Just keep swimming

Dear friends, 

I'm writing this on my phone, I have work in a few minutes, drinking a slush puppy. As you may know, if you are returning readers, that "Project Mavis" was founded on the concept of changing my current circumstances. Things such as my: job, learning to drive, travelling more etc.

I would be a liar if I said I was patient, as I apply to internships or try to save money and plan things ahead of time. It's tiring when you see no results. I've been trying to remember that this is not a quick fix and to just keep going. Anyone feeling like this?

As always, 
Love Mavis xoxo 

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How to Cure Writer's Block

Dear friends,

As you might have guessed by the title I had writer's block for the last week. It sucked and was something I haven't dealt with since my time at University. The feeling frightened me, concerned it would never end, never able to reach my dream of completing a novel. I know there are millions of us out there, that: dream of writing fulltime, are freelancers by trade, journalists etc. A great community I have been able to tap into and seek support. Websites like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. A place I wanted to share my advice, what worked for me, something that could help you.  

1. Clean and rearrange your workspace

This is one of the things that worked for me recently, also a few years ago, even if your workspace is the kitchen table. I have a desk in my bedroom, covered in random character notes, overflowing with beautiful notebooks and generally just an uninspiring area. It felt stagnant and a place I could not concentrate. I took everything out/off the surface and cleaned it. Purging notebooks that were taking up too much space and filing away paperwork I needed for later. It really helped the flow of my workspace and my inspiration twinkled a little from the darkness

2. Create a playlist

You can divide this in many ways: background music, emotion themed playlist, music you love etc. I work with emotion playlists - it helps me tap into the emotion of my character - or the subject I am writing about that day.

3. Take yourself somewhere new

The psychology behind this one is not dissimilar to number 1 of this list when an area can feel stagnant. Take yourself on a train or bus and go somewhere new, even if its a town next to yours, with your notebook safely with you. Inspiration can strike from places as small as a sentence or a random picture you took on the small getaway. 

4. Freewrite

Freewriting is like an old best friend, someone you see a few times a year or for a two-week holiday/vacation. I rely on this a lot during times of creative need. The practice is to write for a timed period, whatever pops into your head if you don't know what to write put that down if you see a dog write about the dog. It can really help unplug that block in your mind. 

5. Seek advice from someone you trust

Quite simply - It can really help to bounce ideas off someone. Contact someone you trust and talk about your project. What they take from it as an audience member/where they think it's going/what message they have taken from it so far. My best friend from university, hi Gregory if you're reading, is always great with honest feedback and sometimes a brief chat with him can create a second wind within me. If you don't have someone in your life like that join a community thread and talk to them. 

6. Changing perspective

This can be several things: write a character diary of your protagonist, as a reader (what would you need to know), what do you the message of your project to be?

7. Make an inspiration board

This one is simple - create a visual interpretation of your project - fill it any way you want. Put it near or on your workspace.

8. Read the project out loud

Sometimes writer's block can manifest itself because of subconscious thoughts you have. Maybe there's a phrase you don't like, a character you can do without etc. Read it out loud and find passages or sentences that has thrown you off.

If you have any tips: leave a comment below, or here for my instagram or twitter. Speak to you on saturday.

As always,
Love Mavis xoxo

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Good days and learning to be a better friend

Dear friends,



Today has been a good day, a few good days actually, I've: taken my meds consistantly, went to the gym (the first time in a long time), had a brainstorm/action plan evening with the girls (blog regulars Hannah and Cerri) and saw my lovely friend Martha (hello!) and met her beautiful daughter Pip. Isn't she so cute? Yeah it's been good and positive.

The subject of friendship has been on my mind lately, particularly mistakes I made in the past, with being not the greatest of friend. I won't go too much into it, as there are two sides to everything, but I had a solid bunch of friends a few years ago. I got pretty selfish, using my mental health as a bit of a crutch, where I just stopped trying. Directly resulting in no contact with several people. A situation that broke my heart and still does at times. Knowing that I missed: births, weddings and even hair colour changes.

However it was something I definitely learnt a hard lesson from. A kick up the butt. Although that situation is unsolvable - I'm not. Over the past few years I changed for the better, making new friendships that I wouldn't trade for the world, able to look back at better times with fondness instead of shame and understanding that I'm not a bad person at all.

What I'm trying to say, in a super inarticulate way, is that making mistakes is ok. Just remember that when you're struggling to climb aboard a raft - make sure that someone you care about isn't drowning. I think I'm getting there.

