Monday 28 June 2021

What is the meaning of life?

When I was searching the most searched questions on Google, this popped up. This question is a deeply philosophical one. Over the years, philosopher's have debated and argued about this question over and over again. They have given and come up with different answers to this question. 

 I hope, in this article, to answer this question to the best of my abilities. 

In my opinion, we are the agents who imbue life with meaning. Our lives acquire meaning depending on how we decide to spend our energy. For example, we may choose to live a productive life, pursue our dreams, and try our best to achieve our goals and ambitions. I believe this is a life well-lived, and thus, this kind of life can be said to be meaningful.

Life can throw different obstacles. Our lives can be riddled with other issues, and we might question the meaning of our life. However, there are various things you can do as a person to make your life meaningful.  

For example, living in the moment, living in the present will help add meaning to your life. Don't live life in regret. It won't get you anywhere. Instead, you need to forgive yourself and live in the moment. This way, you will be able to make the best of things.

Life is full of difficulties and anxieties. One problem appears after another.  Sometimes we struggle to handle our issues. One thing is to have an aim or goal in life. Ask yourself, what do you value most in life? Different people will have different answers to this question.

We are often trapped in our minds. We create our reality. We should discard all our false beliefs and try to become the best version of ourselves. We should try to live with an open mind, conscious of our actions and their impact on us and those around us.

All of us lead different lives. We have various dreams, and every one of us has individual definitions of success. The thing about life is that it doesn't come with an instruction manual. 

People have become more and more distant from religion. As people have become more and more distant from God and religion, people who once attributed meaning to God and religion have lost their source of meaning.

The current crisis of lack of meaning can be attributed to science. Science says that life emerged from a random interplay of chemicals and gases does have meaning, but the meaning given to life is rather bleak. For humans, science says that the meaning of life is survival and propagation of one's genetic material.

Several things can be done to ensure we end up leading a life of meaning. Meaning of life can vary according to what a person wants in their life and his or her dreams and ambitions  in life. You can add meaning to your life by pursuing your dreams and goals. I think life acquires meaning as we engage in meaningful things. Growth shouldn't be focused on it should be diffused. I believe that you should grow while helping others grow. Helping others will add value to and meaning to your life.

We begin to question the meaning of life when we are unhappy. We begin to question our place in this world and universe. Meaning can be said to be found in communication, understanding and service.

Communication is about forming a connection. We are by nature creatures of isolation and solitude. But when we form a connection, be it through a friendship or a relationship, it adds an extra layer or dimension to our life, which in turn can add value and meaning to our life! Some of our most meaningful instances or occasions in life is when we form a meaningful connection. These connections can be used to share our physical and psychological understanding.

Then comes understanding. Understanding contributes to meaning and pleasure in life when we can resolve or have a better grasp of events, experiences and phenomena that puzzled us. We find a sense of meaning by unravelling things that were once completely baffling to us at one point in our life.

These corrections of confusion or puzzlement allow us to further evolve and become better human beings. This is so regardless of who or where we are from. Making sense of things that didn't previously add meaning to our lives.

One of the most meaningful things we can do is to serve others. This can be done by trying to improve their life either by finding solutions to their problems by alleviating their suffering or finding new sources of pleasure.

In a world where selfishness is encouraged, we can achieve a meaningful life by thinking about others and putting their needs before our own. This is not only truly satisfying it also makes our lives more fruitful while imbuing them with more meaning. 

For service to meaningful, it should be in sync with our sense of sincere interests, by knowing more about ourselves and serving others to our best ability. 

A meaningful life is within the reach of everyone. Everyone has the potential to create a meaningful life that is fruitful and valuable. Life should be lived so that we accumulate meaning like we accumulate wealth or success over time. The more you strive towards understanding, communicating and serving others the more fruitful and meaningful your life will become.

Life is a gift. We have been given this life for a reason. I think that we have been given this life to make the best of our time. If we care about the right things at the right moment then we will undoubtedly get to a better place. We are all destined to leave this world. So it's best to do our best to avoid regret and live our lives to the fullest. Life is unpredictable. The best thing we can do is to live and learn and learn and live. We are all works in progress!


Thursday 24 June 2021

How to write a resume?

A resume is the piece of paperwork needed for you to apply for a job. It summarises your experiences, qualifications and achievements. It is supposed to capture the highlights of your professional academic and career-related milestones. There is no one right way to write a resume. But a resume needs to have a good structure so that it is clear and coherent. It will help if you highlight your qualifications and achievements so that an employer feels like you are worth their time.

The resume structure depends on your background, experience and the job that you are applying for. However, every resume needs to have a few key sections such as previous job experience, academic qualifications and other achievements such as certifications and awards.

These will help entice and engage the reader. The first section is the contact section. Include your full name, your city, state, postal code, and your contact number.

Then you need a professional summary. This is called your professional statement or career profile. This section is used to demonstrate who you are and how you can help. Begin your resume with a professional title. Follow this with three essential skills that the hiring company might be looking for. Then using a few sentences to explain your professional background, expertise and talents make you the right fit for the position you are applying for. Finally, you need to explain how you feel to solve the company’s pain point.

You can add your career highlights, which you can add as a bulleted section, summing up your most significant achievements in your career. Use this to make your employer excited to meet you. 

The second section is a core competencies section. This can include your skills, expertise and knowledge as it relates to the job. This is related to the keywords related to the job advert.

