A Strenuous Workout

Here's to the feeling right after a strenuous workout - Jill Badonsky

Event though my new work schedule is 1 pm to 9 pm Monday through Friday, I can't help but to be excited because I'm working out six days a week.  I get up, mess around on the Internet for a while to wake up, do my workout, and then write until I meet my writing goal for the day.  I have never felt better and my writing has never been better.

I even think about what I'm going to be writing while I work out.  When I ride my exercise bike, I usually read and think about what I'll be writing.  I definitely think about what I'll be writing when I do a weightlifting workout.  It just helps the exercising get done quicker. 

Sometimes in the past, I know that physical activity has helped spur my creative brain.  And the I know the opposite is true as well; when I don't workout, sometimes the words just don't flow out of my brain and hands.

Stephen Covey recommends, in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, that one should take one hour a day for themselves to Sharpen the Saw.  This has to do with your physical, mental, and spiritual self.  It was after reading this book so many years ago that I started getting into my workout routines. 

So if you seem stuck in your dream journey or haven't started yet, you might start with with a goal of adding some exercise to your routine.  You should find some inspiration in feeling physically better afterwards.

If you already have a fitness routine, I'd love to hear how it fits in with your dream goal/journey?  Or maybe getting more fit is your dream journey.  No matter which it is, I'd love to hear!

Here's to Finding Your Own Unique Approach, Identiy or Style

Here's to finding your own unique approach, identity, or style ~ Jill Badonsky

There's so much that could be written with today's prompt, but sometimes the best quotes are just to be considered.  Today is one of those days. 

What have you done lately that is your own unique approach, identity, or style you've put on your dream journey?  I'd love to hear!

Impossible

I think it is impossible to explain faith.  It is like trying to explain air, which one cannot do by dividing it into its component parts and labeling them scientifically.  It must be breathed to be understood ~ Patrick White

Do you have faith in yourself to achieve you dreams?  Sometime I wonder about the answer to that question myself.

Believe it or not, but sometimes when my routines are humming, my projects are moving forward, and things seem to be happening, that's when the doubt creeps into my mind.  I've come to understand for me, that usually means there's some boredom to the routine somewhere and I need to spice things up.  Most of the time if I go out and actually do something on the weekends rather than just sitting at home, that's enough to get the doubt out of my mind.

Doubt can come quickly, but faith in yourself can be harder to find.  If you persevere and work through the doubt, just reaching small goals along the way can do wonders for your faith and confidence in yourself.  My second novel is going much faster than the first one ever did.  The first one isn't published yet, but nearly ready to start down that path.  But just knowing I did the first novel has helped propel my confidence in finishing the second one, maybe even this year.

It is impossible to explain, sometimes you do just have to live it and breath it to understand.  Have you had any experiences of new found faith in yourself lately?  I'd love to hear!

There are Shortcuts to Happiness

There are short cuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them ~ Vicki Baum

Yes, dancing a very short cut to happiness.  This inspiration also reminds me that our goals and dreams don't have to be complicated, they can be simple.

One simple step I changed in my life this last week was reducing the amount soda pop I've been drinking.  I didn't register with me how many cans I was consuming a day until I came to my new office.  It's a small office to begin with and when I saw those cans start to stack up day after day, I realized I should make a change.

So I've been drinking more water and less soda and I feel wonderful.  That was something very simple I could do, have immediate success, with immediate reward for my efforts. 

And this all comes back to keeping our routines simple so that achieving our long term goals and dreams are always fun and exciting and on the horizon.

What have you simplified in your life lately?  I'd love to hear!

Silly in a Natural State

Silly is you in a natural state, and serious is something you have to do until you can get silly again ~ Mike Myers

What makes you silly?  What makes you absolute so happy, that you are silly about it?

For the last ten years, the thought of being able to control my time has been my dream.  I used to think I could do it through direct sales.  Now I know I can do it through writing. 

You have to figure out what makes you absolutely happy or silly and pursue it.  Sometimes you realize that at younger age and pursue it from the moment you figure it out.  Sometimes you won't figure that out until you're much older.

Whatever your case, once you figure out what makes you silly, pursue it with all your energy.

Turtle on a Fencepost?

Anytime you see a turtle on top of a fencepost, you know he had some help ~ Alex Haley

If it were not for all the help and support from the resources I've found on Facebook, Twitter, and Internet, I would never had finished my first novel.  And I doubt that I would be nearly halfway through writing my second novel.

And that's part of my goal of blogging is giving back some of what I've been given and discovered myself.  For me it's part of my gratitude for what I've learned.

I wrote on Sunday about finding community along your dream journey.  Today my question is, what have you given back to your friends on the same dream journey as your own?