As always,
Love Mavis
Xx

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50 Facts About Me

Dear friends,

Sorry this letter is late, I’ve had a pretty bad infection the past few days and I’ve basically been hibernating. I’m still not 100% but better enough to work a shift tonight and to write a letter to you. During my time away I had a thought, dangerous I know, that we are 10 blog posts in and we don’t really know each other that well. This – as you can probably guess – is why this post is named “50 things about me”. So here we go...

1. My real name is Hannah Cowell – Mavis is a childhood nickname.
2. I’m named after my paternal great-grandmother.
3. I’m the youngest of seven children.
4. My sister Charlotte & brother Sam are my first and my oldest best friends.
5. I didn’t meet one of my siblings until I was fourteen – one of the best days of my life.
6. My father died when I was 11 – the worst day of my life.
7. I don’t understand the appeal of lemon water – it’s disgusting!
8. I identify as bisexual.
9. I went to the University of the West of England (UWE) and took BA Media.
10. Where I met my best friend Greg.
11. I want to be a writer.
12. I also dream of my own publishing company – the idea of finding new talent thrills me.
13. I work in a bar – I love it and the crazy people that work there.
14. I spent a short time in a psychiatric facility.
15. Garden gnomes creep me out – I don’t trust them.
16. Nuns on roller skates scare me (due to early exposure of the film Death Becomes Her).
17. During London Olympics (the opening ceremony) nuns on roller skates made an appearance.
18. I don’t follow a religion – but I do believe in god and an afterlife.
19. I wrote a novel at the age of 12 – I received 24 rejection letters.
20. I went through an emo phase and then an indie kid phase.
21. I can touch the bottom of my nose with my tongue.
22. I can also make a water drop sound with my cheek.
23. My favourite flavour of ice cream is raspberry ripple.
24. I used to work at Starbucks and became the sites “coffee master”.
25. I want to retire in Vienna, Austria.
26. I pretended to faint during an awkward first date.
27. I have won one award in my life – it was for the best article in College.
28. I spend most of the time on the internet: social media, freelance websites and YouTube.
29. My favourite YouTubers are: Markiplier, Bucklyfe, Zoella, Dr Pimple Popper and ThatcherJoe.
30. I know basic conversation in British Sign Language. I want to become certified in it.
31. I also want to become fluent in German.
32. I don’t drive.
33. My mother/sister/stepmother are all very talented artists – I can only draw stickmen.
34. I have a real problem with stationary –, particularly Paperchase notebooks. (Sponsor me!)
35. It takes me a long time to trust people.
36. My dream dinner party guests: Tim Gunn, Stephen Fry, Emma Thomas, Hugh Laurie and Helen Mirren.
37. I regularly take myself to dinner.
38. I have a very stereotypical English accent.
39. The first band I saw live was The Prodigy.
40. I’m a big fan of Panic at the Disco and The 1975.
41. My favourite trip abroad was Paris, France where I went with my sister Charlotte.
42. Two of my best friends (Hannah & Cerri) said they would pay for my ticket to Vienna If I destroyed my crocs.
43. I did and we go to Austria at the end of 2018!
44. The reason I start my letters as “Dear friends” is that I like to imagine we’re Pen Pals in real life. Maybe meeting once and exchanging email addresses.
45. My dream holiday is visiting Egypt and going on a Nile Cruise.
46. I believe in ghosts.
47. I also believe in psychics – but know there are a lot of fakes out there.
48. I write all my blog posts on the day of publishing.
49. I’m completely clueless when it comes to website design. You can probably tell.
50.  I have one reader from Peru – which I think is cool.

Anyway, that’s me, write in the comments some things about you and let’s start a conversation! You can also find me here for Instagram and here for Twitter. I’ll talk to you guys on Saturday!
Love always,

Mavis xoxo 

P.S I finally got round to watching The Greatest Showman and now I’m obsessed!! 

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Catch ups & Heatwaves

Dear Friends,

It's been a while since I last wrote a letter to you, a little over a month I think, I've missed it. Missed interacting with you all on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. I'm not sure why it took me so long, to find a quiet spot, write down a little note and publish it. Maybe a combination of a little writer's block and the unforgiving heat.

Everything has been going surprisingly well: my mental health it better, still loving my job at the bar and have been spending quality time with friends. I've also started doing this thing called "freewriting", a practice that helps with writer's block, which I want to tell you about later in the week. As you can see the website is still a bit of a work in process, an on-point reflection of me I think, which I will hopefully finish by the time I send my next letter.

