writing – Page 30 – Success Strategies

Reflect. Relax. Renew…

When life gets Messy, take the time to reflect. Relax and get some rest. It encourages renewal. Then later, plunge forward full speed ahead after.

The Perfect Reading Companion….

We read to know we’re not alone

What is your favorite activity when you grab that delightful book, and get lost in its world of Imagination? Barnes and Noble asked the question. Is it a cup of tea? Your pet? A cozy chair? Foreign? What’s your perfect reading companion?

Here I share excerpts of those who enthusiastically shared their favs.

Rain, snacks, home alone, quiet
A cloudy or rainy day
Tea and chunky blanket
Dog, a blanket, and Earl Grey
My bed
Reading with a nice cup of ice tea
A warm blanket and the sound of the rain
A cosy chair with a cup of tea and a cat curled in lap
Coffee and comfy chair
Silence
Strawberry Milk and China Anne McClain
My couch
Relaxing music, PJs
Solitude
Rainy day by a fireplace
Wine, red wine

When Life Knocks…

When Life knocks you down, get back up

Alena planned an inaugural event for an organization in need. It was going to be grand. Sponsors actively participated. The media agreed to show up. Surprisingly the greatest struggle came from the organization’s leadership. It seemed it was going to be a failure. A little saddened and downcast she continued planning the event’s activities. Naturally, fear, anxiety, agitation and more reared its ugly head. But she plodded on.

Amazingly, like an Astral, the event turned out to be just grand! A tremendous success. She walked away with key learnings for the next year. Yup! There’ll be another.

So when life knocks you down; when sickness, pain, sudden job loss, marriage fails, children falter, relationships go south; cry if you must but just stay focused on your goal. You’ll get there with consistency, tons of hard work, and persistence. Find a mentor, a confidante, or Coach who will help you ride the waves. Never Give Up. Let go of the negatives and remember, nothing good comes easy. Stay the course. You’ll get there.

Cheers!

Connect with Me.

11 Simple Ways To De-Stress…

Life is amazing! But sometimes it gets Messy with on-the-job demands , caring for family, life conquests, desires, dreams, and the pursuit of our goals become overwhelming. When they all come together to intertwine, it can get downright busy. ith little Courage, we feel unable to manage them all.

That’s when wisdom steps in and urges us to step back. To breathe. That’s when we receive that inner call for time-out so you can refresh, revive and rejuvenate. It would be great to get away on a vacation and take a trip to Europe… but hey though that’s ideal, it’s not always possible to do getaway that far on a whim. So here I share a few tips gleaned for a quick reboot.

You may also like 9 Things To Do By Yourself…

Go for a walk
Cut back on the caffeine
Watch a funny movie
Enjoy a new hobby
Write down your woes, then throw them away
Visit a close friend
Put away your phone
Get some Exercise
Plan ahead so you’re not so rushed
Perform a random act of kindness
Read a good book

Hope this list helps. Adopt one, two or a few, and start your journey to de-stress today.

Cheers!

Take The Risk: Jump

Sometimes in life you have to just make the move. I jumped 14,000 ft from a skydive high above the sea. The open air, sea, and clouds were all I could perceive. No easy feat. Like a Rube garbed in Costume, I was as scared as ever. But, with a trained guide affixed to my back and the wonders of a reliable parachute, I did it! (yikes)!

Today, I encourage you to step out and do whatever you want to do. Simply plan it, and with wisdom…do it even when you’re afraid.

Here’s a synopsis of my journey through the eyes of my youngest.

Go, make yours happen!

Cheers!

The Rear View…

You do not move ahead by constantly looking in the rear view mirror. The past is a rudder to guide you, not an anchor to drag you. We must learn from the past, but not live in the past. ~Warren W. Wiersbe

Stop looking in the rear view mirror. That’s what the instructor would Insist when I was learning to drive many years ago. My goal was to look back to ensure I’m prepared for those crazies when they get too close to avoid being rear-ended. Good thinking? Hmm… not sure.

But now as I get older, I apply the same principle to life. If we constantly look back at the past getting angry at those who did us wrong, or constantly remembering past mistakes, we will never be able to focus.

I am a firm believer in looking back periodically whether its monthly, quarterly, or annually to assess changes for goals and to keep track of plans ahead. However, it’s important to Simplify and focus. Only with focus and direct steps will we be able to achieve our goals, dreams, and aspirations.

Today, take the time to reflect on your life’s goals. Whether you are an entrepreneur, writer, career enthusiast, or other, reflect on how you deviated in the past. Then learn from it. Put it aside and steer towards the finish line. Be a distance runner. Pace yourself then head towards the finish line. You will make it at the right time with steady speed, resilience, and concentration.

Cheers!

How They Started…Writers Tell…

Ever wanted to write? Ever wondered how other writers got started? What’s their Funnel? We are intrigued by writing veterans the likes of Stephen King, and countless others. Many wannabe writers are scared to take the leap. So it was with a breath of fresh air that the writing tips asked the question about how writers got started. Intrigued, I dug deeply. Here I share excerpts of some of their thoughts.

I Write Because….