Next, include a work experience section and an education section. You might want to include other areas if you don’t have much job experience, for example, if you are a college freshman, awards, volunteer experiences, languages, special certifications, and technical skills.

The goal of the resume is to make you look like a desirable and potential employee. So get creative and get that message across. Put your most important information and most vital information foremost. 

Build a resume that is readable. Especially to applicant tracking systems. The resume needs to be correctly formatted. Use simple, straightforward, consistent texts and formatting—a readable font size.

Your resume should be tailored to every job you apply to. Study the job posting carefully and use the words used in the outline. This will help match your resume with the job advert.

An additional step to develop an effective resume is to create result-driven achievement statements that are quantifiable. Once you have a perfect structure to your resume, this is the next step. List the results of the tasks you did. Show your results with figures if possible.



Wednesday 23 June 2021

How to start a blog ?

How to create a blog on blogger?

Starting a blog is pretty easy! All you need is an internet connection and a laptop. You can start it on a platform like a blogger for free. Here I will be talking about how to start a blog on blogger. Blogger is free to use and easy to master! It is pretty much like the word! Blogger is user friendly! You can quickly learn to use a blogger to create your blog!


Create a google account

Chances are you already have one! Then go to google and sign in to your account and use the google search engine and type in blogger and it's going to take you to the blogger website. 


Decide on a blog title.

Decide on a blog title such as health and fitness or even something as unconventional as mythology. You can write about anything you are passionate about and write about anything. Chances are there will be people around the world who are passionate about what you are passionate about!


Create a post

You can do this yourself or hire someone from sites like Fiverr. I offer my services on Fiverr (Here is the link: https://www.fiverr.com/share/b5wwkP)


I will write you quality content if you feel like you are not up to it or have better things to do! You won't be disappointed if you hire me as your content writer!


Use images and videos. 

You can use images and videos to complement your content! This will make it more reader-friendly!


Publish

Then hit that publish button and publish your content online. It is now live online! Share the link with your friends and family. Don't forget to share the link on social media as well!


Repeat! 

You have to repeat this process over and over again until you have around 30-50 blogposts!


BUT DULEE, WHY 30-50! WHY THIS MUCH! HOLD ON TIGHT FOR THE BEST PART!


HOW TO MONETISE YOUR BLOG?

You can earn money online with your blog by using Adsense. Once you have 30 to 50 articles, create an Adsense account. Go to google and type in google Adsense and sign up for AdSense! If you get approved, then you can earn money by placing ads on your website!


Benefits of having a blog

You can earn money not just by placing money, but you can make money by selling products and services through your blog. This way, you have a double income source!


Then there is something called affiliate marketing! You post a link to a product and if anyone purchases something, use your link to buy something. You get a cut! How cool is that!


What is more, you can add your blog to your resume and use it as an online portfolio to demonstrate your skills, talents, achievements and experiences!


You can also create an ebook and sell it through your blog! You can also offer online training sessions in the form of online courses offered through your blog! that is, two additional sources of income!



Tuesday 22 June 2021

What to do when bored?


Tidy your stuff

Usually, we don't have enough time to tidy things up when we are busy. So if you are bored, that means that you have a lot of time on your hands. So why not use that time productively and declutter! Organize your stuff, be it your workspace, your drawers, your wardrobe! Now is the chance to get something done while you have the time! Time is finite, and it is essential not to waste it!


Take an online course.

There are so many free online courses out there. If you are into it, you can get certified as well. Google's digital garage offers certificates for specific classes as well! Why not grab these while you are killing time. There are plenty of other sites to take online courses as well! Coursera, Edx, Futurelearn, Udemy are some of these sites with plenty of free online courses. 


Listen to a podcast.

There are plenty of these available online. Take a topic that you are interested in and go and check out the available podcasts online. If you are into literature like I am, then all you've got to do is google free literature podcasts online, and you will find plenty of them!


Start a blog!

If you love writing as I do, then you should consider this! Many benefits can be gained by maintaining a blog! You can become an influencer and can draw loyal customers to your brand. Furthermore, you can also improve your writing skills! If you feel like you don't want to create the content, you can hire someone online to write the articles and blog posts for you! I offer writing services on Fiverr, and you can, for example, order from me!


Listen to free audiobooks.

There is nothing like listening to a good audiobook! Since you have plenty of time to be bored with the lockdown, why not listen to an excellent audiobook to expand your mind. This will help you to grow as a person too!


Exercise

Yes! If you have been putting this off, it is time to start now! I was a non-athletic person. I hate exercise! I loath it would be accurate! But I know that to stay healthy, I need to do so! So time and again, I try my best to step out of my comfort zone and get some physical exercise!


Learn to play an instrument!

Music is therapeutic! You never know when this skill will come in handy! So I suggest you pick up an instrument of our choice and start learning! There are plenty of online resources out there for beginners! Take the best use of them and learn to play an instrument!


Start a youtube channel.

You can start a Youtube channel. Why not! You don't need to show your face if you don't have to! Just use canvas or adobe to create videos! Who knows, you might end up being the next pewdipie!


Pick up drawing!

Drawing can be therapeutic as well! If you have always wanted to learn how to draw, now is time to pick up a pencil and start drawing! It is now or never! Since you have time to kill, I suggest you go ahead with it!


Look at old photos!

This will take you back to fun times and perhaps give you new ideas for what you can do after lockdown! You can do this to revisit old times!


Become a freelancer!

Why not turn your free time into cash! Join a site like Fiverr and offer your services there! So I offer writing services there, and if you ever want o get something registered, please check out my account!


