mirror, you’re writing it on paper or your notes application. Write about your thoughts and feelings at the moment, explaining why you feel that way. You can also outline your plans for the day. It shouldn't take much of your time.

Writing and journaling have been incredibly helpful for me. Whenever I feel stuck, I jot down my thoughts, regardless of whether they make complete sense or not. The important thing is that it sparks my productivity and creativity.

2. Self-affirmation.

Yep.

Nothing can beat positive self-affirmation in enhancing your mood and productivity.

Oftentimes, procrastination stems from a place of doubt and lack of faith in our abilities. When we begin to feel negative about ourselves, things somehow become dull and uninteresting. This shows that our productivity — and the lack of it — is directly related to what we feel on a daily basis.

An article I found here asserts that daily positive affirmations reduce negativity and encourage a positive self-image. Positive affirmations are designed to strengthen you and boost your confidence, even in challenging times, such as when you are doubting yourself and procrastinating.

Think about it. When you’re being hard on yourself, nothing good comes along. Self-affirmation is not “faking it till you make it” or making yourself appear perfect, as opposed to what most people think. It’s recognizing your own emotions, remembering what you can do, and understanding what you can do better.

When procrastination hits me, I tell myself a lot of positive things about myself. I recall the times when I did something truly amazing, like when I wrote a book, finished college with flying colors, and passed the licensure exam the same year with an awesome rating. Sometimes, it doesn’t even have something to be big, like anything I said above. It can also be something small, like when I woke up early (I usually wake up late, particularly on weekends), and did something out of my comfort zone.

Well, depending on what you consider big or small, as long as it’s something positive, it will help you feel motivated. They don’t even have to be achievements all the time. They can also be qualities you love about yourself.

3. Focus on your why, not on the what.

Ask yourself, “Why am I doing this? What benefits will I get from completing this task?”

Oftentimes, when we’re too demotivated to do anything, we forget what we are truly aiming for in the first place and why we’re doing it. Imagine putting off washing the dishes in the sink, and returning to it later to find that it’s still there, messy and unwashed, or that it’s piled up even higher. Imagine how good it will feel when the sink is empty and all those dirty dishes are cleaned up.

That’s your why. That’s your benefit.

All you need to do is focus on it.

Whenever I feel too lazy to do anything, I start fantasizing about how good it will make me feel after I do it. How nice will it be after I finish writing a blog post and publish it? How satisfying will it be if I tick one or two things off my to-do list? These questions get me started.

The idea of being able to finish something is exhilarating, whether it’s big or small. Accomplishments are rewarding and fulfilling. It makes you prouder and more certain of what you can do.

And lastly, do not forget to reward yourself for something you achieved. Rewards are your fuel. They’re the icing on top of a cake. Allow yourself to have a taste, have fun, and repeat the process.

Remember: when you start appreciating even the small things that you do, you start becoming better and better at it.

So keep going and beat that procrastination out of you!

Eager to write a novel but unsure where and how to begin? Or are you facing a blank laptop screen and seeking ways to jumpstart your writing?

Well, you're not alone in facing this challenge. Many writers and aspiring writers experience it as well. It's completely normal to feel stuck at times. Anyone who enjoys shaping and weaving their ideas into words encounters this struggle at some point, so there's no need to worry when it happens to you.

Writing can be a bit challenging, even for seasoned authors who have already written and published multiple books. The trickiest part of writing a novel is possibly how to start writing it, particularly when you still haven’t made up your mind about how it will go yet, what it’s all about, and what your characters will be like.

I see where you are because I’m right there with you, so I wrote a short and simple guide to help both of us overcome this challenge.

1. Write what you want to read.

You've likely heard this piece of advice from many authors before, and I wholeheartedly agree: the best way to start writing a novel is to write what you want to read. We all have untold stories within us, and often we search for them in the books we read, only to realize that they aren't there. Imagine a story that satisfies you completely from beginning to end, without any exceptions. That's a story only YOU can write!

2. Just write.

I know, this might be a bit of a cliché, because who on Earth tells a writer to just write when they’re stuck? I’m not even kidding about this, but one thing I learned about writing is that you start gaining more ideas as you go. You just need to start putting some words on the page before you, regardless of how tacky or awkward they may seem at first. Just keep writing and don’t worry about making errors. You can always return to fix them later.

Remember, you’ll edit everything eventually, so it’s okay to leave mistakes for now. Your first draft is meant to be rough and unpolished—it doesn’t have to be perfect on the first attempt.

3. When you run out of ideas, or suddenly lose the drive to write, or come across writer’s block — leave your writing for a while and read.

That’s right! When you’re stuck writing midway, drop that draft you’re working on and go find something else to read — anything, possibly another novel — that has a similar style (or not) as your writing, or just anything that you’d like in general. It doesn’t matter what it is. Just read. Reading enhances productivity and refreshes your mind. It’s a good mental exercise!

4. You DO NOT NEED to plan everything.

There are two types of writers: a plotter and a pantser. A plotter plans everything before they write, while a pantser just kicks off right away with no specific plan in mind. If you feel like planning how to write your book is too much, or if you feel like it may slow you down, then the answer is simple: you are not a plotter. You are a pantser, and you do not need to plan everything to start going.

