Day: October 26, 2023

A domino is a small rectangular wood or plastic block with an arrangement of dots on one face that corresponds to the numbers on a die. The other face is blank or marked with an identical pattern, and the value of each side is indicated by a line or ridge that divides it visually into two squares, called ends. The end with the most pips is the “domino,” and the one with no pips is the “spare.” Each domino has a different color to distinguish it from its neighbors.

When you set up a row of dominoes and tip them ever-so-gently, it’s like watching a beautiful cascade of rhythmic motion. You can make a chain reaction in a variety of ways—you can build curved lines, grids that form pictures, 3-D structures like towers and pyramids—the sky’s the limit. But no matter what you try, the basic principle is the same: as each domino falls, it creates a pulse that travels down the line, just like a nerve impulse in your body.

Domino Art

Many people use dominoes to decorate their homes, but professional artists build mind-blowing displays with them that are used in exhibitions and public events. Some of these artists create curved lines, grids that form pictures when they fall, and even 3-D structures. Some of these creations take hours, if not days, to complete. But what makes it all possible is physics.

Each domino has inertia, the tendency to resist movement when no outside force is pushing or pulling on it. But if you give that first domino just the slightest nudge, it will start to move, and its potential energy will be converted to kinetic energy—the energy of motion.

That energy is transmitted to the next domino, providing it with a push. And that push is transferred to the next and the next until all the dominoes are falling. This is the domino effect.

The same kind of dynamic applies to writing, especially if you’re a pantser (a writer who composes their manuscript off the cuff). If you write scene after scene without any structure or outlines, it’s like setting up a row of dominoes in your home and then letting them fall. You’ll eventually get a lot of scenes that don’t fit together or have enough impact on the scene before it.

But if you use tools like Scrivener to help you plot ahead of time, you can avoid those domino-like scenes. That’s because a story’s plot—its logical chain of cause and effect—isn’t really about action. It’s about reaction. And thinking about the domino effect can help you develop your own reactions as a writer and produce more compelling fiction.

Many people struggle with feeling stuck. They may feel trapped in a job they dislike, or in a relationship that is not fulfilling. They may be overwhelmed by financial hardship or a lack of motivation. Feeling stuck is an incredibly common human experience, and can impact almost anyone. If you’re struggling with feeling stuck, it’s important to take action to identify the roadblocks that are holding you back and figure out what will work to remove them.

One of the most common reasons people feel stuck is because they are not clear about their purpose and why they’re doing what they’re doing. This is often caused by a combination of factors, including: not having an authentic sense of self, being disconnected from their spirituality, not having a deep and meaningful connection with others, being caught up in false objectives (i.e. “everyone in my family is a doctor, so I should be a doctor” or “all my friends have big houses with white picket fences and two kids, so I should have that too”), not knowing their strengths or gifts, not having a strong support system, etc.

Another reason why people feel stuck is because they don’t have a plan or structure in place for their lives. This can include not having a career path or goals in place, not having a consistent routine, not having a budget and financial planning, not being connected with their community, not having a personal development plan, and so on.

Having a structure in place to help you manage your time, set goals, and achieve success can be a powerful tool for eliminating the feeling of being stuck. It can also help you develop a stronger sense of identity, meaning, and connection with yourself.

The last common reason why people feel stuck is because they are overwhelmed by negative emotions. This includes anxiety, depression, fear, and other strong emotional feelings. It is important to recognize these feelings and seek out support from trusted friends, family members, and professionals.

It is also important to learn how to practice patience and delayed gratification. This is especially important in our current society of instant gratification. Learning how to make decisions from the perspective of future you can help prevent you from feeling stuck by helping you develop perseverance and moving closer toward your biggest goals and dreams.

If you’re struggling with feeling stuck, you’ll need to first identify the roadblocks that are keeping you from achieving your goals and overcoming them. It’s also a good idea to make an appointment with a counselor to help you uncover the unconscious beliefs and emotions that are contributing to your feeling stuck. A professional can help you work through these issues, and provide tools that will help you to get unstuck.