We all get stuck every once in a while, which is perfectly fine. What matters most is what we do afterward.

It’s okay to doubt, to fall, to lose, but always remember the lessons we’ve learned and always find ways to improve ourselves just like Claudia.

Read on to see what practical ways she tries to not settle, accept challenges, and keep moving forward.

Tell us a little about yourself.

My name is Claudia M. Zedda, I’m 23 and I am from Sardinia, Italy. I lived in Sardinia my whole life until I turned 18 and decided to move to Ireland, where I currently study International Development and Food Policy at University College Cork.

I work part-time as a waitress, and a committee member of a society that welcomes refugees and migrants on campus, and really into weightlifting and a healthy lifestyle.

I am a passionate student, activist, global citizen and writer interested in both global and personal development.

On my Medium I write about language learning, traveling and global affairs but also organization, student life, productivity and writing hacks.

I love inspiring my readers and those around me to follow their dreams by sharing my personal knowledge on topics I believe are important and relevant to young people who wish to succeed in life.

Why did you decide to move to Ireland?

I was just finishing secondary school and was looking to understand what it really means to feel independent and free.

I always wanted to travel and meet people from different countries but I never had the opportunity to do so in Sardinia as my parents don’t really travel much. I also wanted to improve my English which is now my second language.

What are the most important lessons you’ve learned while working part-time?

I learned to be patient, kind to others, read people’s minds and work in a team.

I believe all the best assets I’ve got come from working in hospitality. It is an extremely tough job but it sets you up for any other career you are looking to pursue.

How do you schedule your day to be productive?

For me scheduling my time is vital. I use Google Calendar as a general system to block my time, but I also have an agenda that I bring with me where I plan my week more in detail.

I also use Notion to track daily habits and make sure that I accomplish the goals I set for myself every month.

I will always make sure I have some time blocked for creativity and writing, either first thing in the morning or before going to bed.

What changes did you see in yourself when you started writing?

I became much more creative, as weird as it sounds.

Once you start writing you cannot stop: the world becomes an infinite source of ideas that you cannot wait to put into the paper. I also became more self-aware, as I had time to reflect on myself, and happier overall.

It felt like there was genuinely something missing in my life before I started my Medium blog. It is my diary, my safe space for expression, and I get to share everything I love with a beautiful community of readers and writers. I am definitely a better person since I started this journey.

What do you like most about Effie? Are there any features that you find useful while using?

What I love the most about Effie is that I can jot down everything I am thinking and free my creativity without distractions.

The full-screen mode helps me stay focused and be more productive when I need to write articles for the blog in a very short time.

There are a lot of handy shortcuts and features that are ideal for any writer or student, such as the mindmap feature, and can be used across multiple devices.

As a final-year student and writer, I am constantly writing, so Effie has basically become my best friend since I first used it.

Other than Effie, what other tools you often use when writing?

I use Notion to schedule my articles, Grammarly to proofread for grammar and punctuation, and the Headline Analyzer to perfect my titles.

What’s your secret to good writing?

Learn a lot. Practice a lot. Write a lot. Only by doing you’ll be able to find your niche, your style, and your audience.

I always keep in mind that there is space for improvement and that everyone struggles with finding their path at the beginning. Apart from that, the secret to good writing is to stay true to yourself, be creative, and share what you love.

Want to know more about Claudia? Feel free to check out her latest post on Medium and Instagram.