Start journalling

Journalling is good if you love writing! So get a notebook and write your heart out! You can write anything and everything you want to!


Write a letter to your future self!

Write a letter to your future self, perhaps you can write about your dreams!


Learn a new language!

You can start to learn a new language! So if you always wanted to learn a new language, you can start now!


Watch Youtube videos

You can watch documentaries! You will be able to care about the exciting lives of people!


Learn dance moves

You can learn new dance moves! You can use youtube. Learn some new dance moves to impress your friends!


Write a short story!

A short story using an online prompt! You can write a short story based on your life or entirely out of your imagination!


Write thank-you notes

Thank you notes will make your loved ones feel appreciated! Why not take this time to be grateful!


Play online games!

Play online games with your friends! This will be excellent to bond with your friends!


Play board games with your family members!

This will also help you to bind more with your family members!


Listen to songs!

Listen to songs that you love and discover new tunes! Create new Spotify lists!


Create social media posts!

This is a great boredom buster! Share your favourite quotes, pictures and memes online!


Cook something!

If you like to take your tastebuds on an adventure, why not try out a new recipe!


Take photographs!

Yes! You can take pictures of your pet, your books, your flowers, or even yourself! Take photos of whatever you want! Why not take a free photography course online!


Start gardening

A bit of sunshine and fresh air is not going to hurt you! So, get out there and start your day by getting your hands dirty with some gardening!


Learn origami

Learn how to make beai=utiful things with paper! You will be an expert in no time and will be able to impress your friends with your newfound skills!


Create an online course!

Here is a chance for you to earn money as well! Why not publish an online course on something you are good at and turn your free time into cash! 


These are some of the ideas I came up with! I hope my suggestions will help!

How to write a cover letter?

So I was googling the most asked questions on Google and found that people want to know how to write a cover letter. There are plenty of online resources offered on writing cover letters. If you don't feel that you are up to writing a cover letter yourself, you can go over to Fiverr and contact me there, and I will write you a cover letter for an affordable price!


A cover letter plays a vital role in the job application process. It is essential to put in the time and effort to write a good cover letter. A good cover letter will help you land your dream job and help you land many interviews. 


The main things to include in a cover letter are a brief description of who you are, your interest in the position you are applying for, and demonstrating why you are a good fit for the job you are applying for! It adds a special touch to the resume and compliments it!


The header of the cover letter should have your name, contact number and email address. Then it would help if you used include the receivers name, company name and address.


Try to keep your cover letter between half a page to two-thirds of a page long. Three paragraphs is a good length.


Paragraph one should introduce who you are as a person or individual and what position you are applying for, where you found the opening and the job title, and if available, the job number!


The following paragraph should include a summary of your qualifications and your interest in the job role. State quantifiable and measurable achievements and have how you went above and beyond to deliver an excellent service and how you will be an asset to the company or organization you are appl¥ing for the job position. Bring your experience to life.


In the final paragraph, state that you will be a good fit based on your qualifications and experience! Include a call to action. Finally, thank them for spending time to read the letter. 


Try to be clear and to the point. Demonstrate your experience with relevant examples so that your employer will feel like wanting to get to know more about you. The more professional and well-written your cover letter, the better chance you will have of landing your dream job!


Here is my cover letter. I hope this will give you a better idea of how to write a cover letter. If you have trouble or have no time to write an excellent cover letter, please feel free to contact me on my email, given below, or contact me on my Fiverr account. A cover letter is an opportunity to let your personality. It shows your skills, talents and expertise in denial and brings it all to life. The cover letter creates a more detailed picture of what sort of person you are!


A cover letter is a multipurpose document. If you have a foundation cover letter, you can use bits and pieces of the cover letter you created and customize it according to the position you are applying for! A cover letter helps you better develop your career story. It also enables you to prepare for an interview. 


You need to focus on the format of your cover letter to appear as professional as possible. It should look very similar to your resume. You are using the same font size and same font style as your resume. Use three or four consistent paragraphs. Convey your passion and enthusiasm. Pique their interest, and remember to research the company or organization you apply to before you apply.


Remember to create engagement. State the skills you will be bringing to the table and list our achievements as well. Use keywords used in the job posting and relate them to your expertise and talent. Share a story about your achievements. Don't hesitate to show off your accomplishments. 


Remember to include a call to action. Do this to maximize your chance of being called for an interview. Ending a cover letter with a friendly call to action will convey your enthusiasm!


Finally, end the cover letter in a warm and friendly manner so that the recruiter will feel that he or she can relate to you. Do the things mentioned above, and you will have a great cover letter (a power cover letter) that will increase the chance of you landing your dream job. Always remember that you don't have to do this if you want to! You can always go to mu Fiverr account and order a cv and a cover letter at a reasonable price


Dulee Paranavitana

Writer

duleecarmelp@gmail.com

074xxxxxxxx


Dear Mr (The hiring manager)

I am Dulee Paranavitana. As an author, I've published several books. My books My Musings, Ripples and Echoes, Jungle Jaunts, and Laugh-Out-Lyrics are available on Amazon. I've also published some of my work on Wattpad. Jack Rivers and The Isle of The Immortals in one of them. I'm also working on The Gamer and The Magician at present. My first book Midwood Magic is awaiting publishing. 


I've taken part in many writing competitions. I was once declared a potential winner for the Edward Lear Poetry Prize. My book Midwood Magic was for the first round of the Gratian award. I've also published in online poetry magazines such as the Poetry Nation. My work has appeared in local newspapers. I also have a poetry channel on Instagram called @poetrypool, where I post my writing. You can access my blog at duleercpblogspot.com.


