deluluwithjuju_

alter_native

![](https://m.stacker.news/80518)

sometimes, when life feels hard, all you need to do is step back and look at what’s right in front of you. 

you will often see how beautiful life is when you choose to see it that way. 

i hope this post finds you in the idea that it helps push you wherever you need to be today, and that there is always something good to look forward to no matter what hurdles or challenges you might face. ❤️

present living is an understatement:

BooksAndArticles

hi friends, 

alot of change has been going on in my life as of late, and i’ve done things a little differently here on SN. so let me reintroduce myself: 

hello! this is juju, rather, deluluwithjuju! you might’ve known me as theaphantasicreader or speakingyourtruth in the past, but i’ve decided to embark on this change because there’s alot of movement happening in my life! 

1. i decided to change my nym because i want this space to become somewhere where i can bring truth seeking / realization into stacker’s lives. in a most passionate, zero bullshit, ranty way possible. you’ll find me writing a whole lot of posts about self motivation and self growth so in some way, i can help you find and discover a better version of yourself. here are my first two articles about it:

https://stacker.news/items/900393/r/deluluwithjuju_

https://stacker.news/items/900522/r/deluluwithjuju_

2. of course i will still be writing here on the booksandarticles category! you know me. books and reading are my happy place, and if you ever need a break from my wild and blunt writing that is sure to come your way, meet me here and we can talk about what i’m reading currently! 

3. health: in all this self discovery and philosophic learning about life, health is something that comes first no matter what. bringing focus to this one thing has really helped me cultivate a better version of me, where everything else i desire will eventually come into place. i’ve been doing really well so far here with the help of my wonderful partner, and his teachings in this area too! 

as for quotes (bookish and nonbookish), here are some that have helped me continuously move forward in the past couple of months and into 2025: 

“it’s time to get real about life, and figure out who you really are.” - eternal sunshine interlude, by ariana grande 

“ You change your life when you start doing the truly scary thing, which is showing up exactly as you are. Most of the problems that exist in our lives are distractions from the real problem, which is that we are not comfortable in the present moment, as we are, here and now. So we must heal that first. We must address that initially. Because everything else builds from it. We must be brave and confront our discomfort, sit with it even if it churns our stomachs and pinches our faces and makes us certain we will never find a way out.” - the mountain is you by brianna wiest. 

“you have to believe in yourself because there is only one you.” - superbowl interview; kendrick lamar 

“you know what the beautiful thing about rock bottom is? you have nothing left to lose.” -thewizardliz 

thanks for reading, and i hope you will stick around! take care, be well, and always be you 🫶

life updates, and quotes that have changed the way i think:

if you stumbled on this post, it was either because you really needed it, or need a little bit of a wake up call from whatever rutt you’re in. 

or for some reason, you feel like the world is falling apart on you.

today is the day you stop blaming the world for the situation you’re in. no one is saving you. you want your life to change? then quit being a sob story and do something about it. 

enjoy these vids from some of my favorite youtubers on self realization, self help, and motivation. 

https://youtu.be/Lk6AkrT5g5w

https://youtu.be/ZAwGMC0UPgU

https://youtu.be/9nt6FBWi2Sg

https://youtu.be/_FTGZ5V4AWY








videos to help get your head out of your ass: part 1

everything you could ever want or are looking for is right in front of you. if you don't believe me, then there is a 99.99% chance you are in the way of yourself. 

let me explain: 

**1. Life is an RPG.**

So, growing up, Pokemon has always been one of my favorite games. Let me tell you when I say I was ADDICTED to my DS, I would hide under my blankets when my parents would walk by my bedroom making sure I wasn't playing into the wee hours of the night. 

if anyone knows where I'm getting with this, this is how the game is played: 

1. you choose a character to play. 
2. shortly after that, a pokemon to start with (water, fire, or grass type). 
3. you meet the Professor and they give you what you need to start, and from there, you're sent on your merry way to explore the world, level up, and eventually become the pokemon league champion. 

so it raises this question: what in the fuck is preventing us (the humans) from doing the exact same thing?

you can put your ass in a video game and play for hours on end becoming the best. okay, so what's the problem doing it in real life?

looking back on this game from my chidhood, it's a life lesson in the fact you literally have to continously: 

**discover yourself** (exploring in the game, training pokemon, and collecting cool things to help you along the way), 

**make mistakes even when you hate it** (lose battles to all sorts of pokemon, pokemon trainers and gym leaders - a real hit to the ego when this happens tbh because i would just turn off my DS if i was pissed.), 

and **grow from those mistakes in order to keep on going to be the best version of yourself you can be** (league champion). 

trust me, you are in SO much more control than you think. and as long as you have those goals in mind (expectations of how they might turn out aside.), you will get there. 