5. Think of your characters as real people with real characteristics and imperfections, or simply base them on real people in your life.

Authors like Nicholas Sparks do this, and it’s an effective way to build your characters’ profiles. Sometimes the best way to illustrate a fictional character is to imagine an actual person portraying them. Their thoughts do not depend on what your opinions are as an author. Give them a personality. Give them uniqueness. Give them character development. Let them think and act like real people, and write realistic dialogue so they don’t sound robotic or one-dimensional.

6. If you find it difficult to describe a place or a situation, go ahead and look for a picture that nearly resembles what you have in mind.

If you're having trouble describing things, scenes, or places that you can only picture in your mind, try sketching them on paper. Creating a visual representation can help you clarify your thoughts and provide a basis for your description. Start with that representation and build from there.

7. At times when you’re not writing and an idea suddenly strikes you, go ahead and jot it down on anything you can write on.

Sometimes the best ideas come to us when we’re doing something else. That’s why it’s important to always bring a pen and paper with you, or in cases like you’re in the shower (yes, oftentimes ideas pop out when you’re showering), you can use your phone to take notes. The last thing you want to happen is to forget these brilliant ideas, so make sure you always have something with you for note-taking (like your phone).

8. Take much-needed breaks.

It's important to know how to balance your writing with your real life. Devote time to yourself when you can; it’s necessary. Get your eight hours of solid sleep. Go out for a walk or a run. Get your Vitamin D. Watch a movie you like. Hang out with your family and friends, and have as much social life as you can. Excessive writing can lead to decreased productivity and creativity, so it’s important to step out once in a while to pamper your body and mind. Believe me, this is for your own good.

9. Do not mind the number of words you have written.

Yes! Do not obsess over how many words you have already written on your draft. More words don’t necessarily mean better. And like I said, it doesn’t really matter because you can always return to fix your draft after. So, regardless of whether you have written a lot or not — you will still need to edit it from beginning to end.

10. And last but not least, remember not to lose hope.

There may be times when you will feel like you can’t do it, that you can’t finish your book, but that’s not true. You will be able to finish your book. Like almost everything else in life, it just takes time, and you do not need to hurry.

Remember: you have your time in your hands, so make the most of it.

And that’s a wrap!

If you still feel stuck in writing your book, go ahead and take a step back first, then come back to it later, or reread this guide.

Now, what story are you writing next?

“Teaching is the highest form of understanding.” — Aristotle

When I kicked off my formal teaching career at twenty-three, I felt utterly ill-equipped for the job. The only primary and relevant experience I had prior was student teaching, and one thing about practicum is that while it immerses you into the real setting and demonstrates how to do the job, it allows too little time for the amount of strenuous work a pre-service teacher should accomplish, which makes it almost highly unlikely for student teachers to cultivate a profound connection to the actual meaning and significance of teaching.

As a student teacher, I was always overworked and enervated. I walked around the school campus looking a panda with huge dark circles under my eyes from consecutive nights of not sleeping until 2 a.m., hair sticking out in all directions, and a “help, I need a break and twelve hours of uninterrupted sleep” look on my face, all while wearing my pre-service uniform which had become looser and looser over the length of the program.

That was just how mentally and physically exhausted I was. Nobody had any clue how close I was to considering quitting even before the practicum wrapped up.

By the time I completed my pre-service teaching, I had lost a significant amount of weight, and what little desire I had in me to pursue teaching had evaporated. I looked very sickly to the extent that I had even developed body dysmorphia because of it.

I thought, “This is not for me, I can’t do this.”

I had regretted taking the course and was seriously reevaluating my life choices. If I were to proceed to teaching as a career, I wouldn’t be a very good teacher because of how unmotivated I was. I couldn’t see myself being very passionate about teaching, mainly because of the extent of responsibility it had and the toll it took on my psychological and physical health.

Teaching intimidated me in so many ways.

One was that I was thinking I might never be able to do it.

I remember being as happy as a lark when practicum ended, owing it to the fact that I could finally grab my very much-needed eight hours of sleep per day and focus on getting my good health back.

So why did I end up becoming a teacher despite how adamant I was about not pursuing it?

I’m going to talk further about that in a separate post, but one of the main reasons why I did was that I had an academic scholarship contract to fulfill, which necessitated three years of my return service by means of teaching in the local school.

So by any means, you could say I was destined to become a teacher, after all.

Indeed, I was.

And it taught me so many lessons.

5 Big Things Teaching Has Taught Me in 5 Years

“A teacher must also be prepared to learn if he is going to teach.” — Anthony T. Hincks

Teaching is a lifelong process of learning (voilà, that shouldn’t even come as a surprise). It’s a fact. You don’t become exceptional and then become a teacher. Instead, you become an exceptional teacher by making mistakes and learning from them.

1. Patience is a virtue — and a commitment.

Teaching requires lots and lots of patience, and I’m not even exaggerating. Anyone should know this.

