Tag: motivation

Posted in Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Mental Health, The Mighty, The Pencil Case on The Mighty

Pencil Case Prompts: How can you be creative this week? 👀🎨

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

How can you be creative this week?

It’s the beginning of a new week, sparkly friends—a great time to think about how we can sprinkle a little creativity into our days.

Sometimes it’s hard to feel creative when energy is low and the week ahead looks busy. Still, I’m hoping to spend some time writing in my new journal and updating my calendar with stickers and important dates for next month. 🤔✍️

What about you—what does creativity look like for you this week? 🖌️🖋️✏️

Also find this prompt in The Pencil Case on The Mighty here.

Posted in Events, Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Mental Health, Self-Care

NAMI-NYC Virtual Expressive Arts Workshop Event: Rest, Relax, and Breathe

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

So very excited to announce the NAMI-NYC Expressive Arts workshop event I will be hosting this Saturday! This event will be via Zoom and on the NAMI-NYC website. You can find the link here. Click the Expressive Arts Zoom link for the Expressive Arts workshop on March 29, 2025.

IMPORTANT: This Expressive Arts workshop and the ones following this one are from 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm!

If you have any questions or concerns feel free to send me an email 💟. The time of the event is in Eastern Standard Time.

*I will share any updates or changes and keep everyone posted.

Here are some details for the event:

Title:
Rest, Relax, and Breathe

Description:
“Rest, Relax, and Breathe” is a creative and reflective event where we will draw and write about how to better connect with ourselves.

We will begin with a short icebreaker, setting aside three minutes to practice deep breathing together, followed by seven minutes of free writing or doodling.

The main activity will then be choosing one of three options:

1. Choose a shape and create a series of patterns using that shape. Around your drawing, write words, phrases, or quotes that reflect your thoughts as you create.

2. Draw a T-chart. On one side, list the habits, hobbies, and resources you currently use to support your mental health. On the other side, list the helpful habits, hobbies, and resources you’d like to explore.

3. Write a poem or journal entry describing calmness.

Materials:
Paper, writing utensils (pen, pencil, markers, or crayons).

Schedule
2:00 – 2:20: Introductions and Ice breaker
2:20 – 3:00: Main Activity
3:00 – 3:30: Sharing and Closing

Hope to see you there!

Posted in Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Love, Self-Care, Self-Talk, The Mighty, The Pencil Case on The Mighty

Pencil Case Prompts: What are you taking for your wellness shelves this week?

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

What are you taking from your wellness shelves this week?

Comment below with the item(s) that symbolize what you’ll be embracing this week!

🪴 Grounding Plant: Practicing intentional self-care and gratitude, getting fresh air, or doing something fun.

📚 Books of Curiosity: Learning something new, doing your own research, or exploring useful knowledge.

🔑 Keys of Safety: Recognizing your needs, speaking up, and prioritizing yourself.

🔦 Support Flashlight: Seeking help, asking questions, and acknowledging your feelings.

🧸 Resting Bear: Resting, relaxing, and sleeping in.

📦 Connection Package: Reaching out to your community, joining a support group, or checking in with a loved one.

Here’s what I’ll be taking: 
A Grounding Plant 🪴
A Support Flashlight 🔦
Books of Curiosity 📚

What about you?

Also find this prompt in The Pencil Case on The Mighty here.

Posted in Creative Writing, Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Mental Health, Self-Care, Self-Talk, The Mighty

If My Body Could Talk

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

If My Body Could Talk

If my body could talk, she would whisper, “slow down” — move at the pace of a snail, as if approaching a yellow light at the intersection of my limits.

She would remind me that I am worthy of care, every second of every day.

My body would tell me when my cup is empty and show me how to refill it.

My body speaks in a calm and soothing voice, I just need to listen. She’s been with me for so long— surely, she knows what I need by now.

If my body could talk, I’d want to talk with her daily,

to be her best friend.

She is me, and I am her.

If only my body could talk.

This poem accompanied the following poll I shared in the Mighty Poets group on The Mighty:

Which title would you choose? 

Posted in Love, Mental Health, Potential and Worth, Reflection, Self-Care

My Words of 2025: Love and Freedom

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

It’s taken me some time to gather these thoughts, mostly because energy and motivation have been hard to come by these days. Sometimes, I wish there were an easier way to collect all the ingredients needed to create my best work. That, plus the procrastination and perfectionist blocks that make me feel like I have to know exactly what I’m going to write before I even start. And yet, here I am, still not 100% sure what I want to say.

2025 has already been overwhelming. The world is in pain, and there’s so much fear in our collective energy. As for me, I haven’t been feeling well. The problem solver in me wants to make everything better—for both myself and others—but I’ve been feeling lost and out of control.