I've also published in online poetry magazines such as the Poetry Nation. My work has appeared in local newspapers. During my spare time, I worked as a freelance writer for Fiverr and worked part-time as a content writer for Stove Media.


At present, I'm pursuing a degree in psychology at Excelsior College. Currently, I'm working as a copywriter for a UK based company.

Currently, I'm also working for an independent company called Capture Eye. I work as a part-time content writer. 


As a source of additional income, I write on Fiverr as a content writer and creative writer.


Here is my cv writing service: 

https://www.fiverr.com/share/kojRjg


Monday 21 June 2021

My Musings by Dulee Paranavitana

My Musings is a book of poems, which is the first book I published, is now available in paperback and ebook format. Publishing my writing has been my long dream, and I'm so happy that I achieved it. I didn't study literature at school. I am a self-made author though I did enrol in many online literature courses, which were very helpful. I learned a lot. In this modern-day and age, you can learn anything if you have access to the internet. There is so much good material out there for free. Make the best use of them and learn as much as possible. There are sites like Coursera, Edx, Futurelearn that offer plenty of literature courses for free. All you need to do is enrol in them and learn as much as possible.


I wrote my Musings with a broad audience in mind. I wanted my poems to be accessible to everyone. I used straightforward language as much as possible so that it could be read and enjoyed by anyone. I wanted to reach as many readers as possible and thought that using simple language will help us reach a wider audience. So, if you are looking for a book that is an easy read, please feel free to pick up my book My Musings and give it a read. I know that you will find something here that will resonate with you because I've written poems on a broad range of topics with the hopes of resonating with everyone!


I have long been passionate about writing and have written down my thoughts and ideas on diverse topics. Below are some extracts of my poems. I've primarily written about nature and my own experiences. I also have some poems that look at the world in a philosophical and metaphysical line. I love writing poems as it is one of the most accessible forms of literature for me. Poetry flows as naturally as thoughts for me. I find myself lost in the world of verse as I pen my thoughts daily. 


I write poems every day. I was encouraged to write poetry after reading Edgar Allan Poe's poetry. I went on to read his complete works as well. His results are beautiful and enlightening, and I felt that I, too, would like to contribute as a poet.


Writing poetry can be therapeutic. I learned a lot about myself and others through writing poetry. I gain more clarity about myself. Somehow putting pen on paper was therapeutic. I was suffering from depression while writing poetry, and writing helped me deal with my sadness.


Poetry helps me accept myself and things as they were and helped me to do my best and look forward to the future. It also helped me see the world's beauty and appreciate things that I usually overlooked. I learned to be mindful and developed a mindset of mindfulness.


We can help you to become better at understanding others through writing poetry. Writing poetry helps us explore the world around us and appreciate the world intricacies. 


Poetry makes the world a better place by teaching us the importance of looking at the bright side of things. I wrote poetry to express and show gratitude for everything that I have in my life. Poetry helped me value and appreciate everything around me.


My Dream


As a wandering traveller on a voyage

As many others have age after age

Trying to write my story page by page

To strive against destiny's rage


As I sail upon life's vast ocean

With ever-changing emotions

Amidst life chaos and commotion

Trying to find the port of determination


Tossed and borne about by the gale

Of uncertainties, yet on I will sail

For my dream calls and beckons me

Like a lighthouse does a ship at sea


If you want to read more poems like this, my book is available at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/My-Musings-book-poetry-everyone-ebook/dp/B07Z54VNS5


I loved writing poetry about nature. Since I was a child, I loved nature. I loved the trees, the flowers, the birds and the beasts. I loved to be with spirit. I loved the sea and the hills, and I used to draw animals as a child, and poetry helped me explore my love for nature differently. Just as drawing allowed me to appreciate the visual side of nature, poetry helped me explore the spiritual, philosophical and metaphysical side of nature. Nature is a place of healing and solace. 


I also used my observations, experiences, thoughts and ideas when I wrote this collection. The most important thing is to get started. Don't wait until the muse not feel inspired. Start immediately and get the words on the page. Keep writing until you have enough poems to put into a book. Don't give up if you don't have ideas. Suppose you don't start by reading poems by other poets. 

The beauty of nature allows us to heal from our grief and trauma and find relief. Poetry helps us to look at nature differently. I loved and enjoyed exploring the beauty of nature through poetry. Poetry allows us to pinpoint the beauty of nature. Nature offers us a lot of wisdom. There is a lot of things to learn from nature.


I read a lot of poetry, and this has helped me a lot to write a lot. My favourite poets include Willaim Wordsworth, Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost. You must read whatever you can. You will become better at recognising good writing and identify how words work. The more you read, the better you will get at writing.


If you don't feel like listening, pick up an audiobook and listen to it. You will understand how poetry sounds when it read out loud. Poetry was written to be read aloud, and reading it out loud will help you figure out what works and what can be improved. Sometimes reading it out loud will also give you more ideas and inspire you to write more. You will also feel proud about writing something beautiful.








-D. R. Carmel (aka Dulee Paranavitana)



Why should you read poetry?


Poetry is a universal medium. Poetry has a long history. From the epics of Homer to poems of Slyvia Plath, there are different types of poems. School might have put you off of reading poetry. Poetry has a lot to offer. There are many reasons why you should read poems. Here are some of the reasons I think you should read poetry. You will likely find more reasons to read poetry if you take the time to enter into this beautiful world. Why not read this article and decide for yourself? Poetry is not only fun. It is therapeutic! So let's dive right in.

