Yesterday was an interesting day. I stayed up really, REALLY late Monday night putting some final touches on files I needed to deliver to the publisher, and even later reading ( I have to read before bed ---- always.), so I thought I'd be exhausted when I woke up, but no! After less than four hours my eyes popped open, my brain started whirring, and I jumped out of bed singing. It was a new day!
The thing is, every day is a new day. The only thing (besides too little sleep) that I could think of that made this one any different was attitude. Everything I did, every interaction I had went......... well........ well. Not perfect, not even smoothly, but everything ended up exactly where it should be. My creative juices were oozing out all over the place, awash in optimism. I looked forward to everything I did. I smiled a lot. And guess what? I have the chance to do that again today, and so do you!
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Wrong time of the year, but right message.
Did you miss me the last couple of days? Vacation is over, and not that I've been resting on my laurels over the holidays, but it's time to get down to serious business now that they are officially over. This month will see me finalizing pre-publication details with my new publisher (release date to be announced soon!), reevaluating marketing and presenting my promotional strategies to industry insiders for advice and commentary, visiting more bookstores, reworking and reprinting my bookmarks, doing an interview for a local paper, recording the rest of my Audio Book, keeping up with this blog, and continuing to write Volume Three of the Emrysia series. And that's besides my paying job! Unlike the lazy days of summer, this time of year is best spent in activity - the busier the better! - to keep from succumbing to midwinter doldrums - and to pursue your dreams. What are you doing to beat the winter blues? New Year's resolutions have never held much appeal. I think it's because so many people start out optimistic, but once they lapse into old bad habits, they tend to throw in the towel on the whole endeavor. Instead of once a year resolutions, I prefer to approach each day as a new opportunity to get it right. If every day is a clean slate, yesterday's mistakes and failings don't matter except as something to learn from. Nothing good comes from good intentions unless you follow through. Dream the dream, but do the work. It's what we're made for.
This is one of the last photos taken of our dog, Fudge. She's been part of our family for almost 12 years, and despite the apparent smile, today was not fun. In fact, we've been dreading this day for a while, knowing it was inevitable. Though she is no longer suffering, her gain is our loss. And life goes on.
Yesterday I posted about looking forward, in part because I knew I would need that advice for myself. We're thankful for the time we had with her. She really was a Good Dog - the best! - and we'll miss her. The house already feels emptier, just a couple of hours after her passing. But, moving into this pet-less season of our lives, I want to remember all of the positives and none of the negatives. Like how she waited so patiently for the crusts on Pizza Night. How she lay so regally with her front paws crossed, ever the lady. How she plucked her own blue, black, and raspberries right off the bush, and that blackberries were her favorites. How her tail always listed to the right as she trotted down the road ahead of me. It's okay to carry those things with me, good even. The bad stuff, though there wasn't much, doesn't matter anyway. Today marks a new beginning; Fudgie is going on to a better place, and, while I'm staying right here, so am I. Yesterday was the day for reflection. Today is for moving forward, for being the person you were born to be. This year is begging for you to be a new, truer you. Stop beating yourself up, holding yourself back, dwelling on what should have been. Learn to love what is, and where you're going. Focus on what you can do, not what you can't. There will be obstacles - that's a given - but hurdles are meant to be jumped. Make 2015 your personal "leap" year.
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