As a 20-something military wife and saver at heart, I can't help but keep an eye out for all of the best money saving websites and I think I might have found a new favorite!

As a chronic illness warrior, pain is not new to me. Unfortunately, it's a daily nuisance that I have to deal with. On the bright side though, there are plenty of ways that I can distract myself from it!

Of course, I could easily take one of my many prescriptions or use an expensive medical device, but I like to stick to the more natural approach. Personally, I don't like adding anything else to my body if I don't have to, so I often try these seven techniques!

1. Dive into a new world.
Whether it's in a book, a tv show, or a movie, immerse yourself into something new! Find something that you can jump into and leave your world behind. Personally, I enjoy a good book! I tend to get restless while watching a tv screen and I can't help but focus more on the pain or hop around on social media. Of course, if screens are more your thing, then turn one on and let the pain be gone!

2. Find something funny.
While we're on the topic of screens, I figured this would be another helpful tip! According to some, laughter is the best medicine, so you should find something that you know will make you laugh! My husband and I really enjoy Joe Santagato videos, but I won't turn down something with a cute animal either! Whatever your preference is, it's only one search away!

3. Take a nap.
Now, I know this doesn't work for everybody, but it can be an easy way to distract yourself from the pain! Personally, my body fights me anytime I try to take a nap while it's still light outside, but most people don't have that problem. So, put on your pj's and go count some sheep!

4. Challenge yourself mentally.
This isn't necessarily my go to for distracting myself from pain, since it's my go to when I'm board, but it still works! Taking the time to challenge yourself mentally can be a great distraction! And the best part is, you can do it by yourself or with other people! For yourself, you might enjoy word searches, crossword puzzles, sudoko, or solitaire. And if you're with someone, you might enjoy chess or checkers!

5. Work on a big project.
Sometimes all we need to do to get our minds off of something is to put them onto something else. In this case, it's a big project! However, since you're already in pain, I don't recommend any heavy lifting or home renovations. Instead, you can write that novel you've always dreamt about or declutter your closet. Whichever big project you have in mind, get to working on it!

6. Explore meditation.
Although I've never successfully meditated, I can say that attempting to is a great distraction! So whether or not you're successful, just focusing on your breathing can be enough to filter out any thoughts of pain. After taking a stress management class in college, I learned that there of TONS of breathing exercises and meditation techniques. So, just pick one and see if it works!

7. Listen to music.
Whether you're mindlessly singing along or taking the time to digest every lyric, listening to music can be a great distraction! And if you're a multi-tasker, that's even better! You could easily listen to music while working on your big project for double the distraction! And if you really don't know what to do, you could make some new playlists too!

Originally, I didn't really have a plan for any of my obstacles or general plot points. When I first began planning my novel, I just wrote down everything that came to me and hoped that it would all come together later on.

Of course, after doing more research, I realized that wasn't going to work out too well. So, I started looking up more information on the three act version of novel plotting and came up with a list of the most important plot points.

And while I didn't have the material for each and every one of them, I was able to come up with new material that bettered my story and I want to help you do the same! So, here's a little bit more information about each of these plot points!
The inciting incident, also known as the point of attack, will occur in the first couple pages of your novel, but often occurs halfway through the first act. The event will be one that opens up future possibilities for your main character. It is used to set up possible tension to come and it's a crucial component used to engage your audience. Mainly because, the main character will need to go through this event, in order to obtain their main objective.
The lock-in can usually be found in sequence two towards the end of act one. The reason this plot point is considered the "Lock-in" is because the protagonist can no longer return to their feeling of normalcy. In fact, backing out is nearly impossible. Whether they're literally locked to something or their back up plan has been ruined, the possibility of getting out is zero to none. Whatever this lock-in may be, it is important to note that it will set up the central predicament for the main character. Not only that, but protagonist can't walk away, due to the stakes, and is instead pushed into a different direction.
The first obstacle has been called many different things: rising action, raising the stakes, the first act break, etc. Personally though, I just call it the first obstacle. In my writing, I use this as a place to not only build off of the tension from the lock-in scene, but also to build up to my midpoint. I like keeping my readers on their toes, especially since I always want to give away too much information. So, obstacles are always a go to in my book! Other authors like to use this as a place to stir in some drama or throw the main character into a new location, but that's not a hard and fast rule that you need to follow.

The 1st culmination, also known as the midpoint, usually occurs halfway through act two and it is either a success or a failure. Whatever it is, it should mirror the end. So, if it's a tragedy, then the 1st culmination should be a failure that will lead to the ultimate failure; and if it's a victorious ending, then the 1st culmination should be a success that later leads to the ultimate success. When writing the actual scenes, it's important to remember that the midpoint has a huge effect on the plot.
One of the common problems that writers can face is a little thing called the "second act drag." Lucky for you, there's a solution! And it's as simple as including a subplot in your novel! Out of all of the plot points, I think this one was the easiest for me to plan. I had already had a subplot that I was working with and I knew how I wanted it to end, so I had already begun brainstorming ideas that could lead up to that point. So, once I found out that a subplot obstacle was part of my outline, I just had to pick one of the ideas that I already had in mind. Some common subplots include: friendships, relationships, careers, secret missions, and more!
The main culmination, also known as the climax, is the highest or lowest point of the protagonists journey so far. When planning the climax for your novel, it's important to note that usually, there are two sequences between the 1st culmination and the main culmination. If you read my post, How I Organize My Novel, you will see that I followed the same pattern. During this plot point, the climax is represented by a major success or failure. Before you decide which one though, it's important to note that this event normally brings your protagonist's second act objective to a close. And since they've dealt with their second act objective, the climax will propel them towards a new goal in the third act.