Poetry helps us develop empathy.

No matter what our profession might be having empathy, or the ability to empathise with people will take us a long way. Knowing what others want and how to interact with them will help us become better people. We will also be able to become better people and earn respect if we learn to empathise with others. Not only will it broaden our understanding of people, it will also help us form stronger connections with friends, family and colleagues!

It deepens your understanding of yourself.

Poetry helps you gain a better insight into your own emotions, feelings and thoughts. You can gain new perspectives into acquiring a further understanding of yourself and the lives of others as well. There are many things you can learn through reading poetry. You will be able to get a glimpse into the life of the poet and the characters a poet may portray.


You can develop better communication skills.

By reading poetry, you get to discover new words, phrases and express emotions, thoughts, and ideas with clarity and brevity. Poetry is often witty and concise. They pack a lot of ideas into bitesize chunks. As a result, you learn new words and phrases, which in turn, you can use in your day to day interactions.


Poetry helps us focus. 

Poetry helps us pay attention to the things that we overlook. For example, if you have problems focusing on reading long prose pieces, you can enter the world of reading by engaging in poetry. Poetry helps us become immersed in a moment and helps us appreciate the moment and live in the here and now.


Poetry helps us look at things in a new way.

Poetry helps us freshly look at things. It offers fresh perspectives and helps us look at things differently. Most poets appreciate things and praise things, and look at the bright side of things. Poetry allows you to engage in your surroundings in the best way. It helps us to live in the here and now.


Poetry helps us deal with life.

Poetry helps us to deal with difficult situations and circumstances. It helps us comes to terms with grief and loss. We can come to look at our lot with more resilience and understanding. We can also prepare for different situations in life with fortitude.


Poetry helps us be grateful.

Poetry helps you to be grateful for the things around you and to appreciate things around you. We learn to value and be thankful for what we have and live in the moment. Poetry can help us see the world's beauty we often overlook while leading our busy lives. 


Poetry helps us relax.

His poetry helps us relax and take a detour in life. Life is full of different experiences and circumstances. Poetry helps us unwinds and take a breather. Poetry lets us take a break from our everyday lives and enter a world of beauty and wonder.


Poetry helps us reflect.

Poetry helps us think and reflect. Poetry helps us evaluate our lives and our choices. We can assess and look back at our lives through reading poetry and try to improve and grow. Poetry allows us to come to terms with every regret and longing we have and get back on track with our lives.

Poetry offers a glimpse into different worlds.

Poetry offers us a glimpse into different worlds, the past and the future. We can become a part of a different world and immerse ourselves in other places and situations which we may never get a chance to experience in real life.


Poetry helps us live in the here and now.

Poetry helps us to live in the moment. Poetry helps us live in the here and now, and we can find ourselves in different. It allows us to immerse ourselves in the moment.


Poetry makes us think.

Poetry makes us think in different ways. It makes us pause and question the world around us! It will help you gain new perspectives on your life and the lives of others. We can become better at analyzing situations and our own experiences through reading poetry. 


Poetry helps us become better.

Reading poetry helps us to inspect our lives and learn from the experiences we have. Poetry will help you uncover different life lessons that we can gain through reflecting on our lives and taking a moment to pause and think. Poetry helps us analyze ourselves and improve ourselves.

Poetry helps us become better communicators.

We learn how to express ourselves. We know a lot of things when we read poetry! Poetry helps us to use language creatively and with brevity and clarity. Poetry helps us better express ourselves using the most appropriate words most appropriately. We learn to use the most appropriate terms to communicate well.


Poetry makes us resilient.

We learn to overcome and endure difficult situations in life. Poetry gives us inner strength and fortitude to bear solitude, betrayal, loss and grief. We learn to overcome and take different situations in life.


Poetry helps us look at the world positively.

Poetry helps us to look at the world differently and in a positive light most of the time. We learn to be good at seeing the good in the bad and beautiful in the ugly. But there are many things that we think are negative most of the time, and poetry helps us see the grandeur in the sublime.

How to build confidence?

Often we find ourselves thinking that we are not worthy or suitable to be in a particular position. Even when we accomplish and achieve things in life, we often end up feeling less than adequate. We think that we aren't good enough or that we don't deserve to have certain things. Low self-esteem and self-worth are the root causes of this. But all is not lost. With a bit of patience and persistence, you can foster that elusive trait which goes by the name "confidence."


Practice, Practice, and Practice more

When we want to learn a new skill, we do it repeatedly until we can do it without thinking twice. If we want it badly enough, that is the way most people go about achieving their goals. You can apply this same principle to learning how to be confident. Confidence is a feeling. It is a state of mind and should be lived and practised. The more you practice, you will gradually get better at it. If you practice long enough, it will become a habit, and you will be able to do it effortlessly. So whenever you are in a situation where you feel nervous and anxious, take a risk! If you are an introvert, strike up a conversation with someone. There is always something to learn from everyone! Seize the opportunity. There is no better way to get better at something without putting in some effort.


Patience is key


Be ready to be disappointed with yourself and fall short. The most important thing is to keep going. Keep trying and stepping out of your comfort zone. If you keep pushing, you are bound to make progress towards becoming a confident person. Growth is a process. With consistent effort, you will see yourself transform into a different person. The more you seek out opportunities to put yourself into situations requiring you to be confident, the more you develop self-esteem and confidence. So try enrolling in music classes or drama classes, or clubs that give you the chance to speak, act and perform in front of others.


