Declutter the Old So You Can Make Room for Your Bloom
1-30-26 to 1-31-25
Well, here we are at the end of the first month of January, which feels like a whole year's worth of things happened so far. We have the wrath of ICE and ICE going on in America. If you know, you know. Both are depressing, so i'm not going to spend too much time on them. When I wrote last week's newsletter, we were on the cusp of a major snowstorm, and when it hit, it was everything they said it would be.
The biggest problem is the below freezing temperarures. When you have a foot of snow when it's that cold, it has nowhere to go. It was extremely uninspiring, and the irony is that I wrote about a flow-state experience of walking in lighter snow two weeks ago, yet some of my readers thought I was speaking of this current storm. Heeell no! I had to message a friend to clarify I was writing about another day. Here's the link to the poem.
I feel like most of January was the calm to th storm that happened 1-25-26. I remember when I took my walk on 1-23-26, I just enjoyed the cold, still air and basked in the present. The atmosphere whispered to me what was coming. Now here I am in the aftermath of it all. I made it, and I have new ideas; I accomplished new tasks
Sometime this week, I felt like it's time for me to declutter my space. That starts with my phone, my external hard drives, and my mental and physical space. I think this is a great time to start, as we're about to enter the latter part of winter, and I want to have certain things cleared out before spring arrives. I don't want to start in the spring. I want to already be operating in that minimal mindset ( I like that I may use that for a future title)
My place has been a mess this week, and it felt so good to do basic things like wash dishes, sweep, clean, wipe down surfaces, hang up clothes, and begin to organize things. I was able to do that and still walk two miles on the walkpad. I felt energized today. I want to do an aggressive declutter in my home that will free up so much space. I'm also doing the same with one of my main external hard drives. I have projects from 2014 to 2019 that I want to erase and let go of. I feel like a digital hoarder at this point. It's time to let go of anything backed up before 2020.
I feel overwhelmed by the brilliant, innovative ideas from 2019 that I still haven't completed. It's time for so many of those years to disappear. I have music and video backed that I need altogether anyway. I have a whole massive folder with videos with the music from 7 years ago that I will just use as a reference because those same projects i'm replacing the resolution from standard to 4K resolution. That's a huge jump! Technology upgrades don't wait for anyone, and so much has changed in the world with A.I. in the last several years.
Decluttering is a huge part of your creative process. Your art should be a constant river life that's flowing and ever-changing. Not a blocked damn of debris and stagnation. Just like the snow that fell a week ago, it's not pretty anymore. It looks like a cluster of dirty mini-mountains that serve no purpose at all. The warm sunshine is about to come and melt it all, so it can say goodbye and die in the city's storm drains. Then we can welcome new, ornate snow and replenishing rain.
Ok, now i'm about to go take a walk and finish when I get back.
Ok, now i'm back. I took a cold morning walk, and it was refreshing. It was nice get some fresh air. I recorded an outdoor test of my new wireless microphone, but I still have to study and master it, because outdoor recording is very tricky. To wrap up this section, I feel this was a productive month, but I have a lot of room for improvement. I have to lock in on one task at a time and complete it. It's all going to come together in divine timing.
What's New? What are you working on?
I've been testing my new wireless microphone. Did two test podcasts that were indoor and outdoors.
What have you completed?
I will upload two podcast episodes.
Projects to complete
1.) The Truth is the Sun Remaster. Upload it to Bandcamp and create video promos that are ready for paid ads. Will do something special and exclusive for the City of Creative Network.
2. ) Bonus: Continue to transfer files to The Blood of my Pen: The Definitive Edition Hardcover book.
3.) Record a new YouTube Short weekly to summarize the newsletter. ( Completed in new podcast episode)
4.) Record a podcast telling the story behind The Truth is the Sun.
5.) Work on a Valentine's Day special podcast about the breakdown of my love rap song, All the Way.
I would love to hear from you all. This isn't a one-sided email. If you're seeing this, you have access to me. You can reply to this email or to any DM text message we're on. I would love to hear how you are doing, what you're working on, and whether you have any feedback on this series.
Spontaneous Lessons: Being Present is a Gift and a Blessing
January 23 to 24th 2026
Spontaneous Lessons: Being Present is a Gift and a Blessing
1-23-2026 -1-24-2026
Hello Friends, Peers, and City of Creatives
Well, hello everyone, this is one of those late deliveries of this week's newsletter because I had a totally different concept of what I was going to write about. My Friday morning walk changed everything. I really don't want to write my newsletter at the last minute, but I had such an amazing flow-state experience on my cool morning journey today. It feels like the calm before the storm. The United States is getting a major snow and ice event.
I haven't even been to the grocery stores because I don't want to feel that anxious energy everyone has. I have all of the food and drink I need. I want to maintain my peace, but I am mentally and physically prepared. We were hit with a winter preview in December. I have a love-hate relationship with snow: I love walking and basking in its beauty, but driving in it can be stressful.
One day, I won't have that problem. I will be full circle as an innocent child when a blizzard brings pure joy. All I saw was being off from school and playing in the neighborhood with my friends, but when you're an adult with an essential job in the health field, things become mundane when you have to travel in inclement weather. Some of my anxiety came from looking at the forecast and knowing that I'll be getting right in the thick of things.
I also had an appointment this week to pick up my Mother. I think it's just the fear of the unknown that can have me paralyzed at times. I've been at the place where I had to pick her up, and I always want to be dependable and there for her. When my normal schedule changes, it can be overwhelming.
When I picked her up, everything went perfectly, and I felt a sense of accomplishment for stepping outside my routine. When you do something that you don't normally do it breaks and unlocks something in you. I'll be honest, doing the same thing with the same schedule is a safe place for me. I realize that when I broke the monotony, new doors opened within me.
Fear is like standing still at the edge of a gorge or chasm, but when you have the courage to step into the unknown, that bravery to try is the bridge to the other side of all of the things you want and dream of. That's where the future you is patiently waiting at. On the other side of the comfort zone, where we all tend to hide and reside.
As I was walking, I took some photos that inspired me of this crow sitting at the top of one of the tallest trees on the block. What captivated me about this scene was that this big crow was on the very top of a branch that didn't seem like it supported its weight. The scene looked so awe-inspiring, and then my imagination began telling me a story about what I was seeing.
That crow is elevated at the top and has a different perspective of the world than I do. I told myself in that moment that I would be free one day. One day, I will use the wings I've been given, and I won't be afraid to fall, because faith in myself is the wind that will carry me to where I belong. I will glide then soar to the place i'm destined to be.
In one of the final photos I took on my introspective walk, I noticed three things that revealed themselves to me so vividly. I saw three tiers of elevation and vibration.
3. Low Vibration: The bottom level. The first thing I see is a sign that reads "lawbreakers, beware." That made me feel stagnant and trapped in a negative world that I want to escape from
2. Mid Vibration: I'm a little bit higher, but i'm still not where I want to be. The neighborhood's amber street lamp represents that little glimmer you see in a dark tunnel. It's the light that gives you the drive to keep climbing. I see an illuminated path forward and upward. The light is hope.
1.) The Highest Vibration: It's the crow on the fragile branch way up high in the cool and blue, moody sky of a January sky. I want to be where I will be someday. In God's perfect timing. I'll thank that version of me who had the vision to see beyond what I could process and start embracing the impossible.
I was listening to an amazing book called Stop Procrastinating on the second half of my walk, so good I had to share one of the exercises he told readers to try.
1.) I want to be self-sufficient, with no more ties to a job that requires me to follow their schedule. I want to make my own, and I finally understand what it feels like to not know what day of the week it is.
2.) I won't be distracted by constantly scrolling on social media, wasting my precious time.
3.) I will start converting my artistic projects into streams of income, which will lead to rivers of opportunity, and they will expand into an ocean of prosperity.
I also started an audiobook by legendary lyrical genius Rakim on 1-24-26. It's called Sweat The Technique. It's everything I thought it would be so far. It's inspiring to record myself and get better and more comfortable with my speaking voice.
Well, here's the productivity part of Focus on your Dreams Friday.
Here's a YouTube Short that captures the essence of this walk journal, which evolved into my Focus on Your Dreams Newsletter.
https://youtube.com/shorts/
What's New? What are you working on?
Not much this week. I've been editing and publishing articles on Medium.
What have you completed?
I completed a poetry trilogy called The Pluviofile about my love of rain. You can read all parts on this link to my Medium page.
New YouTube Short https://youtube.com/shorts/
Projects to complete
1.) The Truth is the Sun Remaster. Upload it to Bandcamp and create video promos that are ready for paid ads. Will do something special and exclusive for the City of Creative Network.
2. ) Bonus: Continue to transfer files to The Blood of my Pen: The Definitive Edition Hardcover book.
3.) Record a new YouTube Short weekly to summarize the newsletter.
