Reflection on Article Submission

"Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Throughout my life I have declared that, "I am not a writer." I always did fine in my studies, but I never thought of myself as a true writer. I doubted my ability to pick up a pen and put valuable words down on paper. In college, I decided to pursue a career in Marketing Communications. However, I wanted to steer clear of Public Relations because I didn't want to write press releases. Little did I know, that once I entered the workplace that writing press releases and overseeing a blog were part of my job duties. I had always kept a journal, but it was a whole different story to publish my articles and share my writing with news agencies. At first, I feared that everyone thought my writing was rubbish. However, over time I started to get compliments on my blogs, articles, and press releases. I guess I was a writer all along and I had mastered the skill to market events and write press releases. 

All good things must come to an end. I left my marketing job, did a little traveling abroad and then started studying at SWIHA. I was entering new territory and studying information that was unfamiliar to me. However, I felt very passionate about I was learning and felt compelled to share this wonderful information. Around the same time, I saw a post on Facebook that the health-conscious.org was going to launch their website/blog and was looking for contributors. This organization aligns with my core values. Their purpose is to empower individuals to improve their health. I instantly knew that I wanted to contribute to the blog, so I emailed the editor and asked if I could be part of the team. I sent her my bio and examples of my writing. She quickly got back to me and welcomed me to the team. I was in! However, that is when the fear set in. I was only a student and had no true experience in the field. My articles were going to be featured next to doctors, nutritionists, life coaches and people who had been working in this field before I could even walk or talk. 

My deadline was quickly approaching and I was procrastinating in the worst way. I started to doubt my writing skills, but even worse I started to doubt myself as a Mind-Body Wellness Practitioner. I wrote to the editor and explained that I was only a student and I should probably wait to contribute until I was working in the field. She wrote me back and said, "Please remember, there are NO apologies allowed for who you are and what you do!! From what I have heard about you, you are scheduled to be AWESOME!!!" After that message, there was no turning back. I was going to be a contributor to the health-conscious.org. 

It was the eve of my deadline, so I sat down to write my article. I didn't know where to begin. I had weeks to prepare to write this story, but due to my procrastination I was sitting there staring at my computer with writer's block. I threw around a few ideas, but finally settled on telling my personal wellness story. Once I decided on the topic, the words started to flow and before I knew it I had written the entire article. I submitted it for review and it was published! It was extremely exciting to see my work online again. This time it meant even more because the topic was something personal and was my first step into the wellness world. Since that time I have had some life changes, so I have not been able to contribute to the website. However, this class inspired me to submit another article for publication. The article was inspired by a topic covered in my Transformational Healing class a few weeks ago. When we were asked to write a article for this class, I instantly knew that I wanted to discuss the "physician within." I submitted the article yesterday, so I am anxiously waiting to see if it will be accepted and published. Either way, I am proud of my work.

I am in the process of moving from NYC to Seattle this month, so once I get settled I would like to submit articles on a regular basis. Currently I do not have my own website, so I think it's important for me to continue to be a part of networks and organizations like this to get my name out there. My posts could possibly lead to new professional opportunities. This experience has taught me to stop being my own worst critic. I have important ideas and stories to share with the world, so it's important to overcome the fear and just write.

News Release Blog Assignment

News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 2nd, 2013

For more information contact:

Amy Carrier, Mind-Body Wellness Practitioner

236 Prospect Park West #3
Brooklyn, NY 11215

Phone: (503) 726-8960

Fax: (503) 726-8966

amycorrinecarrier@gmail.com

The Three Little Birds Wellness & Yoga Studio to Host
Silent Auction and Fundraiser for Oklahoma Tornado Victims

     BROOKLYN, NY - On Saturday, June 8th, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., the Three Little Birds Wellness & Yoga Studio will be hosting a silent auction and fundraiser to help support the efforts of the American Red Cross. All money raised will go directly to the victims of the recent tornados in Oklahoma and surrounding areas.