I've been thinking of shaking up the content a bit, as people are not just their bucket lists, maybe some reviews and a few videos? I would love to hear your ideas and what you would like from "Project Mavis"? Anway must dash - getting ready for the footie! Did I mention it's coming home?

Love always,
Mavis xx

1

Monthly Favourites - May 2018

Dear Friends,

It feels like forever ago that I sent my last letter, although in actual fact it has only been a week, I have missed it and you. If you follow me on my social media, you can find the links to my Twitter and Instagram below, you will know that I took some time away for my mental health. A time I really need to recuperate - physically too exhausted to be anywhere but my bed. However, this new letter is not going to be about that, it's going to be about things I have really loved this month.

The first on the list is the movie The Martian, (adapted from the fantastic novel by Andy Weir) directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon. A rediscovered love that was available on Netflix for a short time. During a storm on the surface of Mars the crew of Ares lll, a few days into their mission, are forced to evacuate the area and head home. In the confusion astronaut Mark Watney is struck by debris and separated from the crew. With a reasonable belief that their friend is dead, with a heavy heart, the Ares lll crew leave Mars reluctantly. Shortly after NASA announces the unfortunate death of Watney. However, Mark wakes several hours later, injured but very much alive. With no way to contact Earth, a limited food supply and a lot of disco music, Watney must survive until rescued or the next mission to Mars. In short - the film is great it is tense/funny/smart/scary/dramatic all rolled into one. If you enjoy a good drama or Scifi - watch it! Or, like me, rediscover it.

To fill the void of The Martian being taken off Netflix, I searched through the website for something new, finding Love in the Moonlight. An 18 part Kdrama where a young woman has been forced to live as a man, who somehow manages to land herself in the palace of the King, posing as a eunuch during the first episode. If the truth is discovered she will be executed. I've binge-watched this series over the past week, it is genuinely funny (dramatic in later episodes) and I can't wait to see how it ends. 

Zoella, or Zoe Sugg, is one of the "heavyweight" Youtubers on the website. I've been a subscriber of her for a long time, but much like my rediscovery of The Martian, I've found comfort and entertainment in her vlogging channel. Although not a "traditional" daily vlogger, Zoe films a few days at a time, usually a week, and posts them as one video. I enjoy longer videos, so her long vlogs are definitely up my alley, where she talks about a number of topics. Sugg is someone I find it easy to admire, as a fellow sufferer of anxiety, she just keeps on going. Something that is more challenging than it sounds. If you haven't heard of Zoe (where have you been?!) I'll leave her links down below! I personally recommend her video "All the emotions".

As many of you know, I don't dress for the weight I am, deciding to buy clothes for when I'm thinner. Something I will be changing next month. One of the websites I've loved browsing is a website named Lonleyteez, a fashion site that stocks mainly t-shirts, hoodies, jumpers and a little bit of swimwear. It has a really great variety of styles, such as Americana, quotes, back to school, LGBT and many other collections. The company is something I've been following for a long time, the owner/designer/all-around boss lady is a personal friend of mine, so I've loved watching her empire grow. 

Find all links for my favourites below, all opinions are my own, remember to leave comments on what you guys have loved this month.

As always,
Love Mavis x

The Martian
The Martian DVD
The Martian Novel
Andy Weir Twitter
Ridley Scott Twitter

Love in the Moonlight
It's available on Netflix

Zoella
Vlogging Channel
Main Channel
Instagram
Twitter
Preorder Cordially Invited

Lonelyteez
Lonelyteez Wesbite
Instagram

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Appreciation, Depression and Stay Positive

Dear Friends,

Admittedly this letter was meant to be about roller derby, about the rules/gameplay etc, featuring a photo of me posing in my brand new skates. I stood up with confidence this morning then, almost immediately, I went A over T. I know what you guys are thinking, I am very graceful almost ballerina-like, also is there photographic evidence? Thankfully there isn't, just a slight bruise to my ego and kneecap. Wear kneepads guys! What I want this letter to be about is all of you, an appreciation post to the Project Mavis community and the people in my life.

Those of you who read my last letter know that I was struggling with my depression, frustrated at the inconsistency of the illness and unsure of what a new day would bring. A post that received a lot of attention via Instagram followers, strangers, to old friends reaching out and getting in touch. One of the things about this illness, among a crap tornado of other issues, is how the feeling of loneliness is constant. Even if you are surrounded by all of you closest friends, it can be hard to talk or stop feeling like a burden to those around you.

