Month: September 2022

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From Classroom to Dorm Room: Journaling is a Lifelong Habit

Though coaching, classes, and therapy have their place in society (and have never been easier to access), there’s so much that we can teach ourselves if each and every one of us listen to our own thoughts.

In a world where people seem to say what they think everyone wants to hear, I hope my journals will help you hear yourself when you choose to reflect upon your own thoughts by writing them on paper.

Issues 1-3 of Second Draft Journals

Journaling For Kids

There’s no way to stop social media’s influence, but in a quiet room, with nothing but their journal and a pen, let’s teach kids that it’s okay to sit and think. Record and re-read. Be still and ponder. With journal prompts, goal-setting pages, art, and a short story in each issue, I am excited to introduce Second Draft Journals to the classroom.

Second Draft Journals For Everyone

Journaling has many benefits for maintaining good mental health. and short stories awaken the imagination and give people a brief respite from the anxiety and monotony of day-to-day life.

Whatever your day, it all matters. It all counts, and each moment will only happen once. Write it down because you won’t be the same person tomorrow as you are today — and perhaps armed with your journal, you’ll have a clearer vision of what you want to achieve and who you want to be.

I’m calling on teachers, parents, and professionals within the fields of healthcare, mental health, and psychology to help me introduce Second Draft Journals to classrooms so that we can build a stronger, healthier, and happier future. If you’d like to get in touch, kindly email me at journals@thewriteresults.ca.

*This blog post also appears on The Write Results.

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In Admiration Of Serena Williams

I do not play tennis; I can’t even run but Serena Williams is still an inspiration to me.

I was a teenager when a family member was SUPER excited about the new players to watch — Venus and Serena Williams. The teenage, Black sisters from Compton made the news that reverberated beyond die-hard fans of the sport. I’ve never followed tennis, but since that day, I would take note whenever I heard Venus or Serena’s names.

As time passed, Venus was the best female tennis player in the world, but I remember my family member saying, “Venus is great, but Serena is the one. She will be the greatest of all time.” The authority with which he said that made me pause. I couldn’t understand how he was so sure. The only other athletes that I’d heard referred to as The Greatest of all Time were Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretzky, and to me, it seemed a near-impossible task to reach such athletic excellence. Interested to see what he saw, I started seeking out interviews with the Williams’ sisters and taking note of the headlines published about Serena Williams’ ascent into greatness.

Provided by Todd Trapani on Unsplash

Beyond Athletics

Though Venus and Serena Williams inspired countless to compete in and follow the sport, their effect on me was different — though profound.

I will never forget watching Venus and Serena in an interview with Oprah Winfrey. I wasn’t able to find the clip, but they spoke about getting their degrees and starting a fashion line in case tennis didn’t work out. What?! They were already the greatest female tennis players in the world (Serena had likely just passed Venus as number one — I can’t remember), and yet they were humble enough to talk about having a backup plan. (I can’t remember hearing another professional in any field — especially people with notoriety — talk about having a backup plan before or since.)

The other thing that struck me was the relationship Venus and Serena have as sisters. Their respect, love, and support of one another were a joy to witness. I always thought that if I ever had children, I would want to raise them to be like them (fortunately, King Richard starring Will Smith provided all of us with a glimpse into their family life and the beginnings of a blueprint that has been proven to work.)

Cheers to Serena Williams and her inspiring career. May her array of achievements continue to awe and motivate athletes, and her and her family’s barrier-breaking mindset, humble words, and humanity continue to inspire all of us.

Here are a couple of clips of Venus and Serena Williams on The Oprah Winfrey Show from OWN’s YouTube page:

Where Venus Williams Got Her Values

Serena Williams on copying her sister Venus:

It’s A Go!

Amber (A.F.S.) Green

*The image of the tennis ball on the court was graciously provided by Todd Trapani on Unsplash.

**This post also appears on The Write Results.