Motivation
-
Blooming
“One day you will look back and see that all along you were blooming.” ~ Morgan Harper Nichols, author and artist Do you ever fight the nagging belief that you haven’t done enough with your life? No matter how accomplished we are, many of us undervalue our achievements and overlook our daily victories. Or we focus too intently on our mistakes or missed opportunities. Try this instead: Take inventory of all that you’ve done — and give yourself the credit you deserve. Count every achievement, small or large, whether it’s raising a family, rescuing a shelter pet, renovating a house, learning to cook, earning a degree, volunteering at a shelter, climbing…
-
A light on self-promotion
“Lighthouses don’t go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining.” ~Anne Lamott I’ve always been conflicted about self-promotion. As soon as Writing Home was published, I had to set aside any sense of modesty or humility to sell my book (and my brand) to a wider audience beyond my newspaper readership. It usually felt awkward. Over time, I’ve learned to borrow a page from the authors and entrepreneurs who grew up on social media platforms and enjoy putting themselves out there. But like most people my age, I was raised to think it’s not cool to toot your own horn, or talk about…
-
Living your dreams or fears?
“Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” ~Les Brown I met a student who said she wanted to publish a novel but couldn’t find the space in her life to begin it. For starters, she didn’t think she could write without a home office. She wasn’t comfortable typing on the dining room table. Or the kitchen table. Or anywhere else in the house, really. But it wasn’t the interior design of her home that blocked the woman’s dreams of writing. It was fear. Fear is a manipulative trickster. It makes excuses for procrastination; it tells us we’re not good enough; it convinces…
-
Believe in yourself
“What you believe yourself to be, you are.” ~Claude M. Bristol, The Magic of Believing World War I veteran Claude Bristol (1891-1951) was a pioneer of the positive thinking movement. He wrote The Magic of Believing to help his fellow veterans adapt to civilian life — yet it also resonated with others who struggled to overcome trauma, self-limiting patterns, or negative attitudes. Bristol was convinced that success in any realm depends on dedication, belief, and character. His philosophy explains how some people triumph over adversity while others remain stuck. In essence, Bristol’s “magic” was about unleashing the power of the subconscious mind. You are what you believe. You achieve what…
-
Complainers versus problem-solvers
“When you consistently maintain a positive frame of mind, you’ll become known as a problem-solver rather than a complainer. Mentally healthy people avoid complainers. They seek out problem-solvers.” ~ Joseph Sommerville, PhD, The Five Keys to Interpersonal Success Are you a complainer or a problem-solver? According to behavioral research, if you spend a significant amount of time with complainers and doomsayers, you’re probably sporting a negative attitude, too. When complaining becomes the norm — at home, in the workplace, or in social circles — it’s hard to break the pattern. Negativity is as contagious as it is demoralizing. As renowned psychologist Susan Albers puts it, complaining is like a virus. It…