I'd love to hear!

Belonging



Here's to the feeling of belonging to nature ~ Jill Badonsky

Here's to the feeling of belonging, period. 

I hope you're taken the time to investigate your dream community.  By Dream Community, I mean the people who are actively pursuing your same Dream Journey, as well as those who have "made it."

One of the places I've found community has been Twitter.  I love getting all the updates, articles, and feeds from all the people I follow.  It's nice to hear the good things are going and it feels good  to give encouragement to those who might be struggling throughout the week. 

When I sold Tupperware, one of the reasons I stayed in so long was because of the weekly sales rallies we had at the time.  That camaraderie with the other consultants was priceless. 

Have you found community in your dream journey?  I'd love to hear!

Some Kind of Dream

He felt that his whole life was some kind of dream and he sometimes wondered whose it was and whether they were enjoying it ~ Douglas Adams

I hope you're not sitting back wondering this about your own life.  What can you do this weekend to get going on your dream journey?  If you're already chugging along, what can you do differently to get further on it?

Have a great weekend everyone!

Sponges Grow in the Ocean

Sponges grow in the ocean.  That just kills me.  I wonder how much deeper the ocean would be if that didn't happen ~ Stephen Wright

How many times as a young child did you hear something, like sponges in the ocean, and think of something totally different than the context, as if they were sponges on the kitchen sink?

When we were younger, most of us were told we could be whatever we wanted to be or do whatever we set our mind.  As we grow older, things get in the way of those beliefs.  Unfortunately, once those dreams are dead, it can very hard to resurrect them.

But I'm here to tell you that dreams can be resurrected and dreams can come true.  Four years ago, I set out to write a novel and I've just completed that goal.  Writing is only a part of it, I am still in the editing stage, but I have the novel written and am working very hard on the editing part.

Do you have a childhood dream lurking about with the sponges in the ocean?  The year is not even halfway over, you could start on resurrecting those dreams this year.

Have a great week!

The World is But a Canvas

The world is but a canvas to our imagination ~ Henry David Thoreau

Yes, the world is but a canvas to our imagination.  Most of the time, we are only limited by what our own minds tell us we can or cannot achieve.

Can you believe it is the middle of May already?  In just about six weeks, the year will be half way over , where are you on your dream journey this year? 

For my friends in direct sales, you are probably getting your bookings up so that you can have a productive summer season and getting ready for your summer conferences.

For my writing friends, many are also getting ready to attend summer book fairs, conferences, and other events to promote their books.

If you haven’t started on your dream goals for the year at this point, examine your goals and get your plan in place.  It’s not too late.

The world is but our canvas, what are you making with yours this year?

Train Yourself to Let Go

Train yourself to let go of the things that you fear to loose ~ George Lucas

What are the things that you fear to loose?  Control?  Family? Friends?

Sometimes when we choose not to pursue our goals and dreams because of the uncertainty that they provide.  Anyone who has ever achieved anything will tell us that they gave it all up to pursue what was in their heart and look where they are at today.

Let's consider Walt Disney:  he had mortgaged nearly everything he owned to make the first feature length animated film, and at the time, no one said with was possible.  Look at the Walt Disney Company today, it's a mega-media giant in the industry.

Now, I'm not telling you to go out and mortgage your house to finance your dream!!  I am, however, asking you to consider what you could differently each day to make your dreams come true.  And remember, sometimes making sacrifices today helps to give you more time in the future to do the things you love with the people you love.

What have you let go of lately in order to pursue your dream?  I'd love to hear!

Nights When the Moon Howls

There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls ~ George Carlin

Do you ever have nights when you just can't sleep because your mind was racing?  How do you deal with those nights?  Sometimes my mind races because I have a new thought or idea in my head.  Sometimes, it has to do with my current WIP and I just sit down and continue my writing for the day, which adds to my weekly writing goal. 

Other times, I have brainstorms about other new and exciting novels yet to come.  I also take the time to get out my ideas "on paper" and then I can usually rest.  The cool thing about this approach is I have notes and some writing started for six additional projects. 

No matter what your dream goal, I hope you have an outlet for the creative insomnia that hits everyone once in a while.  Whether it's reading a book to help you relax and get to sleep or actually working on your dream journey, you just never know when that creative energy is going to hit.

How do you deal with your late night creative energy?

Never Wear Anything that Panics the Cat!

Never wear anything that panics the cat ~ PJ O'Rourke

If you have cats, you know they are creatures of habit.  My cats seem to follow the same schedule each day, lying about in their certain spots at certain times of the day.  The only thing that changes is the time I wake up to feed them in the morning or when I rearrange the furniture on them.

When you grow and change while achieving your dream journey, sometimes the people closest to you can get panicked because of the change.  That’s a normal part of life, you’re changing and they are not and most people don’t like change.  But remember, that change is a part of growth and you must grow, in most cases, to achieve your dreams and goals.

So instead of not wearing anything that panics the cat, I actually challenge you to wear something that will panic the cat, figuratively speaking, and step out of everybody’s comfort zone.  What have you done lately to panic the cats in your life?

The Dust of Everday Life

Romance is the glamour which turns the dust of everyday life into a golden haze ~ Amanda Cross

There are many types of romances, but the one I want you to think about is your dream journey?  Do you have a romance with your dream journey?  If you do, I can almost guarantee that creating boundaries like making sure that household chores get done so you can work towards your dream goals turns that dust of everyday life into a golden haze.

Last week was my fifth week at my new job on my new schedule.  I experienced some exhaustion, but when I realized it was because I’ve been able to devote more time to my creative pursuits, I was actually energized.  Prior to this schedule I’m working, I was lucky to write 15 minutes a day.  Now I take whatever time it takes me to write 800-900 words per day so I can achieve 5000 words per week.  And those of you on a writing journey with me know that can take a lot out of you.

So now I actually have to set a boundary that I don’t surpass the 900 word goal in the mornings.  If I do, I seem to be tired to the point I can’t concentrate at work later in the afternoon and early evening.  And by limiting my creativity, telling myself I can’t work on something, actually seems to get creative juices flowing when I allow myself to work.  Funny how that works? 

How has working on your dream journey made your life more enjoyable?  I’d love to hear!

The Only Failure

The only failure is not to try ~ George Clooney

Once again, I am at a loss for additional words to add to the quote I've chosen for today.

Happy Birthday, George Clooney and thanks for the great thoughts!

Here's to the Feeling of First Learning to Ride a Bike

Here's to the feeling of first learning to ride a bike ~ Jill Badonsky

Do you remember how excited you were when you first rode your bike on your own?  The feeling of freedom and accomplishment that you were just a little bit independent than you had been before?

As adults, those "learning to ride a bike moments" are translated into firsts when it comes to our jobs, goals, and dreams.  I remember in direct sales the excitement I got each time I recruited a new team member.

When it comes to my writing, I've had some firsts that have developed into some nice continuing routines.  Starting in February, I've been consistency writing 5000 words per week.  This allowed me finished A Place to Call Their Own and now I'm 26,000 words into my next novel, Disappear With Me. 

Now 5000 words per week is my new minimum and I do whatever it takes to reach that goal.  Even this week, my work schedule will be adjusted later in the week, so I've made some adjustments to my writing schedule.

What firsts have you experienced recently that you have made into regular routines? 

In Order to Understand

First, I do not sit down at my desk to put into verse, something that is already clear in my mind.  If it were clear in my mind, I should have no incentive or need to write about it.  We do not write in order to be understood; we write in order to understand ~ Cecil Day-Lewis

I watched the movie A Room With a View last week, doing some research for a WIP.  I found out that Cecil Day-Lewis is actor Daniel Day-Lewis’ father, so it was cool to run across this quote for today’s blog post.

The key thought that jumps out at me is that he says we don’t write to be understood, but to understand.  I think that is so true of any profession, creative or otherwise.  We do what we do to understand something different about our field or even ourselves.

Direct sales companies are great examples of men and women who achieve tremendous personal growth while building successful direct sales networks.  Every company I belonged to had examples of successful individuals who built themselves from the ground up.  If you have seen the movie, Fried Green Tomatoes, you know that Kathy Bates’ character goes through a transformation throughout the movie.  Part of that transformation is becoming a successful Sales Director within the Mary Kay organization.

And I know I am understanding so much more as I finish writing my first novel and start writing the next one.  I have learned a lot about crafting a good story and the publishing industry itself.  The fun part is getting to learn a lot more about the historical subjects I am researching for the novels.

What about you?  What have you learned or what are you learning about in your dream journey?  I’d love to hear!

Lump in the Throat

A poem begins with a lump in the throat~ Robert Frost

I might challenge this and say that any dream begins with a lump in the throat.  I can remember the day that I read the words that inspired me to start writing A Place to Call Their Own.  I can also remember the day that inspired the writing my next novel, Disappear With Me.  Both of these days are “lump in the throat” memories for me.

Lump in the throat moments have been few and far between for me, so my advice is that when you get them, act on them.  Remember, there is not time like the present to start working a goal or a dream.  Even my mother, who is looking forward to retiring in August on her 62nd birthday, has found a new passion that she’s looking at pursuing.  And she’s so excited about the possibilities.

What lump in the throat experiences have you had lately?  I’d love to hear!