Be ready to be disappointed.

Most of the time, we are impatient with ourselves and want to get things right immediately and with minimum effort. But the problem is most things worth learning, or mastering doesn't come easy. Such things require you to keep trying despite disappointments and drawbacks. Confidence is an art. The more you practice it, the more you get better at it. But there will be plenty of times that you will fall short and fail to live up to the image in your head. That is fine. Learning is a process, and we must be willing to accept and expect to fail now and then before being comfortable doing it.


Journal your progress

There is no better way for self-reflection than the process of journaling. It will help you declutter your mind and help focus on what is essential, allowing you to prioritise what you should be working on to improve areas, such as boosting your confidence, that you've been working on. So grab a pencil or pen and paper and start writing down the lessons you learned and strategies you can use to face similar situations.



Put yourself out there.

It would help if you had exposure. Put yourself out there. Enrol in classes like public speaking. Join clubs where you have to speak up all the time. Give courses and teach someone. Apply for a competition or a recital where you would have to talk in front of an audience. If you are always taking the opportunity to expose yourself and face your fears, such as talking or performing in front of someone, you will get better over time.


Practice mindfulness

Practising mindfulness will help you become more confident while aiding your mind to focus and not wander and overthink. It will allow you to face your fears by entirely focusing on the here and now and thinking much about the future. You will be able to reap the best by being in the present.


Face your fears

It would help if you faced your fears. If you fear public speaking, then engage in a public speaking class. I was genuinely afraid of public speaking and decided to enrol in one, and I see results already. The more exposure you have, and the more you face your fears, the more confident you will become.


Work on your strengths and weaknesses.

You are what you do. When you cultivate good habits and allocate time every day to work on your strengths and weaknesses, you are only going to get better with time. So use your time wisely and work on different aspects of your life. Do what you like as well as what you don't like as well. You are what you engage in regularly!


Fake it till you make it!

Use every opportunity to put yourself out there. And if you are not confident, act confident and pretend that you are confident. You can act confident, and most people wouldn't  be able to tell whether you are faking it or not.


Just be and accept yourself!

You are a unique person, and you have something to offer to this world just as much as everyone. You can be confident if you choose to appreciate and value yourself. If you believe that you have a valuable contribution to make, you will feel satisfied.


Don't be judgemental. 

If you judge everyone and everything, chances are you aren't very confident in yourself and keep seeing the negative side of things. If you look at everything from a critical angle, then chances are you won't be cutting some slack for yourself and others.


No one cares

Do you think others care? Think again! They are lost in their worlds and  their own problems. So be yourself and be confident! Most people don't give a penny for your thoughts! So why worry about what others think when most of them don't care about who you are anyway! So go out there and be the confident version of yourself you were meant to be!












Why we should read

There are many reasons why you should consider picking up a good book. With so many alternatives available, you might ask, "why to waste your time on books when you can just watch the movie." Listed below are few reasons why I think everyone should read. I have missed many other reasons, but without further ado, here they are: If my reasons aren't good enough for you to start reading, it is essential to keep in mind that some of the most successful and wealthiest people read daily. They have attributed their success to their reading habit and have vouched on the benefits of reading and the critical role in their journey towards success. So, if you hope to be successful and productive, reading might be a habit you should consider picking up. Here are some reasons why you should read. I hope this gets you motivated to read more every day.


Books offer a glimpse into the minds of great thinkers.

Some books cannot be accurately portrayed in movies. Just think about it. Movies have like two hours to tell a story. So there is a limit to what a film can depict. The details and sometimes important ones are left behind when the producers and directors of movies make them. Besides, reading books gives you access to the person's mind who dreamed up or came up with the whole concept or storied themselves. If they spent so much time and effort writing a good book, it is only fair to spend a few hours reading their work, especially if it can teach us something worthwhile. Movies are, most of the time, interpretations of the original idea or concept. If you want to understand something in depth, there is, in my opinion, no substitute for reading.


Reading allows you to develop empathy.

In movies, we seldom get a sneak peek into the mind of the characters and people portrayed. We learn about them through their actions. While some of us might be good at deciphering someone's action, it is never easy to solve someone's intentions or the reason why a particular person might act the way they did. There might be an endless number of explanations and possibilities as to why a person might work in a certain way. The thing about novels is that it offers a glimpse into the mind of others and what they might be thinking. It allows us to understand a character at a profound level, which might be challenging to watch a movie.


Movies don't allow your imagination much liberty.

As movies often portray characters and event in a certain way, it doesn't give the audience who are engaging with it the opportunity to visualize what is being depicted on screen. It fixes the mind on a particular concept. I think that reading can help us mould our minds into flexible and versatile thinking. It allows us to think for ourselves and picture things in our way without being restricted to just being bombarded with image after image. 


Reading allows you to expand your mind.

Reading allows you to expand your mind in several ways. We can learn new things and develop our thoughts and shape the way we think. Reading is food to the mind. Just as the body needs food to keep growing, the mind needs food in new concepts and ideas, which books provide in abundance. It is essential to read a variety of books to expand your mind. So if you mostly read fiction, take a shot at reading nonfiction. This will help you gain new knowledge and insights.

Reading exposes you to new perspectives.

No two people are alike. Each individual is unique. By reading a book, we get to inhabit the writer's world, thoughts, ideas and imagination. This is essentially different from our very own. We can see the inner workings of the mind of another human being. Reading is the gateway of exploration, discovery and arriving at new conclusions.