I hid in my words starting at 10 to hide from the pain
My cousin said that I looked like someone who writes poetry. So I gave it a try, and fell in love with it.
I always loved reading and wanted to create stories. Then my parents took me to see the dolphins when I was 8 or 9 years old, and I wrote my first story about this adventure. After this I feel in love with writing because sometimes the stories we create or even just a part of them can become true.
I was 5 years old and wrote about a superhero
I didn’t want to do my math homework but still wanted to look like I was being productive, and that’s how I’ve written about two books.
I had a dream and wanted to make a story out of it
I can’t remember a time I haven’t been writing! Before I could write I drew the pictures and told my parents what to write
What really pushed me into writing other than school assignment was role-playing
When I was younger I had a speech impediment the only way I could truly talk was through writing. Still to this day I write better than I can talk.
My baby sitter wrote stories about the group of kids from our neighborhood who were superheroes. I loved listening to her read them, my love of reading and writing was born, I was 3-4 years old
My siblings and I used to create the most intricate imaginary games. As I got older, I began wanting to write them down. I haven’t stopped.
A sixth grade narrative assignment. Upon handing it back, my teacher said I had talent and could make it as a writer. I was speechless.
So I could be right-brained in school while looking like I’m working on my assignments
I started when I was mentally at a shitty place and needed an outlet to how I was feeling. Writing became my therapy. It healed me.

Are you a writer? Let’s hear how you got started.

Cheers!

No Doubt You Can Relate To This…

CNN Headline News revealed the list of the top 4 most annoying words from a study done.

Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me.

Remember the saying sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me? Not true. Words do hurt, sometimes even more than physical pain.

CNN Headline News revealed the list of the top 4 most annoying words from a study done.

Top 4 Most Annoying Words

1. Whatever

2. Fake news

3. No offense

4. Literally

5. You know what I mean

When someone says ‘whatever‘ it means they are dismissing you or whatever you have said, and they can’t be bothered.

Whenever they say “no offense” it means they are about to offend you.

It’s often said “don’t take this literally”. Chances are… it is literal (smile).

“You know what I mean”… most often we don’t know what they mean

So if you can Relate and find yourself saying these words or some others, remember they hurt. Resolve to think before you speak (you know what I mean, right)? Hey no pun intended (smile).

Cheers!

Writers Share The Joy and Challenges of Writing…

Oh the joy of publishing! But before, there are the challenges. If you’re a writer, no doubt you can Relate. Here I share a few succint Compass tales that writers tell about their perspective of the joys and challenges associated with writing.

The Challenges of Writing

Finding the Time and space to write with Peace and Quiet in tuned
The laments of writers Block
Deciding what to write
The importance of Quality writing output
The pain of rejection

The Joy of Writing

Most enjoyable feeling when published. Words such as elated, satisfied, accomplished were voiced
If a physical book published, a feeling of Bliss when the first printed copy is received and held
The Achievement of set goals
The ability to make a difference in the lives of others

Advice to New Writers

More to come but in the interim, read more on the 9 Steps to writing. Also write, just write .

Let the New Year find you with a new resolve to write, just write.

Cheers!

That Challenging Writer’s Block…

When the words won’t flow, we beat our head against the wall. Like a Gorged shadow, it defies. We mourn, cry, feel sad, down, and lack motivation. True for most of us. Sally Hogshead has a 21 tips series that she shares. She recently shared a piece entitled 21 Juicy Ideas for Fascinating Content. Of the 21, I found 13 personally inspiring that I intend to Saintly put into action. Here I’ll share:

Start with information, then add insight
Go on a rant
Ask a provocative question
Write about something for the first time. She calls it give First Dibs
Give an unexpected gift
Critique your own brand (or yourself)
Educate people about a potential problem
Ask for opinions
Give a behind-the scenes glimpse (i.e. show us a new side of yourself so we understand who you are)
Find the Good (spotlight customers, employees or the competition…yikes!)
Identify our secret hopes (share that you understand what we aspire to become)
Describe anything that fascinates you (share why)
Dare us (your challenge us to take one step outside your comfort zone)

I find these content creation tips a thrill, and will try to follow those I have selected in creating my own content in the next few weeks. What about you? Anything sparks your interest?

Do share.

Lets connect!

My Success Journey in 3 Minutes…

You can do and be anything you want to be

I Looked around and saw the need in society to encourage youths and ethnic minorities to go after and seek to do what they wanted to do. This quest took me on a journey… through a process of highs, and lows. Highlights include:

1. Giving up my well-paying job/career to accomplish my dream. Sometimes you have to give up the good to achieve the great.

2. Embarking on a Journey that dug deep into Leaders and how they achieved Success

3. Publishing my research in a book on Success Strategies and leadership

4. Publishing Workbook on Success and how you too can do it

5. Publishing a book with Motivational Quotes To Help you stick to your dream.

6. Publishing a documentary video to share with others

It’s humbling to see the impact this sacrifice has made in the lives of others. So as we approach the start of a New Year, if you find yourself wondering about your purpose; wondering about your future; wondering about how to get where you want to go, then do what I did…Just start. Find a mentor or coach, or speak with a trusted family member or friend.

So today, take the step to do what you want to do. Otherwise you’ll find yourself at the end of another year being stuck and never accomplishing anything.

Come on, just do it! Age is not an issue. If you need help, contact me now. Let’s get started on your own journey to success.

Cheers!

Books That Changed The Lives of Writers…

Books have been known to inspire, motivate, encourage and change the lives many individuals. Entrepreneurs Strut their stuff gleaning pages of business books to find success strategies. Careerist search to find the secrets to a better job/life. Children Gingerly fantasize of fairy tales, lovers dream, and some gravitate to the scares of horror, action or adventure.

We dare not forget books that have spiraled into movies that entertain readers and non-readers alike. Well known authors such as Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, John Grisham, and many more, spring to mind.

Curiosity sparked, one publisher asked writers to share the name of a book that has changed their lives. The responses came in droves. Here I share a few: