Today in class we did our final BDS. I wrote for 20 minutes with the comfort break at the 10 minute mark as usual. This time during my comfort break I made a point to look off out the window, something that Boice suggests we do.
During this time, I worked on my short story and continued to advance through my outline. My goal was to advance through three "chunks" of my outline - more like paragraphs I guess since as I mentioned, it's very prose like.
I met this goal with ease and even wrote a little more. I did not finish my short story by the end of the four weeks, but I was not writing to finish it. My goal was to enjoy writing again and I think I found that through this class.
Thank you to everyone for making this such a great class. And a huge thank you to Boice for the insight.
Friday, July 26, 2013
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Response to rest of Ch 4 and Boice Overall
It makes sense that your surrounding environment will have an effect on your writing. All of the strategies Boice listed for building environmental controls are things that I hope to try out. For example, seating comfort. I've always had a simple desk chair with a hard seat. I think I have become accustomed to that type of seat and don't really know comfort. I would love to try writing in a padded or plush chair that provides good back support. I would be curious to see how much of an effect it would have on my writing.
Having aesthetics makes sense. When I went away to college, I had to decorate my dorm room to feel like "home." I think this is because it creates comfort - we can relax when we're surrounded by the things that make up ourselves and our lives. And then when we are relaxed, we can better think and better write.
Now, Boice as a whole:
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading these four chapters and have found them all to be enlightening and useful.
For the future, I intend to use brief daily sessions for other long term projects. It is so much less stressful!
I also like the idea of comfort breaks. I've been getting into the routine of checking my posture and the like for comfort when I'm sitting in any place for a long duration.
I can see myself using contingencies for a project that I'm highly unmotivated with. One of my friends had her boyfriend change her Facebook password until she completed her essay and other homework assignments. It worked for her. I could use some reinforcement and modest punishment to get me writing/ working on a project if I was severely struggling.
Lastly, I'm going to be sure to make use of the strategies for moderating hypomania with writing as well as the list of maxims by Browne for writing and for every day life.
This class has been so rewarding and insightful!
Having aesthetics makes sense. When I went away to college, I had to decorate my dorm room to feel like "home." I think this is because it creates comfort - we can relax when we're surrounded by the things that make up ourselves and our lives. And then when we are relaxed, we can better think and better write.
Now, Boice as a whole:
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading these four chapters and have found them all to be enlightening and useful.
For the future, I intend to use brief daily sessions for other long term projects. It is so much less stressful!
I also like the idea of comfort breaks. I've been getting into the routine of checking my posture and the like for comfort when I'm sitting in any place for a long duration.
I can see myself using contingencies for a project that I'm highly unmotivated with. One of my friends had her boyfriend change her Facebook password until she completed her essay and other homework assignments. It worked for her. I could use some reinforcement and modest punishment to get me writing/ working on a project if I was severely struggling.
Lastly, I'm going to be sure to make use of the strategies for moderating hypomania with writing as well as the list of maxims by Browne for writing and for every day life.
This class has been so rewarding and insightful!
BDS 15
Here we go with another morning BDS. I love it, especially because I read the readings last night and told myself that today I would meditate upon waking up and I would take my morning slow and think happy, calming thoughts instead of "gotta write my response, gotta do my BDS, gotta go to the gym, etc."
This worked wonders. As I sat down to write, I felt relaxed and then tried Boice's suggestion about thinking about something that would create happiness. With my happy thought in place and my mind and body calm and relaxed, I began to write. I had to remind myself at first to smile a little as a wrote, which as I continued, it became easier and needed less reminding. This seems like an obvious thing to do, because smiling, even if it is fake, releases endorphins and other happy chemicals in your brain. Why didn't I ever think to do this writing?
Because of this mind set, I didn't have any fears and worry during writing. But I wanted to keep this happy state of mind, so I did as Boice suggests, I let myself have optimistic and helpful thoughts. I thought to myself: wow, Ash, this is great, your story is coming along nicely, I'm really proud of you.
At my 10 minute mark comfort break, I paused, stretched and normally after this, I would get back to my writing. But for this BDS I made a list of things I wanted to try out, so I turned to my list, "reproduce the same sorts of mildly happy moods at each pause during sessions" (160). Hokay. I closed my eyes and brought my attention to another happy thought, which actually caused a little laughter because it was a fond memory. Checking this off my list, I continued writing.
