speakingyourtruth

alter_native

so, how do you all not die if you have cramps? 

my experiences only last about a day to a day and a half. but, i just want to like not exist. 

how do you go about your days managing it so it's less like hell on earth and you can somewhat function? 

would much prefer holistic methods over using OTC meds. 

thanks kindly in advance.

- your sort of alive, kind of functioning...?? favorite book writer and talker <3

a question for ladies:

BooksAndArticles

Lord of the Rings fans? Anyone?

Satosora

10000% agree. I absolutely love his character so much and he like most characters only ever try to do whatever they feel is best. 

our mind is an interesting and intricate thing we possess. and the smallest shifts lead to some of the greatest outcomes we would’ve never expected in life. 

so much so down to the very words we use in our daily lives. 

has there ever been any moments where you started a thought, question, or sentence, with the word, “if”?

for example: 

what if if i did this…? 
if i did that…. ?
if i was successful …. 
if i could’ve done things differently … 

in this context, it almost makes your thought process sound… empty feeling, and almost desperate. your mind is automatically in this mode of not having those things you want. 

shifting the “if” to a “when” is a much more powerful way of looking at your life.

when i do / did this… 
when i do / did that… 
when i am / was successful…
when i do / did things differently… 

there is not really a sense of doubt that trails in these thoughts. it puts your mind in a place of abundance because you already have, or are acting as if you already have those things.

our minds do not understand the difference between what is real and what is not, and it is the stories we tell ourselves everyday that which create our reality. 

“if” comes from a place of scarcity. you let your mind know that you are not deserving. you remain stuck in a state of thinking about something, rather than actually doing it. 

“when” promotes abundance because it is something you have actively, or are actively, taking part in achieving. you have told your mind this is something you are doing, and it knows this. 

so, why dwell and wonder on the if’s, when you could always look forward to so much more? 



replacing “if” with “when”: here is why.

yes, it is a silly thing to be said. how is it even remotely possible that we can simply ask and receive whatever it is that we want? 

you would actually be surprised at how well this works. and it happens by doing this one thing: 

**when you simply allow yourself to be open to it.**

let me give you a very recent scenario that just happened to me this past week: 

i went to check the mail on monday like i always do most days of the week (aside from the times i forget), and its always the usual adult stuff. 

however, something had gotten delivered to me which i was wholly convinced was lost in the mail forever. 

it was my certification for teaching english abroad that i requested that be mailed to me as a physical copy.

mind you, i requested this back in february when i completed the class. but the part that gave me absolute chills to my bones was that fact it was delivered exactly seven months TO THE DAY of my first full day in Japan back in march. 

for those of you who don’t know me: i lived in japan for 66 days, and it sadly didn’t work out in my favor. BUT, i have thought about my experiences out there every single day since i have been home. they have wholeheartedly changed me for the better.

i knew if i had done it once, i could do it again. and again. and again. and i kept subconsciously telling myself that. 

even if it wasn’t japan again and somewhere completely different. i knew i could do it. 

but every now and then from the day i came home up until now, my mind would still have those small thoughts of “oh, maybe this wasn’t meant to be.” 

i have come to realize getting that physical certification in the mail was the Universe asking me:

“are you sure about that?” 

while i completely threw this thought of going abroad again in the back of my mind, my soul subconsciously still wanted it. i wasn’t expecting anything from it, yet i allowed myself to still be open to the idea of it. and the Universe gave me exactly what I needed to confirm this. 

my point is, **when you ask for help or guidance in your wants and desires in life, and you truly believe in whatever it is deep down, you are going to receive the answer you’re looking for.** and it always comes at the time you need it the most. 

when you begin to operate from a perspective of abundance, you will truly see how much your life will shift. never did i think my life would flip around so much in less than a year. 

and if you are open to it, trust me when i say that yours will too. 

ask and you shall receive.

little life update: 

i’m just gonna put this here. 

hope your night (or day) is going as well as mine sure is. 🤧⚾️

![](https://m.stacker.news/56415)


a wonderful day for baseball 😆

I love both with the bottom of my heart.

For what I grew up on more was definitely lord of the rings. I watch the trilogy every christmas with my sister quoting our favorite lines and anticipating the epic battle scenes, conversations, and memes. 

It makes us feel like kids again. And we never get tired of it because it is literally fantasy storytelling perfection 🤧

Please discuss away in the comments! 

LOTR or Star Wars, and Why?

holy shit. i honestly never thought i would see the day. it has a clear beginning, middle, and end, with a circle of characters, settings, themes, subplots and tropes.

i’ve been waiting for this for three and a half years, and she has FINALLY come out of my brain. 

maybe i will put the blurb here one of these days, maybe not. i’m just super happy and excited to see how their story will unfold over the next few months. 

i also properly formatted my draft, and so far it’s 60ish pages. 🥹 

good job me 🤧

my whole book has been plotted: now, the real writing begins.

What are you working on this week?

i am drafting my debut novel! it’s been brewing in my brain for about three years now and it is finally coming out onto paper. 

currently on chapter 6 and almost 12k words in out of 80k! 

some days have high and lows, and i either have imposter syndrome or don’t at all. 

a definite jump from my comfort zone, but it gets a little less scary every day 🥹

i really don’t care for her to be published, this is mostly a project for me and me alone. 📚 


i have also been working on alot of self help and growth, and learning to live a more vibrant life in what i have today because that is what matters ❤️❤️

5 is done!!! the main female character in my story is having a conversation with her two best girl friends over the guy she likes and it is pretty hilarious so far 🤣 

definitely like drafting shorter chapters with only 2-4 scenes happening. it makes me feel less anxious during my writing time, and helps me focus on moving forward rather than feeling stuck. copyedits will make it more fun later down the line but i am just trying to get through the drafting still. 

i’m enjoying this alot so far! 

we shall see what comes along next 🥰

book drafting update: onto chapter 6!

currently in the midst of drafting chapter 5, and standing currently at 11,572 words! 

did i think i would get even this far? nope. 

is it perfect? first drafts never are.

is this exciting beyond my wildest dreams? heck yes and seeing my characters unfold and getting to know them has made me laugh at loud more times than i can count. 

super duper proud of me. :')

book drafting update: made it to chapter 5!

In an effort to share the genres I read more, here is a long form review of NLTM by Lynn Painter! 

Enjoy! 

- your favorite bookstastacker 

![](https://m.stacker.news/49578)

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟
Do I dare say that this was better than the first one? Yes.

Do I have an even unhealthier obsession with Wes Bennett now? Absolutely, Yes. 

*Thank you Simon and Schuster and Edelweiss for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review* 

For a short and beautiful time, Wes Bennett FINALLY got the girl of his dreams, the beautiful and sassy next door neighbor, Liz Buxbaum, who he has been making fun of (and has been secretly head over heels in love for) since they were kids. 

All seems to be untouchably perfect as the two are about to begin their college journey together at UCLA. However, Wes gets the tragic and unexpected news of his father's death. Now dealing with huge responsibilities that require him to grow up very quickly, Wes makes the decision to leave his would be life, as well as Liz, behind. 

2 years have gone by, and Wes and Liz have done alot of growing on their own. Broken hearts and souls have been healed, but we all know that nothing ever really stays the same for yourself. When Wes makes the recommitment to play baseball again for UCLA, all he can think about is what pieces are left to be picked up Liz.

Having not seen each other in that amount of time, how much have Wes and Liz really changed? Do they know each other anymore like they used to? And is there any chance that Wes can make amends with Liz, and win back her heart? 

In this long anticipated follow up novel to its predecessor, Nothing Like the Movies shows Wes and Liz in a much more matured and grown headspace. I can say with confidence that I loved this book more than the first one, and that is rare for me to say with any sort of series // sequel books. This book was virtually perfect, and I have nothing bad to say. I have never LAUGHED OUT LOUD, cried, or smiled and giggled so much in a very long time with a book and this really gave everything. 

This felt so very nostalgic and what I really loved so much about this book was how detailed Painter was when diving into the individual pasts of Liz and Wes. I love how she really took a more adult approach to developing their characters, and they are virtually not the same people as they were in BTTM. Where Liz built a life for herself in California, Wes put his head and dreams on hold to take care of his family. 

I gained alot of respect especially for Wes because he had alot of growing to do street smart wise, but also because he never gave up on his aspirations to go to college and play baseball or on his relationship with Liz. The commitment, persistence, and dialogue that Wes has taken on reminded me so much of my IRL partner, and why I was so smitten with him!. 

I really love how Liz did alot of development on her own. Moving away from home to start your life is something that really teaches you to look out for yourself, and I LOVED how she decided to change up her looks, take no BS (from Wes), and dive deep into her passions! 

Together, their chemistry is so magical. I love how we got to see Wes and LIz in the many stages of a building a relationship, but revisited. The plot gave: 

- Enemies to maybe Friends. 
- Friends to denial of the past.
- Constant denial of the past to finally talking things out. 
- Talking things out to reaffirming Love.  
- Reaffirming Love to Relationship 2.0 <3

The cherry on top was all the dialogue between Wes and Liz. All of it was a mix of sweet and heartfelt, as well as tense, dramatic, and gutwrenching. 

Again, just like how BTTM made me feel, I absolutely felt like this was a movie playing in my head. It's really hard to do that with Aphantasia, and Lynn Painter is just SO GOOD at vividly describing the worldbuilding, locations, and what is currently going on in the story. 

Overall, this really does deserve all the stars, and is already one of my favorite books of 2024! Pick this up, read it, and make it your whole personality. It's already mine for the remainder of the summer (and same with Wes Bennett still being my YA contemporary boyfriend forever and ever and ever. Liz, I am so jealous of you even now).

Book Review: Nothing Like The Movies by Lynn Painter

Book Reviews Directory #2

siggy47

July Reads too! 

https://stacker.news/items/630204/r/speakingyourtruth

masterful albums i listen to on rotation:

Hi Stackers, 

A little bit of a different post from my usual book and philosophical talks, here are a few albums that get me through my day to day life, for any mood that i feel like i'm in. 

__ctrl by SZA__

![](https://m.stacker.news/48617)

a woman who has revolutionzed the rnb for all generations, sza 's debut work will always be an album i want to listen to to get in my feels. a no skip album where every song speaks for itself, and the struggles of what it's like growing up in your 20's. this will probably be in my rotation forever. 

__Golden Hour by Kacey Musgraves__

![](https://m.stacker.news/48618)

regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time, and a winner of album of the year at the 2019 grammy awards, kacey does a phenomenal job of depicting how should feel in your mind, body, and soul, and with a special someone in mind. another no skip album where every track is truly storytelling perfection, and will also be in my rotation forever.

__Badlands by Halsey__ 

halsey's debut album will always be my favorite. alternative, intriguing, and a voice that is so unique among all others, his is just so good. the cohesiveness and theme gives off dark and rebellious contexts, which i loveeeee. 

__All Time Low's Entire Catalogue__

so, in some way shape or form, this band has always held a place in my life. my emo soul has always been alive and well, and the number of times these four men have gotten me through middle school and high school all the way up until now is like, alot. 

here are the top albums i've been listening to lately, along with their most recent rerecords (yes, they are taylor swifting all of their music).

![](https://m.stacker.news/48620)
![](https://m.stacker.news/48621)
![](https://m.stacker.news/48622)
![](https://m.stacker.news/48623)
![](https://m.stacker.news/48624)

regardless, everything they come out with is fantastic. 

EVERYTHING. 

i saw them in osaka in may of this year, and i near cried. 


an honorable mention: 

__it was good until it wasn't by Kehlani__

![](https://m.stacker.news/48625)

another rnb piece of art. nothing else to say about it. 

Enjoy, and let me know if any of you have listened to these! 


How many books do you read a year?

Taft

My goal this year is 40! Currently standing at 27! ☺️

Books And Articles Newsletter, Issue 28

people must really love my june books i read up until now HAHA 

it’s been a while since i put a lifestyle type of post here on stacker news, and i am here to say that life is picking up again. 

although the feeling of being home will never be the same since going abroad, i have adjusted into this… temporary reality to take care of business and be on my way once again. 

here are some things i’ve been doing to get me exactly where i need to be: 

__1. lots of self help and realization techniques to keep me in a positive and driven mindset.__

I listen to affirmations morning and night, and journal my desires and give thanks for each day every single night before I go to sleep. The positive shifts in my life have been monumental, and when you are truly let yourself be open to what the Universe can offer you, it will give. Receive because you know you deserve it 👌🏼 

__2. grinding it out in fiat now to live freely in sats forever.__ 

in this terrible global economy, i have managed to find myself work that is ultra flexible
at hourly pay! i likely will be working my little butt off and probably do a good load of overtime because those sats needs to be stacked and stacked and stacked. 

i am so so incredibly grateful for this though because it is such a pain to go job searching only to find that 98% of the postings them are fake, will ghost you, or say you don’t have enough experience (i can talk all day about this, which i will definitely save a for another post). 

the nice things about my jobs is that they are quite enjoyable, give some value back to the community, and (hopefully) make life a little bit easier since it is quite hard right now. it makes working less of a dread, and more of something to look forward to! 

__3. finishing my first draft manuscript by the end of the year.__ 

If anything is non negotiable during my time alive, it’s this one. This draft was started way back in 2021 during my University years as an assignment, and I am so thankful for it! 

She is already a book. I just have to pull it out of my subconscious 🥹

__4. travel to my hearts content for the remainder of my 20’s__ 

I am so thankful to my jobs right now because they are so flexible, I can pretty much take as much time off as I want. Can’t wait to do lots of it toward the end of this year and into next summer ! 

__5. Lifestyle Content Creation__ 

An endeavor I hope to dive into by the end of this year as well! Still unsure which direction I would like to go, but I shall see how that unfolds too ☺️

I know the road ahead will be a hard and bumpy one. Against all odds of what I’ve been taught and conditioned to do, I am so much happier this way. A happy and content life is never achieved when going a standard cookie cutter conventional route. My goals have been set, and there is only going up from here. 

Life is so short, so why not make it a wild ass, adventurous ride while you’re at it? 

life as of late, grinding it out, and there is only up from here:

hi stackers,

since i am partaking in my book writing journey again, my leisure reading is slowing down a whole lot more. buttttttt, here are at least 3-4 books i hope to get around this month! As always, the synopsis' to the books will be linked as well! 

__The Night Ends With Fire by K.X. Song__

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/201129898-the-night-ends-with-fire

![](https://m.stacker.news/44623)

an exciting adult-esque retelling of the legendary hero, Mulan (aka, my favorite Disney Princess). Touches of magic, a dragon spirit, and two male MC's are involved along with the main FMC to tell this exciting tale. I got this signed and stamped by the author at Comic Con International, and this is my most anticipated read of the month! 

__Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao__ 

__Release Date: January 21st, 2025__

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/211479192-water-moon?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_10

![](https://m.stacker.news/44625)

__This physical ARC was provided by Del Rey Books at Comic Con International.__

also another highly anticipated book I've wanted to read, and I unexpectedly received this at Comic Con. It wasn't explicity advertised, but I asked about it, and received it which was super duper exciting!

This is a Spirited Away-esque tale of a man and his daughter who own a magical pawnshop where your regrets can be sold. This thought alone had me wanting this book in my hands, and I am SO blessed to have snagged the early copy. 

__Belladonna by Adalyn Grace__

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59227936-belladonna?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_10

![](https://m.stacker.news/44626)

this has been on my TBR for a while, and I thought since the fall is going to be around very soon that it is now time to start diving into dark // gothic fantasy. I also thought the idea of an FMC teaming up with Death to help her out in some way, shape, or form would be really interesting to read too! 

__The Lies We Conjure by Sarah Henning__

__Release Date: September 17th, 2024__

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/203579246-the-lies-we-conjure

__This eARC was given by NetGalley and Macmillan (Tor) Publishing Group__

![](https://m.stacker.news/44628)

a YA contemporary fantasy novel about two sisters who are invited to a manor impersonate an old woman's grandkids, and come to find out that they are trapped in this place full of very real witches with a curse upon them. how fun would it be to escape something like that, am i right? (hell f*cking no.). 

a fun array of fantasy books for this month! we shall see what they are like, and fingers crossed i get a third of my first draft done in the meantime too! 

have a wonderful august, take care, and happy reading! 

- your favorite bookstastacker <3

potential reads for the month of august:

as someone who loves to spend at least 85% of the time indoors either reading books, practicing self care, and scrolling youtube and the internet to study the best self help, motivation, philosophical and affirmation techniques, i have come to understand this one simple thing: 

__being outside heals your mind, body, and soul.__

let me explain:

this past weekend, my boyfriend and i went to the park in our town to get a weekly sprint sesh in. ok well, more like light to moderate training because i have a broken ass pinky toe from stubbing the shit out of it (she is still bruised and sad three weeks later), and i could not but help make observations about what i had experienced. 

_my mind instantly felt a sense of calm when witnessing the ambience of the park._

there were evergreen trees everywhere, nice fields and benches to sit on, a sun shining and clouds out, some nice breeze, and a soccer tournament occurring. you could have either peace, or liveliness depending on where you wanted to be. 

your mind is free when it is outdoors because there is so much more to see and focus on than whatever thoughts are rattling around in your brain.  

_the body gets in tune with the senses and what is going on around you._

touching the grass, hearing voices laughing and cheering and the breeze in the trees, and seeing colors of all kinds everywhere were just some of the things i sensed around me. 

your body can quite literally feel vibrations and energy around you. the outside radiates such positive and freeing energy, and i feel like it is the closest we can get to the Universe in its most natural state. 

have you ever had those moments where you are sitting in bed or on the couch at home contemplating what to do, and you just feel: stagnant, lethargic, or even lazy because you are in these feelings of boredom, or what to do next? you are what you feed yourself: food, media, environment, and people wise.

_the soul is instantly more at peace._ 

there is something special about experiencing earth’s most organic state. your soul almost becomes, happier, and more content when surrounded by the natural world. a simple environment shift such as being on the couch, to sitting on your porch or balcony for some fresh air, it really hits the core of your energy in a very positive way.

**when your day is not the brightest, or you find yourself stuck or in a state of the unknown, go outside for 5-10 minutes in total silence. simply observe what is happening around you, and within you. it’s more enlightening and helpful than you might realize.**


the outdoors heals you.

what i read, and wrapping up in july:

Hi Stackers, 

Here is everything that I read in the month of July and what I am wrapping up!

**Better Than The Movies by Lynn Painter** 
**Rating: 5 // 5**

![](https://m.stacker.news/42733)

A really fun YA contemporary romance! This enemies to lovers romance had me feeling happy on the inside. Wes and Liz are quirky and individual in their own special ways and this was one of those books that felt like a movie playing out with its great writing style, plot, and character development. 

**Nothing Like The Movies by Lynn Painter** 
**Rating: 5 // 5 (this deserves all the stars to be completely honest with you.)** 
**Release Date: October 1st, 2024** 

![](https://m.stacker.news/42734)

This eARC was given by Edelweiss and Simon and Schuster. 

A fantastic follow up to Wes and Liz’s story that deserves so much love. It still falls into the YA category even though they are in college now with more life experiences on their backs. Wes is one of my favorite contemporary fiction mmc’s, and I am glad there are chapters in his POV now. If you decide to read BTTM, you will enjoy this one when it drops in October! 

**Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli** 
**Rating: 4 // 5**

![](https://m.stacker.news/42736)

A true enemies to lovers book. Gideon and Rune have a lot of cat and mouse chemistry happening which was fun to read. The magic was quite interesting here, but wasn’t exactly my cup of tea. I did like the cliffhanging ending though, so fingers crossed I can get the eARC for this to see how this story closes out. 

**Self Help Books I am bouncing back and forth on at the moment are:** 

**Manifest by Roxie Nafousi** 
![](https://m.stacker.news/42738)

A great one for living the most authentic life you can, and acquiring your desires as smoothly as possible! I really like the philosophies in each of the chapters and helps to ground you in what you can do today to bring you toward your ideal life and future. 

**Overwork by Brigid Schulte** 
**Release Date: September 17th, 2024**
![](https://m.stacker.news/42739)

This eARC was provided by Macmillian. 

About 10% of the way through with this, and it is truly eye opening to how the West prides and praises burnout as productivity. 

The author dives deep into people’s stories of how over exerting ourselves in any sort of work is detrimental to our health and well being, and how countries like the United States and Canada are quite literally working themselves to death and has essentially become the norm. Schulte has also conducted research on European countries’ more positive relationships with work and well being, and has constantly questioned why North America can’t replicate nor do the same. Or why North Americans have not questioned these unethical practices more. 

(And my family thinks I’M the crazy one for not putting my head down and putting up with this shit.)

A good diversity of fiction, fantasy, and self help books read and it has been nice to transition into non fiction for a changez 

Happy reading, and last day of July! 

- your favorite bookstastacker <3 

P.S.,
Will do a full comic con haul post sometime this week! 