Life
vocal bliss
As the new year approaches, there is always a significant push to pick ourselves apart, see where we can make personal improvements, set goals, and decide how to completely change our lives to become even better versions of ourselves. Although I feel the excitement around the impulse of making changes, improving, and setting goals, I’m not one to set my lofty resolutions during the frigid winter months. I’m in hibernation mode, and if it doesn't include a sweater, slippers, and tea, I’m probably not going.
By Kristen Balyeat2 years ago in Writers
32 Missed Opportunities
I am a logical, perfectionistic, optimist. Breaking that down into manageable pieces will show that I hold myself to an extremely high standard and I tend to look on the bright side of potential outcomes. Having a sunny disposition and strong work ethic is a good thing right? I thought so too. It is a great outlook on life, but I have only begun to realize that my perfectionism brings me stagnating fear of failure, logic leaves me no room for the emotions, and with optimism comes a hazy naivety. Vocal is the only platform that I write on, and this year, I want to do it differently.
By Abby Kay Mendonca2 years ago in Writers
Growth
I am sitting at the bottom of it all. The acid from the belly of the beast is crashing over me. Flesh slipping off bones, like gushing water down a 20 ft slide. I hold on to my smile to show the world I am enjoying the suffering. This year on Vocal I don't want to gloss over the tough shit.
By Jada Ferguson2 years ago in Writers
2024 is the time to thrive.
Before 2023, my last submission to Vocal was a short piece for 2021's FFXIV Write challenge. FFXIV players respond to a series of written prompts that are released over the course of a month, sharing tales of their characters' adventures in the world of Eorzea. This started on Tumblr and has expanded to Twitter, if I recall correctly, but it's been a while since I paid attention.
By Princess Sparklefangs2 years ago in Writers
Dear Vocal 2024
Dear Vocal, I am not sure how meta it is to address the writing website that I am currently writing an article for, but it feels right, at least to me. Because, as I enter into your 200th challenge(Congratulations by the way!!) I have to say something to you. Thank you. Honestly and truly, thank you.
By David Brandy2 years ago in Writers
I Don't Set Goals, I Make Plans
I don’t usually set goals. Goals can be missed, that’s why I have switched to selecting targets. Targets are things that cannot be missed. Or if they are missed, you are forced to ask the question of why you missed, how far off target you were, and what you can do to not miss the target again. This change in mindset is why I have switched to making plans. I realize that all may sound pretentious. However, this outlook has come from experience. It comes from what I learned both from playing sports and when I worked in sales. This mindset has taken over many aspects of my life. To the point that now when someone asks me about goals, I avoid using that word to describe something in the future. Looking at my life over the last few years, the occasions when I do use it is in the past tense. And most often my use of goal is to communicate what I did in simplest terms, as targets or plans can carry negative undertones. This is more due to the limitations of our language, and word association.
By Atomic Historian2 years ago in Writers
