Fragrance / Movie / Distracted
May 20, 2025 Writing Workshop
Written during a Speak Up writing community workshop.
See all the prompts and other writings from this session.
If you had to create a fragrance that reflects who you are, what would it smell like? What’s in it? What’s the name of this fragrance?
If I could create a fragrance that reflects who I am, it would have a mixture of honeysuckle, blueberry, and raspberry aromas. And I would call it “Grandma’s Delight.” I have been reminiscing on the wild honeysuckle bushes as I pass them outside on my daily walks, and the other bushes of berries I pass. They just bring back memories of my childhood when I would pick those things and suck on them/eat them, always by my Grammy’s side.
What is your go-to movie that you can watch over and over that makes you happy? Share all about it.
My Go-To Movie That Makes Me Happy: I’m a big kid at heart, so I’ll go for my old school childhood movie that I used to watch time and time again when I just want to forget about “adulting” and adult life--either The Lion King or Beauty and the Beast. I just love the old school animation and the songs (and yes, I sing out of key to them with my little cat Greta listening in). I remember I could relate to both of the main characters when I was younger. Simba in The Lion King wanted to be more than he could handle, but then when reality hit him, he ran away. Sometimes, oftentimes, that still hits hard as an adult. And Belle in Beauty and the Beast--I have to say, it really was the library that I fell in love with as a kid, with me loving to read as much as I did. And the animation of the film and the way it was revealed, with the music in the background just made it surreal. The library as an adult is my oasis and my go-to spot.
I think both movies just remind me of my childhood when things were different and simple. And in a way, when I need a mental escape, they help my mind go back in time.
Write about getting distracted, sidetracked, or waylaid.
Getting Distracted/Sidetracked: It is frustrating and it used to severely trigger my anxiety, especially when I am the one who distracts my own self. And when it makes me lose focus on what I’m trying to accomplish. What I know, realize, and am learning is that being distracted by letting things and others distract me from what I’m wanting to accomplish is a choice. When it comes to others, I am learning to set and keep boundaries. Sometimes--as crazy it sounds saying it--I have to set boundaries and limits with myself so I can maintain focus. And I am a work in progress.
I’m not always going to “get it right.” But that doesn’t mean I should let the negative self-talk or thoughts take over because they are some of the hugest self distractions for me. The “what ifs” and “why didn’t I”s that lead to just mere questions, self-doubts, but no action.
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