4.) Record a podcast telling the story behind The Truth is the Sun.
I would love to hear from you all. This isn't a one-sided email. If you're seeing this, you have access to me. You can reply to this email or to any DM text message we're on. I would love to hear how you are doing, what you're working on, and whether you have any feedback on this series.
Immerse yourself in your imagination.
Please write
down the vision,
make it plain, and then run with it.
Walter P.o.p. Matthews IV
To Be Inspired or Not Be Inspired
January 16 2026
1-16-2026
Hello Friends, Peers, and City of Creatives
Well, we're two weeks into 2026, and have you given up on your goals yet? Hey, I think we're all caught up in the new-year, new-me vibe in December, but for some reason, we shift back into this mundane reality by mid-January. Don't feel bad because January and February are in the dead of winter, so whatever you do, you're ahead of the game because the new year shouldn't start until March anyway.
We get so locked into society's calendar when really we should create our own. I have a good friend and content creator from Australia who suggests that our calendar should be from birthday to birthday. I like that. It's different and out-of-the-box. I started Focus on Your Dreams at the end of September, so I could make it my calendar entry. Anyway.
This was an interesting week where I recieved some new revelations about my daily productivity journey. I decided Sunday would be the day to write the newsletter that would go out on Friday. Well. Life happened on Sunday because the heat was out in my building, and my neighbor and I had to figure it out because the building owner doesn't live in my city. We're really on our own. Fortunately, I have a great relationship with the tenant who rents the area where our furnaces are located, and when he arrived, he realized that one of his workers had accidentally turned off the switch to our heat. God is good, and i'm grateful. So I have heat now.
The next morning, Monday, I had planned to walk because I always go out onto my rooftop to judge the weather and the atmosphere. A clear, starry sky and that dry, cold weather are always a go. So when it was time to get ready for my walk, my body was really sluggish and tired. I fell asleep, and I was very disappointed to have missed my cold, early Monday-morning walk. Moving and writing those walk journals are my most significant sources of inspiration. It's where I receive many of my ideas and creative inspiration.
It's my outside office and outdoor canvas. Well, missing my favorite activity made me realize something. I have an indoor office that I take for granted. It's my music studio, dream chamber, and sonic sanctuary. When I sit stationary in my office chair, I have no choice but to get work done, and guess what? I did. I was highly productive on Monday, 1-12-26. I was reminded of the left- and right-brain sides of productivity.
The right brain is when i'm in flow state with the elements, the rhythm of my steps, the sound of the audio i'm listening to, and the whimsical place that my imagination takes me to. I dwell in the cozy womb of the right brain a lot. Every now and then, my left brain awakens. That's when you turn the computer on, sit in the chair, open one of the many project folders, and get to work.
Completing a creative project is a whole different kind of euphoria. So, on that magnificent Monday, I wasn't inspired. The twist is deciding to sit still for a couple of hours and focus on getting work done, which inspired this newsletter. Every day we're stepping into the beautiful unknown. Go with the flow. Regiments will change because life changes. Then we must pivot.
I want to end this section by sharing an exchange I had with a live streamer that I think the world of. I told her what I was currently working on, and she said, "You are such an inspiration." I told her that if i'm an inspiration, you are a muse. Just being you is enough.
Well, here's the productivity part of Focus on your Dreams Friday.
What's New? What are you working on?
I'm currently working on my hardcover expanded edition of my first book. The Blood of My Pen. It's coming together nicely. There will be 4 new chapters, bringing the book's total to 10. It's like a whole new book. I'm also about to release my remastered first Spoken Word album, The Truth Is the Sun.
What have you completed?
Again, I have completed my January walk journal, and I plan to release 4 podcast episodes from Dec 1st to Jan 1st. I've been creating a lot of A.I. art and video for future YouTube projects. I'm very excited about that.
Projects to complete
1.) The Truth of the Sun album, lyric documents, and reel/ shorts promo
Bonus
A. Upload 4 podcast episodes as is without music
B. Record The Truth is the Sun podcast
C. Create opening video logo for Creative Contemplation; Cue The Score!
I would love to hear from you all. This isn't a one-sided email. If you're seeing this, you have access to me. You can reply to this email or to any DM text message we're on. I would love to hear how you are doing, what you're working on, and whether you have any feedback on this series.
I also have a guestbook where you can sign. I look forward to hearing from you all. Have a productive week.