**2. EVERYTHING starts in your mind.**

During my reread of The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer, the first two chapters go on to talk about how your mind is the translator of the world around you, and will look for ANYTHING to deter you away from something new. 

but why? 

because the unfamiliar is scary. that inner part of yourself is purely acting on the instinct that new things are bad. 

the quickest way to shut this thing up is like this: let it talk. 

no seriously. 

the internal monologue in your head is essentially another side of yourself that does everything in its power to always protect you, and keep you in the areas of comfort. the beautiful thing about this is thoughts always come and go, and when you let them flow, they will soon be out of your way. 

you can only build up to being good at something, or familiar with new things if you put yourself right in front of them. 

for instance, going to the gym, or learning a new skill. 

of course you're gonna suck at it. but if you put yourself in those shoes consistently, NO MATTER HOW SMALL, it will feel less and less scary every time. 

hell, something as small as walking into the gym ready to go and just looking at the equipment for 10 minutes and leaving is already a start. it's the same with learning to write a book (me, lmfao.) even if it's something like piping up the courage to open my laptop even if my mind isn't in its writing state, to writing 1 word a day to 1,000 words a day. 

in these scenarios, at least you're doing something instead of thinking about it. because at the end of the day, **thinking is not doing**. when you're stuck in your head deciding, you can't take action.

it's a waste of time, so you might as well say yes to the small efforts right then and there than to say later. 

because later eventually becomes never.  

**3. Letting Go.** 

letting go is a VERY underrated concept. it's because most of the time, we as humans are always expecting something to happen out of necessity, or because we are desperate for it. be it money, career, relationships,

just stop with that shit. please.

you have to believe that everything you want in life is already in your life. you have to believe that there is no way you're not getting the things you have always deserved. 

get clear with what you want. 

one of the most POWERFUL things you could ever do is say AND write your goals in the past tense. this writes everything you could ever want into your timeline of life. you have written your future into the past, so there's no way you can't get it because it has already been done. for example: 

"i could afford whatever i wanted." 
"i traveled to wherever i wanted to."
"i've become successful in my dream career, and i met my financial success because of it."

when you constantly say and read them everyday, you will start to believe it is yours. put a date on them so it gives you a designated time it appears in your life. 

the key takeaway: **you NEED to detach from how your goals happen.** your goals have already been achieved, so you shouldn't feel this need to chase them, worry about them, or that they are out of reach. 

instead, bring your focus here: 

- **gratitude**: thank God, the Universe, or whatever beings out there for whatever it is you already have. 
- **do the work**: consistency brings the abundance in. think about the steps you need to take part in to get to your goals. a book isn't going to magically write itself. your dream body doesn't come out of nowhere or overnight. your career in tech isn't going to be offered to you if you didn't bother to study or create SOMETHING in the field. no matter how big or small the steps are, keep in mind you are moving forward and you're constantly getting closer to what it is that is in your timeline. 

so please, get the F out of your own way because most of the time, you are blocking out the potential you've always had. all the answers you're looking for are right in front of you. 


get the F out of your own way.

![](https://m.stacker.news/72706)

happy 2025 bookish people of stacker news! i hope all of you have been well in your first 12-13 days of the year. 

as you well know, writing has been playing a big role in my life as of late. with a goal in mind to finish the first draft in march, here are some books i want to read and reread throughout the time in between for inspiration and entertainment. 

i want to dive more into dystopian literary fiction this year, which is why the poppy war and manacled made it onto the stack. manacled is HP fanfic, but the author is coming out with the official published version in an original world and characters with relatively the same plot in the fall (and probably my most anticipated read of the year) which i am super excited about. 

fantasy is always dear to me so had to throw in those to read again too. :) 

do any of you have any fun and new reads you’re hoping to get to this year? let me know down below! 

happy 2025: rereads, new reads, and nostalgic reads.

three things: 

**1. i am stopping over in japan first:** 

because why not? the spring time is always the best time right next to fall. first to spend some good quality time  with my love before i don't see him for about 2-3 months. 

and of course, to go back and see my friends, and sightsee at places i didn'y yet!

**2. my trip has extended from 17 to 80 days.**

some work exchanges responded to me! i get free accomodation and food which is freaking awesome. super excited for this, and to "work" in japan at a different angle. 

