2015

A new year is upon us and with that comes the requisite new years resolutions. I actually haven’t ever really made any in past years. At least, I haven’t written them down so I couldn’t tell you what they were (remember that memory I mentioned earlier?). This year I thought I would do something different and actually WRITE them down. So, here goes:

1. Write: I want to successfully complete my first writing course in the spring and possibly sign up for another in the fall. I also want to keep up with writing on this blog. I’d like to post 2-3 times a week minimum. I have an idea for a novel that I’ve started working on and doing research for. I’d like to have the research completed, a full outline, character profiles and some chapters of the book complete by the end of the year. This is huge and I know it will be a challenge. 

2. Read: I’m signing up for the 50 book challenge on goodreads. I never make time for reading and I really want to read more this year. I know it will benefit me and my writing.

3. Eat Less, Move More: No, this isn’t the old “I am going to lose X pounds this year.” I have been stopping and starting with running since the birth of my son – almost 4 years ago! I recently found a workout I really LOVE (Orangetheory Fitness) and started that in October. I want to continue going to OTF 2 times per week and run at home 3 times per week. It’s good for me and my sweet dog, Annie. The eating less is harder. Mostly I want to eat less sugar and not eating late at night. Mostly, I just want to be healthy and have more energy. If I lose a few pounds in the process, great. But I’m not putting a specific weight out there because it has just NEVER worked for me. 

4. Random Acts of Kindness: this world needs more kindness don’t you think? Recently, my family & I were out to dinner and when we went to pay the bill the server told us that someone had covered our entire bill. The man had already left so we have no idea why. Possibly, just because. It was overwhelming and humbling and oh so very kind. That random act of kindness impacted me in a powerful way and inspired me to “pay it forward.” I want to spread that kindness big and small in my own life.

5. Travel: Local, out-of-state, abroad. Travel of all kinds. I love exploring new places with my family and I want to continue that in 2015.  

That’s it. Short and sweet. I won’t overwhelm myself with too much. I think this is a good list to manage my course correction, primarily with writing. The rest will enrich my life in other ways that hopefully have a positive impact on my writing as well.

What are you resolutions for 2015?

“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.‘” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Pressure

Admittedly, I perform better under pressure.

When I decided to explore writing as a career, I immediately signed up for an online creative writing class which begins in January. I also ordered some books and began working on writing prompts. Since then, my job, the one that pays the bills, took over as well as preparing for the holidays. I really haven’t written much despite thinking about it constantly.

I signed up for a creative writing class for 2 reasons. First, I knew I needed to start building a portfolio of writing as well as have that writing critiqued. Second, knowing myself as I do, I knew I needed the pressure of a class, a schedule and deadlines to make myself write. With a full time job, a husband in school full time and a very busy toddler I just don’t have a ton of free time to myself.

Beyond that I really haven’t put any other pressure on myself even though this is something I desperately want. I struggle with follow through sometimes. But not for lack of desire, its mostly due to exhaustion. Often, I’m just too tired. I need pressure to push through and accomplish.

I think somehow my husband knew this, without me ever telling him.

Christmas morning, he gave me the most amazing gift in more ways than one. When I unwrapped the box I was overwhelmed to find a shiny new MacBook Air. My own MacBook was closing in on 5 years old and along with its age, it was giving me trouble. I complained about it but never even thought of getting a new one. My husband said he wanted me to have a new one to take this class & to be a “Harry Potter Mama” as he likes to put it.

At first, I didn’t want it. I felt it was too extravagant, something we couldn’t afford, didn’t really NEED, etc. But then I realized the greater gift he had given me with this shiny new MacBook. My husband has more confidence in me to be a successful writer than I do in myself. How’s that for pressure? That pressure, a good pressure, is what I need to push myself further than I ever have before. And I’ll have him to thank.

How does pressure impact your ability to accomplish your goals? Does it help you or hurt you?

“Courage is grace under pressure” ~Ernest Hemingway

Passion

How does one discover their passion?

I’ll be perfectly honest here. I don’t really know.

I do know that I have found myself here, at the age of 36, in love with my family and the things we do, explore and discover together. What I don’t love is where I spend the other 40 hours of my week. My work. I don’t really know how I got here. And I don’t want to be in the same place in another 15 years.

That realization is what pushed me to want to discover my passion. I thought about it a lot. I read a bit. What stuck with me most was something I read that said to think back to what I enjoyed the most when I was young. This was hard. I am notorious for having a terrible memory. I talked to my Mom and together we began remembering things. I have always loved animals. That was the easy one. What wasn’t so easy was what I actually spent my time doing.

Writing.

I had forgotten about the books I’d written. The newspapers I worked on in elementary and junior high. I have started several blogs over the years. One, a cooking blog, was quite popular before I abandoned it, something I regret since soon after many began making some serious money with theirs.

So here I am.  Just a mom who wants to be a good role model to her son. To provide for my family in a way that fuels me, not drains me. To show her son that work doesn’t have to make you miserable. If you do something you love, it won’t feel like work.

This blog is about my journey. I’m just beginning. I might share funny stories about my son, my family, our travels. I’d love to share some recipes and talk about my four legged family members. But mostly I want to write. Write about life, love, joy, trials, setbacks, sadness. I’ll be writing about all of it because this is real. This is my journey, a course correction, to find my passion.

What is your passion? What do you do every day to fuel that passion?

“Don’t worry about what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” ~Howard Thurman