Converting Procrastination into the Proactive
January 9th 2026
*Editor's update: I caught the flu on 1-6-26 and 1-7-26, so writing this newsletter on Sunday, 1-4-26, worked out well for me. This is the foundation I want to build upon because unexpected things occur in life. So being proactive allowed me to deliver this to you on time.*
I love feedback and engagement, so let me know your plans to crush your goals this week and this month, or how you felt about this week's newsletter by replying to this email or leaving a comment on the guestbook link below.
https://poppresents.com/guestbook
Happy New Year, everyone! I hope that your holidays and whatever break you recieved from the hustle and bustle of life were enjoyed. I'm just coming off an extra day off that gave me a much-needed reset as I walk boldly into 2026. It's here, and i'm ready to seize this first quarter of this new year. Many of you have been following and reading this focus on your dream Friday journey since I started it at the end of September. I had a robust fourth quarter of 2025 because, for the first time, I was organizing my ideas and holding myself accountable to them weekly. It was a breakthrough for me.
My imagination, creativity, and artistry broke through the floodgates in 2025, so I had no choice but to build a foundation to support this structure. An editor named me a Multi-Media Creative because I submit poems with photography, and I lived up to it. I'm just getting started, and I have so much work to do. I haven't even scratched the surface. The rapidly advancing AI programs have changed everything, but ideas don't have to stay stuck in the catacombs of the mind as rough storyboards.
So, this year, I wrote prompts for A.I., and then a sleeping giant awakened. I'm not going back to sleep any time soon.
So, in the latter days of my dark December morning walks, I started listening to an audiobook I love called How to Stop Procrastinating by Daniel Walter. It's so good, I can't wait to pick up where I left off on my cold Monday morning walk, God willing. I had to begin to start being honest with myself on how I don't get things done when i'm supposed to. Even writing this was a challenge because i'm writing this on a Sunday. On Sundays, after I come home from work, I eat breakfast, put on my coziest pajama pants, and turn on YouTube, my favorite streaming app. Well, I want something different, so i'm doing something different. I want to work on being ahead of the game. Trying to write this newsletter on Thursday or Friday is unacceptable. I have to start being proactive in all that I do.
I started small. Instead of wasting time at work, I got ahead with my work and cleaning, so when it was time to give meds, I was ahead of schedule. I get off at 9 am, and I tend to linger until 9:15 am. Add to that, I have a very talkative coworker who will hold you hostage in conversation if you let her. I didn't have time for that today. I was on a mission. I know that to complete these goals and not be behind, but ahead, I have to start changing my daily atomic habits..
Make sure I get proper rest, iron my work clothes for the week, make my food for a couple of days, and get some adequate rest. I started a magnesium supplement, and I already feel like my rest quality has improved. I also committed to my water app again, so i'm hydrated. So there are so many things that will be replacing mindless scrolling or unnecessary talking once i'm off at work. I was excited to get home and write this. So i'm not going to go overboard with the creative goals for this week, but I will list what I will complete and some bonus extra credit to get this party started. Even making my bed consistently has to become part of my process.
Ok, here's what I want to get completed for this week.
1.) Complete and upload my first podcast of the year, which is episode 14.
Bonus three
1.) Release The Truth is the Sun Album
2.) Edit and complete January Walk Journal (DONE!)
3.) Upgrade to A.I. Pro ( DONE!)
While I was enjoying my downtime, one night I turned on my Galaxy projector in my bedroom and selected the Earth disc. I fell asleep with it rotating and hovering over my head. Every time I briefly woke up, I felt like I drifted deeper into the surreal. We are in the middle of a supermoon being visible in the evening and night sky, but there's nothing like gently falling asleep under the pale blue glow of the Earthlight. Great way to start a year, huh?
Let's all experience the highest elevation of an abundant life. Just project that love within for whatever you're passionate about.
Thank you for reading
Walter P.o.p. Matthews IV
The End is the Beginning: DECEMBER 31ST 2025
Happy New Year's Eve and New Year for some of my international friends. I'm publishing this on
12-31-2025 at 7:45 pm Eastern Standard Time
Hello City of Creatives, I hope you had an excellent holiday season with your families. After Christmas, the week before New Year's Day seems like it goes so quickly. I wanted to send you at least one end-of-2025 reflection. I've written the rough draft of this essay in my head multiple times during my end-of-December walks, and it's changed a couple of times, but I want to use a composition and a template as my foundation.
I want to share five creative highlights and five lifestyle highlights of 2025. Then I want to share five creative projects and then five lifestyle goals I will achieve in the first quarter of 2026. I love the structure that Focus on Your Dreams Friday has given me because I had to be accountable to the peers that I respect, that is, all of you who are reading this.
Working the night shift and finishing up on Thursday morning made it a challenge to get a Friday newsletter out. In the process of typing this, I almost gave myself an out and just called it Focus on your Dreams. Then it wouldn't be locked into one day. That's the whole point. I need one day to stick to so I can have a strict deadline. It will help me with procrastination. I will transform procrastination into proactivity in 2026.
Let's start at the beginning of January 2025. We all have energized, audacious goals in those first couple of weeks, and many of us fall right back into our bad habits, lack of commitment, and unfinished work in February. I was going to set monthly goals to complete by month-end, but I got distracted, like I always do, and ended up with nothing to show for it. Here's the link to that newsletter.
January 2025 Monthly Goals https://poppresents.com/p-o-p-
That attempt to complete monthly projects may have seemed like a failure and been buried in the dirt, but when I look back, it was just a seed planted. Nine months later, something new was born. A new chapter for a right-brain visionary to finally join forces with the left-brain creative. It takes nine months for a human to form in a Mother's womb, and so did Focus on your Dreams Friday.
Born 9-26-2025 https://bandzoogle.com/
It would mean so much to me if you clicked on all of the links so you can immerse yourself in the whole experience. I appreciate you.
So here we are, my productivity revolution begins. My goal is to be an example of a multimedia creative who inspires the masses to create their own art. I have to step it up and get it done, though. Even if I fall short many times, I want you to see that I never give up. As long as I have breath, I will never partake in that February falloff again. It will be the February fire that will keep us all inspired. I make that commitment to myself and you. Hey, someone has to do it. Why not me?
Now, let's get into the highlights of the past, the hope of the future, and take a moment to give thanks for this gift called the present.
Thank you, Lord, for life and protection
Thank you to my Mother for raising and teaching me
Thank you, City of Creatives, for your constant support
Walter P.o.p.Matthews IV
Creative Highlights 2025
1.) Focus on your Dreams Friday: This was my productivity breakthrough. It's where my left brain supported my right brain, and my creation met completion. I finally found a way to structure all of my projects so I could be accountable to myself and my peers. I also wanted my documented journey to be a template for other artists to follow.
2.) My Outdoor Canvas: When I walk, it becomes a part of the living painting that writes itself. I had this realization while walking, listening to Matthew McConaughey's "Green Lights." I remember thinking I wanted to buy his second book, Poems and Prayers, and right in front of me was an intersection with a green light and a church with a steeple. That's when the term My Outdoor Canvas was born.
3.) A. I. Art: Collaborating with Canva Pro and Gemini took my creativity to a whole new level because I didn't have the time limitations that creating graphic art for various projects can impose. It gave me a renewed sense of excitement when creating album covers, social media promos, and visuals for my podcasts. A.I. was a breakthrough for me as a multi-media creative in 2025.
4.) Creative Contemplation: I created a subdivision of my brand, Cue the Score. This concept will combine my original music scores with visually stimulating scenery to evoke both meditation and creativity. This is my own unique take on YouTube Lofi videos and ambient soundscapes.
5.) Expanding City of Creatives; This email list has reached 60 subscribers, and that's built from a carefully curated tribe of like minds. I'm very proud of the network i'm building because it's a valuable list of people that cannot be replaced.
Bonus
Moonlight MasterMind: A series within my P.O.P. PRESENTS podcast, where I record a mindful monologue beneath the luminescent full moon on my rooftop. I record them once a month, and I don't get a chance to publish them all, so i'm going to put together a special album showcasing those recordings. Here are some examples of what that will sound like.
Episode 11 : Moonlight Mastermind Part 1
Episode 12 : Moonlight Mastermind Part 2
- Establishing streams of income
- Publishing multiple printed and audio books
- Expanding A.I. creation to short films and videos for my music
- Creating multiple instrumental albums
- Converting articles to audio narration for YouTube
Thanks, just the beginning, i'm just getting started. I had a longer version of this, listing some lifestyle highlights and goals, so I'll summarize a few.
1.) Better nutrition ( Get a calorie app that takes photos of food to analyze)
2.) More reading of physical books. I'm starting a hardcover collection.
3.) Learn one foreign language
4.) Walk 500 miles in 2026 and use more weights and calisthenics to tone.
5.) Drink water more consistently
6.) Get quality sleep.
That's all. I hope you have the Happiest New Year and the most prosperous, productive, and proactive New Year Ever!