Reading makes us better communicators.

Reading expands our vocabulary. We learn new words and phrases that we can use in our everyday lives and conversations. We can use these newfound words to express ourselves better and to understand better how others say themselves. We can become effective communicators by using the right words at the right time in the right place. It will help refine your speech and writing.


Reading improves your critical thinking.

You can expand your critical thinking abilities. We can get better at analyzing situations. We can reason about conditions and circumstances that will help us make the most suitable and rational decisions. Reading will allow us to understand people and situations better and improve our ability to identify the real from the fake.


Reading improves your focus.

Reading helps us concentrate. We learn to expand and sustain our attention spans. We will be able to become better at staying motivated for long periods of times. Reading is a commitment, and therefore we can say that it helps us develop discipline and the ability to stay focused for more extended periods than those who don't read. We can extend our attention spans.


Reading helps you to become more open-minded.

Reading helps you to become more open-minded. We can open our minds up to new possibilities, new ideas and new thoughts through the act of reading. We can also get to know how different people see the world in different ways. We can also learn to be better people and to make the best of what we have. Reading helps us become better versions of ourselves.


Reading helps us gain self-knowledge.

Sometimes, we might have a hard time understanding ourselves. Reading can help us explore our unique personality and gain a better insight into what we like and dislike. It can also shape our character and help us become better at understanding our wants and needs. We can become better at understanding ourselves through the act of reading. Reading can make us more rounded and resilient individuals.





Sunday 20 June 2021

How to become a writer

As a writer in 2012, I started my journey while I was stuck with my A levels, doing biology that I didn't enjoy very much. I wouldn't say I liked it. As an outlet, I used to write poetry. I was depressed, so most of my poetry was dark and depressing as well. But then I read J K Rowling's story. Her life was a lot like mine, as I, too, was an avid reader just like her and loved writing good stories. I enjoyed writing stories as it gave me relief and helped me appreciate myself very much. I loved to write fantasy and read fantasy. I spent my time slipping into my worlds and making up stories and backstories for my heroes and heroines. Some might say that I was trying to escape my problems. But I would like to say otherwise. I learned a lot. I took courses on Coursera and learned more and more about writing. I also took classes on youtube by renowned fantasy authors such as Brandon Sanderson.


I devoured books, especially books on writing. I enjoyed reading about how authors started on their journeys as writers. Each of the stories I came to was different. There was no single way of becoming a writer. Writers were diverse, and so were their stories. I guess that is what made their stories different and unique from each other. I read books like on writing by Stephen King. This book was beneficial as I learned a lot about what it was like to be a writer. Then I read bird by bird by Ann Lamott. These books guided me on my journey as a writer. I learned a lot as a writer, and these books helped me improve my writing skills.


I also joined Wattpad, which is a writing community. I wrote many stories under my pen name, DRCarmel. It was enjoyable to write and publish my stories on Wattpad. I kept getting good feedback on my stories, which also helped me grow as a writer. Meanwhile, I was also working as a content writer in Sri Lanka. I was putting my skills to their best use. 


Nest I discovered Amazon KDP and started publishing there as well. I've published many books on amazon. I learned a lot about self-publishing by posting on Amazon. I've yet to cross the hundred dollar mark, so I would be grateful if any of you purchase my book. I've been trying to get traditionally published, but all I keep getting is rejection letters. I won't give up; I will keep trying. I've published several books on amazon. Some of these are poetry, and some are fiction. They include My Musings, Ripples and Echoes, Jungle Jaunts, Laugh-Out-Lyrics, The Gamer and Jack Rivers and the Isle of the Immortals. 


Then I discovered Fiverr and started offering my services at reasonable prices on Fiverr. I still provide short story and novel writing services on Fiverr. As I have no background in marketing, I decided to take a course in marketing as well. I'm currently enrolled in this marketing course. I am learning a lot about marketing. I guess I should also take a class on SEO and advertising. So much to do, so little time! Promoting my gigs has proven to be quite a challenge. I offer a variety of services on Fiverr, including story writing services and content writing services.


I am currently pitching my stories to editors. I am awaiting a response from three publishers while polishing my manuscript. I also love reading, and I am currently reading a book called The Hobbit. I was so taken up by the book that I decided to become a booktuber and document my reading journey on youtube.


I also have a poetry account on Instagram, with a few followers. I should learn more about marketing and SEO to optimise my posts and get them in front of as many people as possible. I started a blog and started writing my posts there. I've got a lot of feedback, mostly positive, and I am thankful for it. 


When I get bored with writing, I pursue music. I write songs. I'm still a beginner, and my songs aren't masterpieces, but I enjoy it very much. Songs are a great way to express yourself, and it is such an accessible form of art. I uploaded my songs onto Youtube. I also feel like I should take up the violin and start playing it. I also want to learn graphic designing and presenting.


Recently, I started answering questions on Quora. It has been insightful, and I keep learning to express myself. I was wondering if I should take an online art class to improve my art skills. In this modern tech age, there are so many opportunities to learn new skills and improve yourself. Let's take every chance to enhance ourselves. I also love listening to audiobooks.


As a writer, I think that I waste a lot of time talking to my friends. I'm learning to use my time better. We all should have friends, but I guess we all spend far too much time browsing through social media and getting caught up in unnecessary arguments and pointless conflicts over social media. 