**3. mindful travel or, spontaneous travel?**

so... outside of japan, do i mindfully plan where to go next, or think about it while i'm still in japan? i hear vietnam is awesome. same for what i heard about indonesia, taiwan, singapore, and south korea. 

or maybe i'll go to the homeland (philippines) or to indonesia. i heard both are beautiful still in june. 

i hope to find work exchanges out here too to extend my cultural experiences and time out there! 

other than that, the planning stages have been alot of fun! i guess the only thing that is going through my mind at the moment is the fact thart i will have very dramatic clothing changes within a six month timeframe. 

if any of you have suggestions on countries within southeast asia, please let me know! would love to hear them. :) 



backpacking the world: planning.

**so, i find that the Universe talks to me sometimes. here are the things that come through every now and then. enjoy! <3**

take action toward the life you want now, or forever hold your peace on what could've been instead of what was. 

you learn nothing from comfort and complacency. 
you learn everything from discomfort and adversity. 

you become limitless when you finally begin to realize you are good enough for yourself and need no one else to validate that. 

thoughts on my mind 1

backpacking the world.

I plan to go back during my time traveling again! This time I will be in a more cultural oriented exchange and I hope this will open my eyes even moreso! 

BTC Cures the Cancer of Social Media

Shugard

i feel like the only decent fiat social media platform that's left is Threads. no dumb ads, very little political propoganda, and the algorithm is actually tailored to your interests. other than that, everything else is kind of poop. 

that's it. that's the endeavor i'm set on taking on very soon. 

it's been six and a half months since i've been home from japan. and even though life has continued to move forward, i have gone into sync of this continuous wavelength of sameness. other than writing my book's first draft (which i am currently 106 pages into), everything feels bland. 

it's the same town. with the same places to eat, places to go to, and places to hang out. 

the same people, with the same conversations, drama, and complaints. 

the same vibes and attitude toward how life deep down kinda sucks for them and how "nothing" can be done about it. 

i love home with all my heart, but it's draining to be surrounded by people and things that have never experienced big monumental change. 

sometimes, there's something within you that just cracks.

sometimes, you just need to say fuck it, and you decide to take the leap you've always wanted to take. 

and amongst all of it, have the belief and faith everything will continue to fall into place from there.

well that moment is here again. at the same time it was in 2023 when i signed my paperwork to work in japan.

is *this* what it means to have a passion // purpose in life? a goal that burns within you so much you want nothing more to achieve it beyond anything else? 

because there's nothing more i want than to do this right now. 

i hope to write out how my travels and book writing are going more often here now that i have more time. 

for around five months, it will just be a backpack and myself. wish me luck! <3 

- your favorite booksta.... traveler, stacker, writer, authoring person....? 

(sats for support are so greatly appreciated on this next journey if you have any to spare. thanks so kindly in advance during this crazy time in life!)

when one door closes, another one opens:

Likely will split time between both of them ! 

there's something special with just learning to detach and let the universe take care of the rest. 

two occurrences happened to me this week. 

this past weekend, i was recently let go from a seasonal job i had during the summer; for reasons i still don't quite understand given that the winter holidays are around the corner (which i was thinking they were gonna keep me at least until the end of the year). 

but anyways, i went to sign off on the paperwork confirming my final separation and carried on the with the rest of my day. 

in between all that time of me working up until my recent termination, i've **never** for one second, have let go of the idea of going back to japan and traveling around asia in 2025. for the past 5 months, i've let the thought stay. 

THE VERY NEXT MORNING after signing off on my paperwork, i got a reply from a hostel i hoped to work at in kansai. i also got another reply back from another hostel just this morning in aichi. mind you, i expected no one to reply. 

if this isn't a sign of the universe working in your favor, i have no idea what is. 

**here are some of the things that i believe got me to the answers i sought:**

1. detachment: when you know that you can live just fine without your desires, and remain grateful for everything you already possess in your life, you've shown the universe you are worthy to receive more. 


2. no expectations: never expect anything to come your way in the way you think. what you want will come out of nowhere and at the most unexpected time.


3. visualize, make your wants clear, and be open: i always kept my vision clear by means of taking action, visualizing where i'm at (for instance, japan, and other countries in asia, financial abundance, my highest self, etc.), journaling every single night, and by stating intentions in the past tense. 

when you speak about things you've already done, your mind is at ease. you have shown you're no longer desperate for your wants, and that abundance is something you've attracted versus chased.

if you let doors close, other ones will open if you allow them to. accept the signs as they come. 

it's only up to you after that to say yes, or never. 

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:

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 🥰