    

     The silent auction will include a variety of items to bid on including:

• One full day at Rejuvanate Spa in Park Slope. Includes 4 free services and lunch.
• A Night Out on Broadway Basket provided by Tkts.com. Includes two tickets to the Book of Mormon on Broadway and dinner for two at Blue Fin in Times Square.
• A Yoga Lover's Basket provided by Lululemon. Includes $50 gift certificate for Lululemon retail shop, a Jade yoga mat and one free month of yoga at Three Little Birds Wellness & Studio. 

     The devastation of these recent natural disasters was widespread and destructive. To put it into perspective for New Yorkers, CNN.com reports that if the tornado that touched down in Moore, OK had touched down in Battery Park, the southern tip of Manhattan, and continued in a straight northward direction it would have cut at path that was 1.3 miles wide and 17 miles long and would have reached all the way to Yonkers. In the process it would have covered the east side of Manhattan including Central Park. Moving at approximately 35 mph, all of this would have happened in around 30 minutes, much less than the time it takes to travel from Battery Park to Yonkers on the MTA subway. 

     

     In addition to the silent auction, all proceeds from yoga classes on Saturday, June 8th will be donated to the American Red Cross. Please visit our website, www.threelittlebirdswellness.com for a full class schedule. For more information on the American Red Cross and their disaster relief efforts visit www.redcross.org.

###

Note: This is not a real press release or event. This was written for a class assignment.

Creative Writing Assignment: Final Destination

Yesterday I boarded a plane from JFK to the Minneapolis to visit my family. The landing was a little rough and it reminded me of a flight that I took from London exactly one year ago. I was returning from a trip to see my English boyfriend and the captain had to pull up the plane seconds before landing  in NYC because something was on the runway. As I sat on the plane yesterday, I felt inspired to write about that event. However, when I started writing the story took on a fictional and dark twist. Although the assignment only called for us to write for 10 minutes, I felt compelled to write until I gave my story an ending.

It was almost impossible to believe her time had come to an end. Corrine had gone on many holidays over the years, but her recent trip was different than most. It had a purpose. A purpose beyond seeing the London Bridge or Westminster Abbey, this trip was meant solely to see him. Him being the man she loved.

Corrine boarded her flight back to New York. Typically the thought of getting on a plane was quite exciting. Each seat was filled with a new face, with a story of their own. But the excitement was gone and her heart was only filled with sadness. Corrine hoped the Captain would come over the intercom and say, “I am sorry to announce ladies and gentleman, but our flight has not been cleared for take off due to major delays at JFK. The earliest flight will be tomorrow morning. We are sorry for the inconvenience.” At least this would give her one more night with him. 

However, there was no such message from the Captain and soon she felt the plane jerk away from the gate. Take off was a blur and before long London had disappeared behind the clouds. The clouds were quite symbolic because the trip had felt like a lovely dream that Corrine didn’t want to wake up from. Champagne breakfasts, private tennis lessons and a guided tour of the English countryside. What more could a girl really ask for she asked herself. But how could this be a reality? She was from the United States and he was from England. How could the universe ever bring them together?

Between the excitement of reliving the memories of her trip and the nervousness she felt by asking the big questions, Corrine was completely exhausted. Corrine leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. The dreams came swiftly and were quite vivid. The people, the place and time felt real. It was the kind of dream you didn’t want to wake up from.

A fresh layer of snow had just fallen on the mountain. The sun was waking up and making its way over the peaks. It cast the most beautiful display of pink and orange hues on the snow. The mountainside looked as it was made of sherbet and ready for tasting. 

In the dream, she saw him. He pushed open the door of his bungalow that was nestled in the snow piles on the base of the mountain. Dressed in a bright orange jacket, goggles and beanie it almost made him unrecognizable. But his movements and stance were a dead giveaway for the masked man’s identity. Ready to get first tracks of the morning, he strapped his skis to his backpack and started the ascent up the mountainside. Each step was a challenge in the knee-deep snow. He was in heaven, his heaven. He started the journey alone, but when the sun touched his face he instantly felt her presence. She was always with him. He made his way up the mountain, enjoying each view along the way. He had a knack for making her face out in the designs in the clouds and often in the fresh snow. It was like they had just seen each other yesterday, but it had been much longer than that. 