What I'm trying to say is that I really appreciated the support from you all, that it felt like I wasn't lost in the room full of familiar faces, it felt more like a hug. I'm still feeling low, but it doesn't feel like the world is ending, or that I will never feel happy again. Just feeling a little worn out. If you guys know of someone who is going through a difficult patch, depression or not, reach out to them and say you're there if they want to talk. A little love goes a long way - something I learnt the hard way.

Anyway, I'm going to buy some kneepads, have a bath and a face mask, Again thank you.

Love always,
Mavis x

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Stuck

Dear Friends,

Today is going to be as short and sweet post. I'm in bed right now, writing this post on my phone, with Hocus Pocus playing in the background. I've been feeling a little stuck of what to write this week, wondering what you guys want to read if you'll find something interesting. My levels have not been good either, depression sucks and its inconsistency is infuriating. Today won't last forever, this feeling will fade and I'll be able to function as a regular human being. However, sometimes all you can do is wade it out. Speak soon and have a good weekend.

Love From,
Mavis x

1

Blogging and Designing

Dear Friends,

I think it's time for a makeover, not mine, but the website of Project Mavis. Since starting this site, just under a month ago, it's been a learning curve. I've never been that savvy when it comes to site building, even when it comes to "Pre-packaged" version like Blogger designs, learning how to better myself and do things that I am proud of.

I'm am not proud of the design of its site, it's not exactly user-friendly or that pretty to look at. If you guys want to change any, as always, let me know in the comments or tweet/Instagram me. Would also appreciate any tech advice!

Love From,
Mavis x

0

Making Progress

Dear Friends,

This is going to be a short and sweet update. My brother is waiting for me to watch the next WestWorld episode! Anybody else watching this? During the past few days, I've made some progress with my bucket list: I've registered as an organ donor, RSVP to an Oxfordshire based book club and to a writers club. Both of which I'll be attending this month! Sorted out a new stills camera and started making plans for a youtube channel (I'm thinking about vlogging). No updates from the jobs I applied for, although the closing day for applications is today, so keep your fingers crossed! 

Even though this is a fraction of progress, compared to the whole picture, I'm feeling positive and happier. Almost like the things I want to achieve in life aren't that far from my grasp. Project Mavis has officially hit 1000 views as of yesterday! Some of you coming from Brazil, USA, Ireland, France among others. So really, from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much.I'm still thinking of doing an online book club, what are your guys' thoughts, give me name ideas and books to read.

For now,
Love From,
Mavis xx

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Travelling With My First Best Friend

Dear Friends,

One of my first best friends was my sister Charlotte, she’s pretty awesome. One of my earliest memories of her was when she played her music in her room. Things like Alicia’s attic, Gangsters paradise, All Saints and The Police. I remember sitting on the floor looking at her posters and thinking how unattainably cool my big sister is. A thought I still harbour in private and now on this blog. Before our father passed away, Charlotte has also been another parent, something I appreciate more now that I am older. She was at my first ballet performance, bought toys into the hospital when I had an epileptic seizure, encouraged my writing, supported me through university and was there at my graduation. Like I said, my sister is pretty bomb.

I hated it when she went to university, sometimes I would sit on her bed and cry because I missed her so much. We became pen pals, she wrote about all her adventures in London, about the friends she made and places she went. London felt worlds apart to the little village we grew up in. The first trip I was allowed to go on (by myself) was to go visit her. I carried my suitcase to school and was allowed to leave early to catch my train, skipping excitedly down to the station with mum. I walked through the school gates, thinking (slightly smugly) that I was going on a train on by myself, to visit my big sister in the capital.

My sister and I still go on little adventures, from spending weekends away, to places like Paris and festivals to just having the day together. Just us. I like those days. Ever since Paris, our first trip abroad together, we’re spoken/daydreamed about touring other countries together. Places like Norway to see the aurora borealis, walk part of the Great Wall of China, trek through Peru to the lost city of Macau Picchu and all the other parts of the world we want to see together.

At the end of the year, November specifically, Charlotte and I will be going to Brussels. We’re already making a mental list of places we want to see and food we want to try. It’ll only be for a few days, but I’m excited to travel again, with a person who is not only family but continues to be one of my best friends.

If you have any recommendations for us, leave a comment or follow me on Twitter or Instagram!

Love always,

Mavis x

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