I want to end this article with some advice for budding writers. The first would be to read as much as possible. Read everything and anything. Read whatever you can get your hands on. Read widely, read things you like and things you don't like very much. Read like a writer. Take the opportunity to learn from reading. 


The next would be to learn as much as possible. As a writer, the more you know, the more you can write about. If you have a lot of knowledge, the more you can dream up and imagine. You might not think it is related but learn well and learn widely. Take online courses, listen to podcasts, listen to audiobooks! Learn from everything and anything. You don't need to be an expert but being a jack of all trades helps.

Here is the link to my fiverr profile if you want to contact me: https://www.fiverr.com/drcarmel?public_mode=true

What is Content Writing

What is Content Writing?


Content writing is everywhere. From this blog post, you are reading the videos you watch on Youtube, the Facebook post you liked, and everything on the internet counts as content. Therefore, the person who writes these scripts, articles and posts are called content writers. There are plenty of content writers everywhere. Some work as freelancers and offer their services on Freelancers, Upwork, Fiverr and People per hour. What distinguishes one content writer from another is their knowledge of the topic, writing style, wit, clarity and understanding of SEO. You don't need a degree to become a content writer. However, having one will improve your job prospects if you plan to work for a company or organization.


Nevertheless, it would help if you had good grammar and be interested in research. Before writing any content, it is essential to have a clear idea about your writing goals. You need to have enough knowledge, understanding, and expertise about the topic you will be writing about. If the case is unfamiliar, you need to familiarize yourself by conducting adequate research to fill in your knowledge gaps. As a content writer, you will always be learning new things. If you love learning, expanding and growing your knowledge and understanding of topics, you will undoubtedly, enjoy being a content writer. It would help if you did not start writing about a subject without knowing it very well. Identify your aim of writing the article. For instance, your purpose could be to drive traffic, to get subscriptions or make sales. Aim matters because it determines how and what you write. It is also best to have a clear understanding of your audience or writing to better resonate with them.


Always be sure about your grammar. There are plenty of tools online like Grammarly. Make good use of them. Then there are online courses and Youtube tutorials where you can brush up on your grammar. Good grammar can make a good article great, just as lousy grammar can make an excellent article mediocre. You might think readers don't care about grammar, but the truth is that they do.


Your keywords matter. Keywords are how your audience finds you. So, it is essential to conduct specific keywords using online tools at your disposal. This will make your content more discoverable and help your audience find you when searching for content related to what you publish. So, take your time to do thorough keyword research before you publish your articles, posts and videos!


Then comes the subtitles. Your subtitles must be catchy and grab your audience's attention. These days, with so many blog posts and videos out there, this is one way you can stand out from the massive crowd and have your voice heard above the background noise. The subheading should be descriptive so that they grab your audience's attention. Edit until you have the perfect subtitle. 


Edit your content as well. The more you edit, the better your writing is going to become. Then, finally, you will have a polished article to put out into the word!


How do you start as a content writer?

The best way to start is to start journaling or blogging online. Create your blog. This way, if you have an audience, you feel compelled and motivated to keep publishing articles and content.


Upscale your skills through reading, writing and taking courses on writing, SEO and other related skills. There is always something to learn, and you should never stop learning.


Where can you find online courses?

Coursera:

Coursera offers courses on writing, marketing as well as SEO. These courses are offered through renowned universities. These universities provide quality courses where you can earn certificates online. You can pay for the certificates or apply for financial aid, and if approved, you get a free certificate. I will list some of the courses below:


https://www.coursera.org/specializations/good-with-words

https://www.coursera.org/specializations/seo

https://www.coursera.org/projects/search-engine-optimization-with-squarespace


Udemy

Udemy has free courses on content writing, marketing and SEO. You can also choose from the paid courses if you are willing to invest in them. Always check for the ratings before you decide on taking or purchasing courses.


https://www.udemy.com/courses/search/?price=price-free&q=content+writing&sort=relevance&src=ukw

https://www.udemy.com/courses/search/?price=price-free&q=seo&sort=relevance&src=ukw

https://www.udemy.com/courses/marketing/?price=price-free&sort=popularity


The list goes on!


How do content writers get paid?

The way most content writers get paid is per word. Writers get paid according to the words they write. Therefore, it is essential to keep getting better and better at writing. So, keep reading articles and studying how other writers write. Writers need to keep getting better and better. The better you get and the more opportunities. 



Where can you find paid jobs?

Fiverr

Fiverr is one of the best platforms to find work as a content writer. All you've got to do is create gigs with good descriptions and gig images and hashtags.


Upwork

Upwork is a more complicated platform than Fiverr. But there are a lot of opportunities available on Upwork. I don't use Upwork, so you should search online and find out how it works!


So, if you want to be a content writer, you must have a love for writing. You also must love reading and absorb excellent writing like a sponge. The more you read, the more you learn. There is a lot you can learn from others. Networking is also essential as a content writer. Find other content writers online and strike up conversations with them. Also, there are plenty of social media platforms where you can find like-minded people. These individuals will motivate you to pursue your dreams and keep hustling.


The best way to get better as a writer is to keep learning and improving as a writer. So keep acquiring new skills and try to keep getting better. Networking will help you to get tips and advice on content writing. Start writing on different topics. Write, write and write more. The more you write, you will get better at writing. Keep going and doing. If you keep working, you will get better over time. Never give up and strive to be better than yesterday every day!


Here are some links to my fiverr gigs if you want me to write your content for you: https://www.fiverr.com/share/9zq5Pe


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