When my timer sounded at the 20 minute mark, I was about to save and close and carry on with my day, but I looked back at my check list and realized I had one more thing to do: add self-congratulations.
"Good job, Ashley! You not only had a productive and very enjoyable writing session, but you made a point to try out some new strategies. Way to be awesome. Keep up the good work."
As a future teacher, I'm definitely going to be teaching my students a little bit about Boice. I think this could help students find writing to be very enjoyable, because I know it helped me.
This worked wonders. As I sat down to write, I felt relaxed and then tried Boice's suggestion about thinking about something that would create happiness. With my happy thought in place and my mind and body calm and relaxed, I began to write. I had to remind myself at first to smile a little as a wrote, which as I continued, it became easier and needed less reminding. This seems like an obvious thing to do, because smiling, even if it is fake, releases endorphins and other happy chemicals in your brain. Why didn't I ever think to do this writing?
Because of this mind set, I didn't have any fears and worry during writing. But I wanted to keep this happy state of mind, so I did as Boice suggests, I let myself have optimistic and helpful thoughts. I thought to myself: wow, Ash, this is great, your story is coming along nicely, I'm really proud of you.
At my 10 minute mark comfort break, I paused, stretched and normally after this, I would get back to my writing. But for this BDS I made a list of things I wanted to try out, so I turned to my list, "reproduce the same sorts of mildly happy moods at each pause during sessions" (160). Hokay. I closed my eyes and brought my attention to another happy thought, which actually caused a little laughter because it was a fond memory. Checking this off my list, I continued writing.
When my timer sounded at the 20 minute mark, I was about to save and close and carry on with my day, but I looked back at my check list and realized I had one more thing to do: add self-congratulations.
"Good job, Ashley! You not only had a productive and very enjoyable writing session, but you made a point to try out some new strategies. Way to be awesome. Keep up the good work."
As a future teacher, I'm definitely going to be teaching my students a little bit about Boice. I think this could help students find writing to be very enjoyable, because I know it helped me.
Response to pg 153-161
Reading this part of the chapter was a real treat! I loved Browne's maxims. They were so positive and freeing! I think sometimes we get bogged down and we forget to appreciate ourselves. I consider myself a generally happy person. I've gotten significantly better at time management in the past year, which has in return, lowered my stress and negativity by loads. With this stress gone, it's a lot easier to focus on positive thinking and to appreciate myself. I find that I already exercise Browne's suggestions for many areas of my life.
"Recognize your own contribution." Yes. I do this. Not with writing, but with many other things in my life. But I'm definitely going to start applying these maxims to my writing.
"Discover what you can control: the who you interact with and how you react to interactions." I learned this one pretty young because my brother and I would fight and argue ALL of the time. My mom told me that I don't have to get upset and I don't even have to stick around to get in an argument. If he's starting to bother me, leave. Ever since, I make a point to interact with positive friends and peers. I don't like negative energy in my life, and I can control that for the most part!
"Don't waste energy expecting people to like your writing." This one was a newsflash to me, but it makes sense. This is something I'm definitely going to work on.
I won't go through all of them, but those three were my favorites.
I also like the list on page 160 about moderating hypomania.
Things I want to try out for my next BDS:
- beginning my days by slowing down, and writing with relaxed, softly smiling faces.
- replace pessimistic, fearful self-talk with optimistic and helpful thoughts
- reproducing the mild happiness at each pause/comfort break
- adding self-congratulations
"Recognize your own contribution." Yes. I do this. Not with writing, but with many other things in my life. But I'm definitely going to start applying these maxims to my writing.
"Discover what you can control: the who you interact with and how you react to interactions." I learned this one pretty young because my brother and I would fight and argue ALL of the time. My mom told me that I don't have to get upset and I don't even have to stick around to get in an argument. If he's starting to bother me, leave. Ever since, I make a point to interact with positive friends and peers. I don't like negative energy in my life, and I can control that for the most part!
"Don't waste energy expecting people to like your writing." This one was a newsflash to me, but it makes sense. This is something I'm definitely going to work on.
I won't go through all of them, but those three were my favorites.