A few weekends ago, I facilitated my first expressive arts workshop of 2025. One of the activities involved writing a series of personal notes reflecting on our values, what’s important to us, the habits that benefit us, and what we will let go of this year. In my notes, I wrote down my words and phrase for the year: my words being love and freedom, and my phrase being “I’m not doing that.”

This year, I want to take back my energy from the spirals of negativity I often find myself in and explore what it feels like to let go of the expectation of failure and missing out. I want to let love in—and even though I’m scared—be willing to work through the discomfort of change because I deserve to experience something different from what I’m used to. I want to feel free enough that making mistakes or feeling embarrassed doesn’t make me a bad person. I want to be able to make choices that are right for me and not feel guilty when I say no or set boundaries that keep me safe.

These are my intentions for the year. As I begin to feel better and safer expressing and receiving love while navigating freedom, I hope to find others who are doing the same for themselves.

Well that’s what I have for now. Thank you for reading. 💌

Posted in Love, Mental Health, Self-Care, Self-Talk, The Pencil Case on The Mighty

Farewell 2024

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

Write a farewell letter to 2024.

Writing letters has always been a powerful tool for me to process and release stress, limiting beliefs, and painful memories. It helps me learn how to love and care for myself more deeply. 2024 has been a big year for me, and today I want to bid it farewell.

Dear 2024,

I want to say goodbye. You’ve taught me so much in just 12 months, and I’m grateful for all the tough lessons I’ve learned. I’ve experienced painful moments and beautiful ones, had “aha” moments, and encountered situations I still don’t fully understand.

I choose to release the stress and anxiety I’ve been carrying, especially from these past three months. I deserve peace of mind, even if only for a second or two. As I close this chapter, I do so knowing I gave my best. I’m proud of myself for making it to this point, and I choose to give myself grace today.

Thank you and farewell,
Nina

If you feel inspired and up to it, you’re welcome to write your own farewell letter—whether in your own journal or in the comments below. 💌

You can also find this post in The Pencil Case on The Mighty here.

Posted in Mental Health, Self-Care, The Pencil Case on The Mighty

New Friends and a Pencil Case Prompt for You. 🙂

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks
Look at the new friends I got!!

Ah, a tiny shark! What’s one act of kindness you can show yourself today?

I received this tiny shark as a gift, and the first thing I thought when my brother gave it to me was, “I have to show my Mighty/Sparkly fam!” It’s so small, adorable, and also encouraging. 😩

In the spirit of my tiny shark friend, let’s share one act of kindness we can show ourselves today.

I’ll go first!
One act of kindness I can show myself today is spending some time writing on my blog (me writing this on my blog right now haha) after I finish my work and sharing other thoughtful gifts I’ve received that made me smile.

Also find this prompt in The Pencil Case on The Mighty here.

Posted in Events, Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Mental Health, Self-Care

NAMI-NYC Virtual Expressive Arts Workshop Event: Final Thoughts

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

So very excited to announce the NAMI-NYC Expressive Arts workshop event I will be hosting this Saturday! This event will be via Zoom and on the NAMI-NYC website. You can find the link here. Click the Expressive Arts Zoom link  for November 30, 2024.

IMPORTANT: This Expressive Arts workshop and the ones following this one are from 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm!

If you have any questions or concerns feel free to send me a DM or email 💟. The time of the event is in Eastern Standard Time.

*I will share any updates or changes and keep everyone posted.

Here are some details for the event:

Title:
Final Thoughts

Description:
“Final Thoughts” is a creative and reflective event where we will draw and write about the past year. We will begin with an icebreaker: sketching an image and listing five words we would use to describe 2024.

The main activity will then be choosing one of three options:

1. Draw a series of holiday ornaments, and next to each ornament, write an intention or message you want to carry forward.

2. Write an acrostic poem that spells “Thank You.” In each line, share something that inspired, motivated, or impacted you this year.

3. Write a farewell letter to what you want to leave behind in 2024.

We will conclude by sharing our creations.

Materials:
Paper, writing utensils (pen, pencil, markers, or crayons).

Schedule
2:00 – 2:20: Introductions and Ice breaker
2:20 – 3:00: Main Activity
3:00 – 3:30: Sharing and Closing

Hope to see you there!

Posted in Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Mental Health, Self-Care, The Mighty

Pencil Case Prompts and Writing Workshops

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

What motivates and inspires your creativity?

Hi Pencil Case fam! ❤️

Over the past few weeks I’ve been trying my best to find inspiration and motivation to start writing and creating again, especially since October was really tough on my creativity. So far, I’ve found that connecting more with myself, resting, taking long walks, and exploring different art spaces in stores have helped me feel a little better and inspired new ideas. I even attended a storytelling workshop that I really loved with NAMI-NYC recently!

I’m curious to know what inspires and motivates you. What helps you work on your projects or start new ones?

Feel free to share your insights in the comments! 🥰

You can also find this prompt in The Pencil on The Mighty here.