The Sunshine Blogger Award

Thank you Jennifer, the Everyday Behaviorist, for my nomination to The Sunshine Blogger Award. It is truly an honor!🥰

Welcome to Everyday Behaviorist

Jennifer N. Haddock, Ph.D., explores life, love, and spirituality from a Radical Behaviorist lens. Essays, poetry, fiction, life examples. Private events made public.

The Sunshine Blogger Award Rules:

• Display the Award’s official logo somewhere on your blog.

• Thank the person who nominated you.

• Provide a link to your nominator’s blog.

• Answer your nominator’s questions.

• Nominate up to 11 bloggers.

• Ask your nominees 11 questions.

• Notify your nominees by commenting on at least one of their blog posts.

Nominator Q&As:

What do you write about, and Why?

I write personal essays about life, and how I’m trying to make the most of it. I also love to write Fiction! I’ve written several Historical, Adventure, and Auto-Fiction short stories. We won’t discuss my WIP novels, since they’re being written under a pseudonym😉 Why? Because my soul demands it, this is what I’m supposed to be doing. I can’t, not write.

What’s something you believe deeply, even if it’s unpopular?

I’ve been trying to get away from that word, believe, because I think it requires more of a commitment than I’m willing to honestly give. But in this case, it fits—I believe that our thoughts and actions shape our world. I know that that may not be “unpopular” here on Substack, but it certainly isn’t something that most people live by.

What part of your life shapes your writing the most?

I love to learn, and to share knowledge. Writing helps me both in my pursuit of knowledge, and in my mission to be a light to others. 🕯

What do you long for right now?

I’ve sat with this question for a long time—and instead of giving a generic answer, I’m going to be honest. I don’t long for anything—longing sounds like making a wish, like I just want to be awarded something without earning it. I’m pursuing the life I want, and I’m enjoying the ride along the way.

What’s a small ritual that keeps you grounded?

If I can only name one, it is journaling. My journal is the canoe I use to navigate the ever changing currents of life.

When do you feel most alive?

I feel the most alive when I’m surrounded by my loved ones—there is nothing in this world that compares! But also in a different way, when I am exploring a new place—I love to travel and experience new cultures.

What’s a truth you’re still learning to live with?

That there are some things that can never be undone…

What do you want to be remembered for?

Let it be said, “He was a class act.”

Who are you when you’re not creating or working?

I am a husband, father, and friend. I will always put my work aside, for time spent with my loved ones.

What was your favorite hobby as a child?

As a child I used to leave on my bike after breakfast, and the only rule was that I made it home before supper. As a youth it became golf.

What is your favorite hobby now?

Can I say writing? If not, I’ll go with travel.

Where is the most exotic place you’ve ever traveled to?

Oaxaca, Mexico. Oaxaca City, the mountain region, and the coast are all amazing. I’m just 94 paid subscribers away from a second home there🤑

Where is a place you hope to travel to?

Next on my list is Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. I’d love to spend a summer there. After that I’m headed to South America for six months or so.

If you could have a conversation with anyone, alive or dead, who would it be?

Jesus Christ.

Who is your favorite musician?

Whomever is playing tonight!

What is your favorite movie?

If you were to put on one of the old Sean Connery, James Bond films, I would be unable to leave the room. If we were on a sinking ship, I’d probably drown watching it.

Who is your favorite writer?

Quick answer, Paulo Coelho.

Whew, I had to spit that out before a dozen others tried to jump on the page! And it’s hard not to say Hemingway, I often find myself reading him again and again. The Sun Also Rises is the first book I ever read. And had I not been gifted it, I would likely not be answering these questions right now…

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Okay so, now it’s my turn!

I’mma nominate a few of my current favorite writers—it’s too bad that I can only nominate 11, there are so many great writers here. But these are some of the Substackers that I get excited about anytime I see their work hit my inbox or feed. And since I can’t get enough, I really hope they want to share!

So in no particular order, NJ Simat 🤍, meredith, Jason Arehart, Michelle Buck, A Girl With No Name, Easy Weezy, Stuart K Kimball, Harriet C., Phillip Slater, Sean Dietrich, and Massimo Pigliucci—tag, you’re it!

Drum roll please🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

1. How did you make your way to Substack? Tell me your original story.

2. What do you write about, and why?

3. If you had to choose a theme song for your writing, what would it be?

4. What did you always want to be when you grow up, and when did that change?

5. If you had to choose a movie character that resonates with you the most, who would it be?

6. What is one lesson that you would want your readers to gain after reading your stories?

7. If you could live within the pages of a book, what book would that be and why?

8. What would you tell your younger self if you could meet him/her?

9. On those days when life keeps throwing difficult circumstances your way—what do you tell yourself to push through?

10. Your house is on fire, and you can save 3 things(your people and animals are safe). What are the 3 things, and why?

11. Who or what is your biggest inspiration in the writing world?

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Today was quite eventful. I received a pile of notifications this morning while I was working on my well, and I didn’t get a chance to look at them until I got to the office. That’s when I saw that I’d been nominated in The Sunshine Blogger Award — I was so stoked! I’d seen it before, read a few, and thought it was pretty cool. But I never expected to be nominated.

So I spent the afternoon at work reading other nominations, and decided that I would take my time answering these questions. I saw some in note form and some newsletters, and it just seemed like the newsletter was the way to go for me. I also took my favorite questions from some of those nominations to mix in with the ones Jennifer passed on to me.

When I got home from work I got back on the well — tried a couple more things and quit before I got too sweaty for a house with no water. I sat down to start on this draft, and immediately changed my mind — opting for Arroz de Texas, and a Victoria or two from Nopal, one of my favorite restaurants. I wrote most of this first draft while mariachi music with mad bass was blaring from one of those disco boomboxes that flashes different colors with every note!

Now I’ll let it sit for a day, then revise and schedule. I hope y’all enjoyed reading this, and have a wonderful day!

Happy Writing! -MJ🤠🤙

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Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, please consider sharing it and clicking that ❤ button, and I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. And if you’re an email reader, just hit reply—I want to hear from you too! Who or what is your biggest inspiration in the writing world?

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