As I'm sure you can guess, the third act twist does come during the third act, usually between sequences seven and eight. In order to effectively use this plot point, the third act tension needs to be established early on in sequence seven. In addition, your entire writing style will alter a little bit too. The timing will be faster paced, the scenes will be shorter, and the setting will be simpler. The reason that this twist is different from the others is because this one actually changes the overall plot of the story. This is the twist that has the chance of ruining the protagonist's chance at achieving the third act objective. Some author's refer to this plot point as the "ultimate show-down" scene.

The resolution is the end of the story. No matter the outcome, this is what your readers have been waiting for! It's the reason they kept on reading! As I mentioned earlier, some of the obstacles and culminations will have foreshadowed what the final outcome would be, whether it be good or bad. Whichever one you decide on, make sure that you follow through with it until the end! This is the time when readers are going to want clarity. They'll want all of their questions answered and they'll want their version of a happily ever after. So, make sure you're that you're thinking about that. Of course, don't give too much away either!
And just in case you've decided that you want to use this method as well, I've included a free worksheet for you to use!

If you told me a year ago that Perfectly Ambitious would take off in the way that it has, I never would have believed you! The support that you guys have given me has truly been amazing!

Of course, there's still a couple lessons learned too! In fact, there are quite a few things that I wish someone would have prepared me for on this journey called blogging. Today, I'll be sharing seven of them with you!

1. You don't need a niche.
No matter what other bloggers say, I will never agree with the niche mentality. Personally, I feel that as long as you have a clear focus, your blog can succeed. There's no reason to force yourself into a box, unless you want to. If you want to talk about everything under the sun, go ahead, do it! If you want to stick to one specific category, that's ok too! Just don't feel the need to do what everyone else is saying you need to do.

2. You need to have a well thought out plan.
Originally, I scheduled myself to post five times a week and although it worked for a while, it eventually became too much. So, this year I had to workout a better plan for myself and I don't think I should have any problem sticking to it! No matter what you decide though, know that it's ok to alter your plan here and there. You are the only person that will know what is and isn't working for you and your blog, so trust yourself!

3. You can make money from day one.
You guys have no idea, how badly I wish someone had told me this in the beginning! I waited months after starting my blog to start monetizing it and I definitely regret it. Had I known that any and all pageviews could add up to some sort of income, then I would have taken advantage of it! Not to mention, all the other ways you can monetize your blog too!

4. You will need to spend a little money.
It's true, but it will almost always be worth it! The first time I started blogging, I spent far too much money thinking that's what I had to do to be successful. I got an official Wordpress website, a .com domain, and private hosting. Little did I know, that wasn't the best way to go about it; instead, this was. Either way though, you should be wise with your money. At this point in time, I only spend money on things that I think will benefit me and/or make my life easier. Many of which, I list on my resources page and in my blog stats & income reports!

5. You will need to take blogging seriously.
When I first started blogging, I had no idea how much work it really was. I knew I'd have to write posts and take photos, but it's so much more than that! Ultimately, you're starting a business and that requires a lot of work. You aren't only going to be head writer and editor, but you're also going to be a graphic designer, a web designer, a social media manager, and so much more! Being a blogger is hard work, but it's also an amazing opportunity!

6. You are going to experience critiques. 
Whether or not you ask for them, you are bound to run into critics. They might show up in the form of social media trolls, rude blog comments, or inner thoughts. Whatever the case may be, just know that you can move past them. For every hater you come across, there are so many awesome individuals out there supporting you! Remember, you've got friends, family, readers, and even other bloggers on your side!

7. You will never stop learning.
It's true! Time and time again, I've found myself searching for tutorials online. Over the last year, I've taught myself a little bit of code, I've delve further into the world of graphic design, and I've even expanded my knowledge of social media marketing. At some point, you will find yourself looking up tutorials, signing up for free courses, and even shelling out money for those big courses too; and it's 100% a good thing! Finding something that you're passionate about that also keeps you on your toes is the best kind of work!

Hopefully, through writing this post, I'll have prepared a couple of you for the journey that is blogging. And in case you're looking to start a blog, I've got a quick tutorial for you too!

A couple months ago, I decided that I was going to start tracking all of my blog stats, social media followers, income, and expenses. I've seen a lot of big bloggers do this and I've been inspired to do the same, especially by Melissa Griffin. I mean did you see her report from September 2016? She made over $170k!