Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Journal.
How to Get Through Writer's Block. Top Story - January 2018.
I think it's fair to say that every writer feels the panic of not being able to think up new and original ideas. Being a writer is hard. There are so many writers constantly having new and brilliant ideas, and so it's understandable that we freak out sometimes when we’re struggling with the age-old curse that is writer’s block.
By Hannah Petch8 years ago in Journal
Everyone Deserves Something Beautiful
Our minds have a funny way of convincing us that we are less than. Mine is particularly good at whispering “You aren’t good enough,” on a daily basis. My journey to a successful career has been blocked by negative thoughts, actions, and feelings. I always wanted to be something great, something more than I was, something better. Alas, that little voice inside my head has never let up, telling me “no way.” I find it interesting, though, that I’ve always tried to pull myself away from that voice. I’ve taken many roads on my career path, all of which have ultimately failed. I have fallen several times only to stand up, brush myself off and open yet another door, always wondering “Is this the one?” It never was.
By Amber Tice8 years ago in Journal
God Wants Me to Ball!
I remember it clear as day. It was the dead of winter, and I wanted nothing more than to stay in bed and binge on the latest most popular Netflix series, but mommy duty called and I had to bear the cold for Pampers and baby wipes. While making a mental list of everything I needed to pick up, I logged on to my Navy-Fed app to see just how much money I had to work with. Staring at the balance shown, my stomach sunk. With three days left until pay day and no emergency savings, I had $3.89 to my name.
By Nichelle Calander8 years ago in Journal
Tattoos and the Workplace: Where Did the Taboo Come From?
I might be overstepping a line somewhere, but I’m going to go ahead and write this anyways. I should probably preface that I do not have any tattoos myself, but I find this an interesting discussion that should be addressed a bit better than it has been in the past.
By Delilah Jayde8 years ago in Journal
For My Ears
So I drive Uber and Lyft for extra money just like most people in my city. I started driving for Uber over a year ago and I have meet some pretty interesting people from all over. When providing this service I thought to start a video confessional for any of my riders who wanted to talk or who had some things they wanted to get off their chest. Needless to say, I never followed through with it, which I am really not that upset about, but I still have had some very interesting and amazing conversations with some beautiful people. Today in particular, I wasn't feeling life to say the least, I've felt a weight on my heart more and more lately. It's hard to wake up some mornings to be the productive energized person that I am. I enjoy daily interactions with people for the most part lol, but it definitely felt like it was becoming more and more challenging. The fighter in me knows that sh*t has to get done either way, so I apply extra effort to push through. In my pushing today I started driving for Uber and happen to meet and have an encouraging conversation with a beautiful, intelligent, and enthusiastic young lady. She hopped in the car spoke (some people do not), so we were already off to a good start. She made a phone call, so I naturally turned Kendrick down, which she was jamming to before she made her phone call..we're vibin' now and she doesn't even know it. By now I know her name, zodiac sign, where she is from and that she is an actress. We start talking and she continues to expound upon an issue that she was having with an upcoming play she was casted for, she tells me how someone was attempting to get over on her and the rest of the cast. My passenger had already come up with a solution to this problem on every level the rest would be up to other hands to help out where needed. She is determined to reach her dreams and I could hear her determination in her voice. When people open up to me I do the same it is an exchange of energy and love to me, this is one of the best things about being human to me, a positive exchange of energy. I told her of the issues I had been having since the new year had started, my heart hurt, a tightening in my chest that was attempting to take me out. I felt for a while I suffered from depression, but in that moment I've come to the realization that it's some bullshit (not mental illness), but I had misdiagnosed myself. She helped me understand what was really going on, she said "he" was working against me, that "he" knows you're moving forward moving toward something great and "he" wants to stop you. I knew who "he" was, she was speaking of the devil or those negative forces that only find joy in others misery. The thing about is I could feel it, I've felt myself evolving and moving in the right direction, but there was something that wanted me to feel like everything was impossible for me. This sweet stranger was what I needed today to help me, I believe this was God's doing, she was intentionally placed in my car as my passenger in order for that message to be heard by my ears. The fact that I am a writer and she is an actress is just a bonus! I truly appreciate Jessica for her words today, she said this will be the best fu*kin year, claim it!! I have claimed it and written down what I will work hard to achieve. This journey is mine and one of the best parts of it are the wonderful people I meet. I will continue to be encouraged and hope that I will bring encouragement and wisdom to those I will meet on my way. Stay blessed!!
By Whitney Moye8 years ago in Journal
The Art of Independence
There are a significant number of work from home opportunities in the form of customer service jobs. Some of the companies that have pioneered the process may not sound familiar, but in recent years the trend has caught on. In fact, there are some very established companies that hire people to do certain aspects of customer service work from home. They include big names like Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft. The type of work can sometimes differ, but again, it usually comes down to answering calls from a laptop or PC and helping customers. The pay for these jobs starts around 10/hr. Some will pay more and almost all of them will offer a decent number of hours; 25-60 depending on the company and the specific position.
By Donald Harris8 years ago in Journal
Tips for Writing Your Story (For Beginners and New Writers)
(Skip the first paragraph if you want to go straight to the guide.) Writing a story is always super fun, but it can be quite the hassle if you don't know where to start. I'm sure many people have that story in their heads that would be such a cool story, but putting your thoughts into words is difficult. You want to try and write it but you just don't know how. I want to help beginners explore this potential passion of theirs, overcome some issues when it comes to writing, and give tips and tricks so you don't run into roadblocks like I did. I went through it all and if you don't want to go through it either, then read this guide. Trust me, it'll make your journey a lot smoother.
By Paul-Antonio Azar8 years ago in Journal