I also like the list on page 160 about moderating hypomania.
Things I want to try out for my next BDS:
- beginning my days by slowing down, and writing with relaxed, softly smiling faces.
- replace pessimistic, fearful self-talk with optimistic and helpful thoughts
- reproducing the mild happiness at each pause/comfort break
- adding self-congratulations
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
BDS 14
In class today we did a BDS for I think 30 minutes.
As I went to begin writing, I realized that my thorough outline that I just composed was in my notebook that I had turned in for viewing. So, naturally, I was having trouble focusing and remember what exactly I wanted to write about next. Because of this, my BDS sadly was not very productive today. I typed a little, but felt really naked and insecure without my outline by my side. As a result, I spent most of the time scrolling through the document and reading it, which I suppose is not all bad. It was a nice editing session I guess because of that, so that is a bonus.
As usual, every 10 minutes I took a comfort break by stretching, tongue checks, and readjusting my position to maintain a relaxed and comfortable writing posture. Here's to hoping for a more productive BDS tomorrow!
As I went to begin writing, I realized that my thorough outline that I just composed was in my notebook that I had turned in for viewing. So, naturally, I was having trouble focusing and remember what exactly I wanted to write about next. Because of this, my BDS sadly was not very productive today. I typed a little, but felt really naked and insecure without my outline by my side. As a result, I spent most of the time scrolling through the document and reading it, which I suppose is not all bad. It was a nice editing session I guess because of that, so that is a bonus.
As usual, every 10 minutes I took a comfort break by stretching, tongue checks, and readjusting my position to maintain a relaxed and comfortable writing posture. Here's to hoping for a more productive BDS tomorrow!
Response to pg 144-153
"I usually asked writers to rehearse RET throughout their days--by pausing to check out negative affect... We use those moments to audit, record, and dispute irrational thinking...With a daily habit of noticing and recording irrational thoughts, writers become deft observers of what prior had seemed nearly inaudible and invisible" (148-149).
Yes! It's all about spotting that negative, irrational thinking and then stopping it from going any further. In general, I always try to keep positive thoughts in my head to avoid a cycle of negative thoughts. I don't know why I never thought to do this with writing, it makes perfect sense. If we let ourselves get into this loop of negativity about our writing, we'll have a self-fulfilling prophecy in the bad kind of way. But if we stop any oncoming bad thoughts, then we can monitor and control our moods better. It's completely logical.
Next time I have an insecurity or irrational thought about my writing, I'm going to identify it and dispute it as Boice suggests.
Yes! It's all about spotting that negative, irrational thinking and then stopping it from going any further. In general, I always try to keep positive thoughts in my head to avoid a cycle of negative thoughts. I don't know why I never thought to do this with writing, it makes perfect sense. If we let ourselves get into this loop of negativity about our writing, we'll have a self-fulfilling prophecy in the bad kind of way. But if we stop any oncoming bad thoughts, then we can monitor and control our moods better. It's completely logical.
Next time I have an insecurity or irrational thought about my writing, I'm going to identify it and dispute it as Boice suggests.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
BDS 13
Alright Boice, here I am having completed another AM BDS and this time I attempted your contingency contract method. Every morning, I watch one episode of a sitcom (Will & Grace, Seinfeld, etc.) to get a laugh for the start of the day. So, today, I told myself that my BDS would be contingent on this morning tv show. "Just write for 20 minutes and then you can watch your 20 minutes of comedy." Feeling that it was fair trade, amount of time put in to work = amount of time for leisure, I began my BDS.
At the 10 minute mark I took my usual comfort break - tongue check, roll my shoulders, stretch my neck, all that jazz.
This thought also crossed my mind, "Only 10 more minutes and then tv time."
I'm not sure how this thought makes me feel. It felt like suddenly this BDS was some long chore. "Only 10 more minutes." That's what you say when you're counting down to get off a long, stressful day at work. Or when you're looking at the clock to get out of a dull lecture. It was unsettling.
I finished strong and rewarded myself with my tv show.
Concluding thoughts: I don't think I need operant conditioning at this point to help me write. I think I'm intrinsically motivated enough that the extrinsic reinforcer isn't necessary. But I'm glad I tried out Boice's suggestion.
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