Category: Motivating Word

Motivating Word · Quotes

Motivating Word

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SAILING

We usually think of sailing as traveling across the sea in boat with sails. But today think of it as moving through your day and your week smoothly and confidently.

The ship of my life may or may not be sailing on calm and amiable seas. The challenging days of my existence may or may not be bright and promising. Stormy or sunny days, glorious or lonely nights, I maintain an attitude of gratitude. If I insist on being pessimistic, there is always tomorrow. Today I am blessed.

Maya Angelou

Motivating Word

Motivating Word

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RELAX

Yesterday, my husband and I decided to take a day trip to Martha’s Vineyard. Neither of us had ever been there before. We were only two hours away, so we figured what the hell.

Our adventure had a momentary setback when we discovered we had to take a ferry and the parking lot was four miles away. But we managed to park and hop on a bus back to the dock before the ferry left.

Needless to say, there was a tad bit of stress involved. But as we settled into our seats on the ferry, we felt a calm come over us. There was nothing but sunshine and the ocean air.

Everything else melted away.

Once we got to the island, we rented a couple of bikes and rode around to Oak Bluff. We found this great restaurant called Lobsterville. Their second floor balcony gave us a great view of the harbor. I ordered their lobster roll and the chunks of lobster meat were as big as my thumb.

I was totally relaxed.

I wanted to stay longer so I could maintain the feeling. But it occurred to me that I was able to relax because I allowed myself to be in the moment.

When we slow down and enjoy the moment, we relax. Being present makes us better writers.

I picked up a rock with the word “Relax” craved in it as a souvenir. It’s my reminder to slow down and enjoy moment.

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Motivating Word

Monday’s Motivating Word

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FLOW

I’m at the beach this week and was very tempted to skip my blog. But as I watched the waves roll toward the shore, it occurred to me that I needed to stay in the flow of writing. There will always be something else to do other than write. So, we have to resist the temptation to stop.

If you’re in the flow of things, stay there. If you’re not, catch that next wave.

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Motivating Word · The Writing Life

Monday’s Motivating Word

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MOMENTUM

Last night, my son asked why I stopped writing my blog. The question surprised me. I didn’t realize he read it regularly enough to know I hadn’t written anything in a few weeks. I have had this mental block since February when I went on an unexpected birthday trip to Charleston. I didn’t write my normal Monday post because I wanted to enjoy my vacation. Then the next week I had a trip to Chicago for AWP (Association of Writers and Writing Programs). I was too focused on networking with other writers to do any writing. And once I got back from Chicago, I headed off to Napa Valley with my husband. Who can write when there is wine to be tasted?

Through the course of all that traveling, I lost the energy needed to write the series on women writers. I no longer had the internal drive to get the work done. To be honest, I just didn’t care any more. It felt too much like a chore.  Then I received another rejection letter, and I wondered if it was even worth it to spend time writing at all. Thank God I have a friend from my writing group who won’t leave me alone. If it weren’t for her, I probably wouldn’t have written anything at all last month. I completely lost my momentum. I could spend the rest of this post speculating on why, but I doubt that would be very motivating.

Writing is kind of like exercising. When you’re in the flow, you don’t have to force yourself to go to the gym. You just go. There is something in your body pushing you forward, driving your behavior. You want to workout. Your body craves it. The movement feels good. You can’t imagine why you would ever stop. But then something happens. You miss a day because you’re tired, and then the next thing you know it has been two months since the last time you worked out. You have to build your momentum again. You have to push yourself in order to get back into the flow.

Well, that’s what this post is all about. I’m putting myself in motion. I’m rebuilding my writing momentum. It’s not easy. But the development of a process creates energy to drive our behavior. So today I worked out for an hour and now I’m at my desk, writing.

Where do you need to build momentum? What do you need to make happen?

Motivating Word

Monday’s Motivating Word

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CELEBRATE 

Today would have been my grandmother’s 90th birthday. Growing, I always thought we had a special bond because our birthdays were only three days apart.  I would sit in the kitchen as a child and watch her cook. She made the best peach cobbler. It wasn’t pretty, but I’ve never tasted one better. When I first got married I’d call her every time I made gravy. She would talk me through it. Her stories about growing up in Mississippi inspired me to write my first novella, The Only Way. I attribute much of who I am as a woman and a mother to her teaching. I would love to be able to hold her soft hands one more time.

Today, I start my birthday week remembering my grandma and celebrating her life.

Motivating Word

Motivating Word

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HOPE

I haven’t been feeling very hopeful, lately. The submission/rejection dance has been quite discouraging. Though I try to find peace in the writing itself, I can’t ignore the yearning for validation that haunts me every time I sit at my computer. Saturday afternoon I was in the midst of a pretty big pity-party when I received an email informing me that one of my previous students from North Central College was stabbed while trying to break up a fight at a jazz club.

I hadn’t thought about this student in a while, but the moment I saw Shaun Wild’s name I remembered how much I enjoyed having him in my class. He always sat in the row of desks next to the window. Though many of the juniors and seniors in class didn’t believe they needed advanced composition, Shaun fully engaged in the writing process. His group had one of the best group projects in the class. Shaun had the same a positive affect on other students and faculty at North Central and was also highly regarded at the Naperville elementary school where he taught second grade. Saturday night the college held a prayer vigil to honor his memory.

As I tried to process this tragic loss, I thought about a picture I had taken years ago at Arlington National Cemetery before the cherry blossoms were in bloom. I noticed in the midst of a cluster of tombstones one small blooming tree. It reminded me that regardless of our circumstances, there is always hope.

This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:21-23 NKJV

Motivating Word · The Writing Life

Monday’s Motivating Word

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PLANNING

Blogging has really challenged my writing life. Two to three times a week I have to figure out what to write. Sometimes a topic is so strong on my heart that I feel compelled to write. But then there are those days when I struggle to find an idea.

That’s where planning comes in. You know the saying, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Of course, the issue is time. And if you’re anything like me, you’d rather just jump into you’re task. However, planning gives you a road map of sorts. If you know you’re going to work on something later in the week, planning gives your ideas time to geminate. You don’t have to be bound by it. It’s a place to start.

Take a minute today to plan out your writing week.

Motivating Word · The Writing Life

Motivating Word

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CHALLENGE

To engage in a contest, fight or competition

 To summon to action or effort; stimulate

It’s been hard to get back into the swing of things. That’s why you’re getting Monday’s Motivating word so much later than usual. December sucked the life out of me. I had high hopes for the New Year, but as of today I’ve already flubbed three of my New Year goals. Part of me (though admittedly a tiny part) believes that New Year aspirations are possible, but it takes resolve, commitment, and action. And nothing stimulates action like a healthy challenge.  Kind of like when you’re in your car and someone tries to cut you off. Something takes over and the next thing you know you’re pressing your foot down on the accelerator. You want victory over that other car.  Or is that just me?

Well, anyway – the point is we need a challenge to summon that same I-gotta-win drive.  For example White Peach Blog posted a 30 Day Photography Challenge to take a new photograph for thirty days.  Simple enough, right?  If you accept the challenge, you engage in the process because you want to be able to say you won.

Challenges move you toward your goal.  And if you make it public, you’ll feel more accountable. So here are two of my personal writing challenges.

  1. Post three times a week to my blog for the next thirty days. Yikes! I’m putting it out there, so hold me accountable.
  2. Write for an hour a day for the next thirty days.

It would be cool if other bloggers and writers joined me.  We could share our progress and our struggle. Or maybe you have an idea for a challenge? Post it here.

By the way, I’m also doing the 30 Day Photography Challenge for fun.  Here is the first day picture: