Katrina Byrd
Where have I been? In the bin, as they say on the BBC, which we watch so much we talk about the need to “sort” this and biscuits instead of cookies. We do not go to the loo, because we have some self-respect. (WordPress is going to hate this post. It’s gonna yell at me, make your topic clear in the first paragraph! P-shaw.)
Writer Katrina Byrd
Y’all, I have been using the Flounce Resilience Journal: Self Discovery and Growth by Katrina Byrd. Katrina Byrd is a storyteller/activist from Jackson, Mississippi. She’s a Millsaps College undergrad (where my mom went to school) and a University of Mississippi for Women MFA grad. Katrina will be the guest facilitator for our Second Saturday at the Writing Room at 100 Men Hall June 14th, and I am so excited. I want her to teach us all how to write the way she does in this “Mississippi Native” interview at Rooted Magazine. Fearlessly, beautifully, effectively. (How did she know it was perfect to end that paragraph with a white dead kitty in the road?)
Resilience Journal
Back to the journal. It’s simple. Each daily page is the same, with spaces for your emotion tracker, gratitude list, goals and intentions, reflection, creativity (a long oblong space), and “What I accomplished today.” I can’t explain the impact it’s having on me, maybe Katrina can. Only did I realize in writing this blog post that “resilience” is in the journal title, and if I had to classify the impact, it would be exactly that. It is as if my contentment at my life has been detached from my mood, my accomplishments, my judging of my life. How can that be, when what I’m doing is tracking my mood, my goals and intentions, my accomplishments? I don’t know. I’m only grateful for it. Ha, ha–I need to add that to today’s gratitude list.
Katrina at 100 Men Hall
I hope if you’re within driving distance you’ll come to 100 Men Hall in June. The instruction is free. The 100 Men Hall space is amazing. It’s a full three hours in a supportive writing environment, 10am to 1pm, on a Saturday. I know we’ll all come away motivated to zap up our writing—and our lives—with resilience.
100 Men Hall, Flounce Resilience Journal, Katrina Byrd, The Writing Room at 100 Men Hall
JoeHawes
100 Men Hall? Must be a story theresomewhere.
Ellen Morris Prewitt
it is an incredible story–an iconic site on the Blues Trail the tailbone of the Chitlin’ Circuit. it is a wonderful place and Rachel has been a wonderful steward of its history.
Joanne Corey
I can see how this would be a blessing for you and many others, Ellen, but I must admit that I couldn’t begin to handle it in my current state of health. With my creative brain inaccessible and my ability to concentrate so limited, it’s hard to have goals and accomplishments in a real sense. I suppose I could count making it through PT or back and forth to the doctor’s office, but that just feels sad.
Ellen Morris Prewitt
I am so sorry this continues to take over your life. Sometimes, in Katrina’s journal, where I list my goals I add, “Not taking a nap.” Then I list in my accomplishments, “Didn’t take a nap.” #RealLife Praying for improvements for you. 🙏
Joanne Corey
Thanks, Ellen. <3 Still in the midst of looking for a complete diagnosis. Every time I think I will have news sufficient to do an update, an appointment goes sideways and I'm referred to another specialist. There is also such a long wait to get appointments for office visits, tests, results, that the weeks and months just keep passing by.
novagiant
Inconclusive, interminable tests that take weeks + weeks to get appointments for…then no diagnosis. I feel for you. 🙏