As a little girl, I was afraid of the dark. It’s still not one of my favorite things, but over the years, I’ve learned to adjust. (Aren’t nightlights wonderful?) I was thinking about “the dark” again recently and how fear, tension, and negativity affect our mindset and self-esteem. People who live in the dark sometimes do so willingly. Maybe it’s a subconscious …
What Guides You to Try Your Best?
Last weekend, our daughter’s school choir performed at a music contest. The kids worked hard. They practiced for months before the competition. Some students performed solos while others performed in larger groups. Our daughter was one of the altos in a sextet. As well as practicing with her school choir as a whole, she’d spent additional time after school practicing …
My Top Five Pick-Me-Ups for Writers
Welcome, my friend! In the midst of our busyness, off-times, and seasonal shifts, sometimes a pick-me-up is in order. Today I’ve culled through the archives and I wanted to share my top five pick-me-ups in the hope that something will resonate with you. Ready? Great! Here we go. 1. When Writers Lose Heart (The subject we don’t like to …
Should You Give Up Your Dream?
I heard a lot of groans this week. Discouraged sighs that tugged at my heartstrings and tweaked my emotions. Maybe you were one of those people I heard. Were you? If you read Wednesday’s post then you know how I’ve dealt with some of the “noise” that’s threatened to upend. Still… Life and circumstances can rattle us. They can make …
A Writer’s Gardening Guide for Surviving and Thriving: Five Practical Tips
I love beautiful plants, flowers, trees, and shrubs. I’m in awe of the people who grow them. My mama is one of those people. She could transplant a brick and bring it back to life. (Well—she can raise a stick from the dead.) Despite the odds, green things thrive under her watchful eye. Gardening’s never been my strong suit, but …
Encouragement for Your Season
Some seasons are mountaintop moments. Others are sojourns in the valley. Today, let’s talk about the sojourns. Everyone experiences difficulties, hardships, and trials from time to time. It’s inevitable. Some folks may endure these struggles temporarily. For others, the season of suffering may seem never-ending. As writers, we’re deeply in tune to these times of seasoning. These experiences mature us—not only …
When You Need To Be Brave
Ever had those days where everything bad that could happen does? The weed trimmer quits. The ac unit goes out. Your car won’t start. The words won’t come. The diagnosis stinks. And that’s just for starters. And once the ball gets rolling, maybe it goes from bad to worse. We’ve all experienced those restless, joy-strapped days where nothing seems to …
The Thing You Never Knew You Had
When I was a teenager I loved theme park rides. Fast, high, or topsy-turvy—didn’t matter. The rush of adrenaline and the thrill of the moment trumped any reservations or fear, and I loved the heady sense of accomplishment that came afterward. Ahhh. Youth. Today I go for rides that are much tamer in comparison. I’m less inclined to tackle anything …
The Waiting Game–Are You Poised for Success?
In the writing world, fewer things are harder than the wait. Whether it’s the expectation of what may happen or the weight of what won’t, writers tend to catalog their success by others’ acknowledgement. Why? Because we’re human. We’re either stymied by fear of the unknown or invigorated by possibility. Poised for success…or not. It should be about our work. …
When the Same Thing Doesn’t Work
Last year we had a significant cardinal explosion in our back field. (As in—they were everywhere!) We also had finches, wrens, and various other birds to frequent our bird feeder, but the cardinals were the main beauties that visited. Oh, how we enjoyed watching them! They’d clamor for top spot on the feeder rim, eat their fill, and then others …