Before I started teaching, I had very little patience for things that didn’t go the way I planned. I was used to doing things on my own, and refused to be told what to do because I just didn’t like being told what to do. And no, I didn’t think I was too brilliant to listen to those who knew better than I did. I was just really stubborn and hard-headed — and I could never be proud of it, but we all have to start somewhere, even if it’s originating from a place within ourselves that we do not applaud ourselves for.

I refused to be taught because I had very little patience for it. Perhaps it was the very first reason that made teaching a place of horror for me in the first place.

And, because I refused to be taught, I also refused to give my best to teaching. My very first weeks of formal teaching were an ordeal; I had to force myself to remember what I learned during pre-service training so that I could put it into actual use, even reliving what it had been like when I was a student to place myself into the shoes of a real teacher.

I couldn’t tell anyone that I was struggling (for fear of judgment) and that I was deeply unmotivated. It had been like being propelled into the teaching field for the very first time again, and I had to perform a hard reset of my brain to get into action. (I couldn’t even remember how to write a lesson plan, for goodness’ sake.)

In one of the few earliest classes I had handled, I had always been very eager to go home so that I could call it a day and get some sleep. The longer the hours ticked by, the more impatient I became, and the faster I spoke in those lectures. There was a student in one of those classes who asked me what I was always rushing about.

“You must be really excited to see your kids at home,” she had commented.

Slightly offended, I replied curtly: “I don’t have any kids.”

I could talk about the number of times I made mistakes while teaching; getting offended by a student’s supposedly harmless remark about something, lacking flexibility, going over-the-board by berating students over minor misbehavior (or sometimes even deliberately ignoring obvious displays of misbehavior), unintentionally hurting a student’s feelings by telling them they answered wrong upfront, and other things — but I won’t. Because while these things don’t come off as very agreeable of me (and I could never be proud of it), these were the manifestations of my lack of patience and motivation as a teacher.

Five years of teaching have eventually taught me that. I didn’t become patient easily. I slowly came to build my patience— like pieces of a puzzle, ultimately being glued into place.

Patience came as a result of spending hours of communication within the four walls of the classroom, constantly assessing how students learn and behave (and why they misbehave), learning from the mistakes of yesterday to avoid doing it in the future, and understanding what teaching was really all about.

If you’re a teacher, you will know. It’s a commitment. It comes from a place of understanding that mistakes do happen, that things don’t always go the way you planned, and that students don’t learn the same way as you do.

Patience comes from a place of acceptance — one that initially begins within yourself.

2. Not every student learns the same way.

If you have been teaching for a while now, you will understand that not all students learn the same way.

In my five years of service, I finally figured out what one of my former teachers has been talking about in high school: individual differences and multiple intelligences in the classroom.

“You cannot teach a fish how to fly, same thing as you cannot teach a bird how to swim.”

There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all kind of teaching, which is why;

3. The most effective teaching strategy does not exist.

“Am I teaching the wrong way?”

This is the question teachers often ask themselves.

I, too, have asked myself the same question several times, trying to figure out which method works best, which method does not work at all, or where things go wrong inside the classroom. At times, it had become quite frustrating, resulting in self-doubt and negative self-perception.

The answer is no, you’re not teaching the wrong way. You are — in fact — teaching the right way. It just does not apply to everyone, and that is why you think your strategy is ineffective. Remember that students don’t all learn through the same way because of individual differences.

Within 5 years, I have also come to terms with the fact that I cannot teach everyone, no matter how much effort I exert and put into place. This should be true for you, too. Whether you’re a teacher or you’re on your way to becoming a teacher, accept the fact that no matter how many fun and engaging activities you put into your lessons to get students into them, you cannot always motivate and fish the interest out of everyone in the classroom.

I know. This might be a bit of a controversial take, but if you’ve come as far as five years into teaching, this is the truth you cannot shake away.

But that does not make you less capable as a teacher.

4. It takes passion to become a teacher — but it doesn’t always have to start that way.

Teaching is more than just a job or profession. It is a passion — but it doesn’t always have to be that way.

Before I started teaching, I was never really passionate about teaching. I was scared of it. I was overwhelmed. I didn’t think I could do it.

But when I kicked it off, I realized that teaching is not as scary and as difficult as I had thought it was. As a matter of fact, I realized that what truly scared me was my uncertainty about whether it was meant for me or if it was my calling, and I feared it would negatively impact my health.

But I was wrong.

Now, teaching is one of the things I have become deeply passionate about as I have grown every step of the way. It didn’t happen to me over a few months. It took me a long time to finally appreciate the value of helping to shape minds and ambitions and continuously growing alongside them.

Most teachers start teaching with a passion, while some teachers discover that passion along the way like I did.

5. You become a better teacher by learning from teaching.

You don’t necessarily achieve expertise before becoming a teacher; rather, teaching itself leads you toward that expertise.

It is not merely about conveying knowledge to a group of minds. It is also a transformative journey of growth, learning, and self-discovery. And I think that’s where the profound beauty of teaching lies.

One may not fully grasp the intricacies of teaching and its profound significance as a profession until they get to experience it themselves, and to witness the transformative power of knowledge and connection firsthand.