Corrine had last said goodbye to him at Heathrow airport last summer. He remembered the awkwardness of their last goodbye. They stood by airport security for a ridiculous amount of time - hugging, kissing, staring into each other eyes and coming up with meaningless conversation just to prolong the moment. She was returning to New York to start a new job, a new school and a new life that was so far away from him. When they said goodbye, neither knew it would be the last time and the tragedy that was in the imminent future.

The flashbacks of their time together, albeit short, occupied his mind the entire hike up the mountain. He reached the top, short of breath, but full of life. He was following his dream of skiing the highest peaks and living in a winter wonderland. He turned to the West and could feel the warm sun on his back. He felt of surge of adrenaline and warm sensation through this entire body. The energy felt different; perhaps it was a message from her.

Without hesitation, he leaped off the snowy cliff into the canyon. He was floating on a cloud of snow. Each turn perfect and with such ease. He took each drop with such courage. He was no longer afraid of anything. That happens when your worst fear comes true, his fear of losing her. Along with the good memories, the thought of her last moments consumed him from time to time. He imagined how scared she was, how she was alone and how painful it must have been. Her flight from London to JFK ended in tragedy. The flight was cleared for landing and seconds before the plane was meant to touchdown on the runway, the Captain got a call saying that there was an obstruction and they must pull up immediately. The Captain did as instructed, but it was too late. The flight, it’s crew and all 300 passengers never made it to New York.

His eyes filled with tears, his heart with pain. He was distracted. And with distraction, comes careless decisions. The snow overtook him quickly. There was no pain. But in the compact snow, he could make out her face, just as he did earlier. But this time, she was there waiting to take him into the light. Their loved had prevailed, the Universe had brought them together again.

When the wheels touched down it woke Corrine from her dream. Her heart was racing and she covered in sweat, but Corrine had a strange sense of calm. That dream was a sign that no matter what happened it would okay. The Universe would bring them together.

The Caption came over the intercom. “Welcome To New York. If this is your final destination, welcome home. If you are continuing your journey, safe travels wherever you are going in the world.”

A City That Inspires Me

I am inspired the minute I step out my front door. Skyscrapers, yellow cabs, graffiti, and flashing lights are all part of my backdrop. It is difficult to not be inspired in a place like New York City. Whether I ride the subway and admire the diversity of New Yorkers or I sit in Central Park and watch the pigeons dance, I am constantly surrounded by beauty and creativity. 

New York City has a pulse. If you are able to tap into that energy you too will be inspired. For a writer, the city is the most amazing place to create. I always take my journal with me because I inevitably feel inspired to write. The people I see, the places I go, and the experiences I have become my stories. The inspiration that comes from being in the city definitely influences my writing style. It's beautiful. It's ugly. It's real. My writing style is simply a reflection of what I see and feel. Therefore, it's almost impossible for me to feel writer's block. The only time I feel a block is when the story is too profound for words. My mission is simply for my words to do the real life story justice. 

To exemplify my creative inspiration, I would like to share an entry from my personal blog that I wrote after riding the Manhattan subway. 

Be the Change You Want to See in the World

“Be the change you want to see in the world.” ~ Gandhi

I have a story playing over and over in my head. I saw something that I will never forget. It quite possibly has changed my life forever.

But before I explain, I should probably tell you a little bit more of what I have been up to. I moved to New York in early June. I am going back to school full-time in September for Mind-Body Wellness and I am also a full-time nanny. I live with my lifelong friends, Tammy and Keith, and watch over their amazing son Elijah, who is eight months old.

It’s funny how life works…I openly admit that I used to have an adverse reaction to children and often wondered if I ever wanted any of my own. But then along came my niece MacKenna. I quickly realized how amazing children are and how quickly I could fall in love with a young soul. And with all her trials and tribulations in the recent year or so, she continues to amaze me.

When I moved back from New Zealand and moved to Park City, I quickly realized that my ski bum job was not going to pay the bills. In turn, I started working for Park City Sitters. During the short winter season, I babysat for close to 40 different families and started to realize that I was actually pretty good with kids. Then along came the opportunity to help raise Eli, and I thought why not move to New York City and take my courses from there?!

So rewind to the month of June…I was taking the subway in Manhattan to meet up with some friends. The doors opened and on stepped a mother with her son in the baby bjorn. Being a nanny, it grabbed my attention because I seem to be drawn to babies. At first glance all seemed normal. But once the doors shut, the woman pulled out a cardboard sign and started to make her way through the subway car. She was in her late thirties, her clothes soiled and her face very tired.

Her sign read, “Speak very little English. Homeless. Need money to feed my baby. God Bless.”

She passed by me and I saw that her son was not much older than Eli. He stared at me with his big brown eyes, they were tired too, but they still sparkled. He giggled and smiled to reveal his baby teeth. And then, I realized his caramel colored face was covered with infected sores. My heart broke. I reached into my purse and pulled out the little money I had. She nodded and smiled. When the train came to a stop she stepped off and onto the next car.

Panhandlers are a common occurrence on the subway. One can easily become desensitized to them, but not when you see a small child suffering in such a way. My pocket change was only a small way to help.

It makes you realize how lucky you are. Eli is lucky to have amazing parents and he never wants for anything. He has clothes, food, shelter and love. We are blessed.

It also reminds me that I want to “be the change I want to see in the world.”  Perhaps there’s a purpose for me changing careers, being a nanny and seeing that baby on the train. Other than my small donation, there isn’t anything I can do to help him now, but he has changed my life forever and maybe I am on a path to help others. 

The Story of a #2 Pencil

Hi, my name is #2. I am a pencil. My exterior is bright yellow and my color reflects my personality. When I am placed in the hand of a human, I am full of creative ideas, numerical equations and answers to many questions. I become one with my owner, Amy, and words easily flow on to the paper. She loves to journal and years ago we would spend hours together writing beautiful poems, song lyrics and short stories. I am a flexible tool and my words are not permanent. If she didn’t like what we wrote, she could easily use my dependable eraser and wipe away the words.

As I mentioned, I do very little writing lately and I sit patiently in the cup on her desk. Every time she sits down, I start to fill with excitement because I think that this will be the moment when we reunite and start to write. However, over the years she has started to do her writing with Bic.

He is a nice enough pen, but I have to admit that I am a little jealous of him. He is made of shiny clear plastic and has a really special black cap that he wears. I have my eraser, but it is worn out from use over the years. He is also so much taller than me because I have shrunk over time due to sharpening. I think I may spend the rest of my days just sitting in this cup. I am no longer useful and just don’t compare to Bic.

Amy sat down at her desk earlier today to write. As she was reaching for Bic, I saw that she paused for a moment and then changed the direction of her reach. Before I knew it, I was being lifted out of the cup and carefully placed in her right hand. I was filled with joy and just when I didn’t think it could get any better, Amy started to speak to me.

“Boy, have I missed you old friend. We have written so many beautiful things together and you inspire me. There is just something about holding a #2 Pencil in your hand. It feels so natural and it makes me excited to write. I definitely prefer using a pencil over a pen when I am writing. So, let’s get to this…let’s write together once again.”

I think that today’s writing session was one of the best ones that I can remember. Amy and I worked as a team and put some beautiful ideas down on paper. She made me feel useful, special and unique. It made me realize that I shouldn’t compare myself to Bic because I have something special to offer too.

Biography

Amy Carrier is a Mind-Body Wellness Student with current certifications in Hypnotherapy and Life Coaching. She is currently earning her degree at the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts in Phoenix, Arizona. She also has a BA in Marketing Communications and a Minor in Speech Communications from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.

Amy is committed to guiding her clients to a balanced life, optimum health and a higher level of consciousness. Using the modalities of Life Coaching, Hypnotherapy and Holistic Nutrition, she encourages individuals to connect with their intuition and empowers her clients to reach their personal and professional goals. Amy's practice is spiritually minded and specializes in Past Life Regression. 

Through the process of inquiry, she allows people to gain clarity and find solutions to their challenges. Amy believes the answers are within the client and empowers them to develop actions steps to help them achieve their goals. Amy's mission is to uncover her clients' natural gifts and the beautiful light that shines in us all.