Reaching Higher

Today is September 1, and that can only mean one thing for me. It's time for me to update you on how I did with the goals I set for myself in a recent post.

So here is what I accomplished:

(1) Educate myself every day to refresh my mind and skills. This was the easy part. Unfortunately, I could read books and articles on writing all day long. This is not a bad thing, but when you do too much reading, that means less writing. I didn't get too carried away with this goal though.

(2) Search daily for jobs. I can't honestly say I've stuck with this one. I have been so busy with other things, I have pushed it aside.

(3) Contact former customers and let them know I am writing again. I have contacted almost all of my former customers and this reaped great results!

(4) Blog twice a week. This was way more difficult than I planned it to be. Obviously, I did not meet this goal.

(5)Work on my writing website. This also did not happen.

(6) Acquire at least two paying jobs. I'm so excited to say I made this one happen. I got two long term positions, and landed an article! Yippee!!!

It was difficult for me to reach all of my goals this time. There have been things going on in my personal life that have made it challenging. One of the biggest problems was that I had to share my PC with my daughter who attends school online. Her computer was down for a couple weeks and she had dealines to meet. That was the priority, so my blogging and website goals had to wait.

I've also been busy getting Chloe ready for kindergarten. I can't believe my baby is ready to start school. I am going to miss her so much, as she has been a huge part of my life over the past five years. This is a new page for her and for me, but it's a part of growing up...a part of life, and it's all good.

Other less important, but very rewarding things I have been busy with are the typical baking and kitchen things that consume a great chunk of my day. In fact, I have been busy canning and enjoying the fruits of the harvest season...pickles, peaches, and peppers...and there's still more to come. Canning is a lot of work, but such a treat to feed my family foods prepared by my own two hands. We are so blessed.

So I didn't meet all of my goals, but I did the best that I could, and still ended up with good results. I am so happy to have gotten some work, but plan to continue setting my goals and striving to reach them every month - always remembering to reach a little higher with each new set!

I hope your week has started out as a great one, and that you, too, are setting goals and achieving all that's important in your lives! Have an awesome day!

New Reading Material

A couple months ago, a very thoughtful lady gave me a $50 gift card to Barnes and Nobles. I was completely flattered by her gesture, but didn't run right out and spend it. It was fun to know that I had it, and could treat myself whenever I was ready.

Last week, I finally went ahead and used my card. I bought the 2010 Writer's Market, and a subscription to Writer's Digest. I thought they would be excellent tools to keep me motivated toward my writing goals. I believe strongly in keeping the fire fueled.

Since, I had a migraine headache on Monday night, I spent most of yesterday on the couch relaxing with my new Writer's Market. It was so much fun! Who would have thought I'd ever be thankful to have had a migraine? Well, crazy at is sounds, I was thankful...it got me a few steps ahead and ready to do some serious writing!

I hope everyone's having a wonderful and productive week!

Setting Goals

Back in March of this year, I began setting goals in my life. The first set was for my Avon business. I've sold for over five years, but never really considered it a business, so naturally I never accomplished anything with it. When I changed my mindset, set a few goals and reached for them, it made all the difference in the world.

The results of goal setting have been amazing—for both my business and personal growth. These accomplished goals have shown me what I am capable of (and this applies to everyone) I can do anything if I set my mind to it!

Since setting goals worked so well with my Avon business, I need to do the same for my writing career. So here we are, right smack dab in the middle of August! There’s plenty of time to set some goals for this month. In order to hold myself more accountable, I am going to list my writing goals right here for all of you to see!

• Educate myself - every day I will spend an hour of my time reading to
improve my craft. After a long break, I know I need to refresh my mind and
sharpen my skills.

• Search daily for jobs

• Contact former clients to let them know I am writing again (Thanks for this
one, Kathy!).

• Blog twice a week

• Work on writing website daily

• Acquire two paying jobs


So there we are. Now I have some goals to work toward. I will give you an update in September to let you know how I did! Wish me luck!

Have a blessed day!

New Beginnings!

This summer I watched my husband, Nick, use all the strength he had to accomplish something that many people, including myself, could never even fathom. At the last minute, his uncle asked him to go down to VA and participate in an adventure run. The run included mountain biking, canoeing, and running for over 24 hours. It was the most grueling race he had ever participated in.

Nick, who is an avid biker and runner, was not adequately trained for a race of this nature, and never realized how difficult it would be. In the beginning he wanted to quit more than anything else in the world, but he refused to let his team down. Instead, he readjusted his attitude and did the best he could. It took their team about 26 hours to complete the race.

I didn’t go to VA with him. I stayed home and literally prayed the entire weekend he was gone. I worried about his physical safety…mountain biking, canoeing, mixed in with rain and thunderstorms can be dangerous. But after it was all over, I was able to sit back and reflect on what he had really accomplished…his body was more than capable of doing what he did, but most impressive to me was that he overcame the biggest mental mountain in his life!

It made me wonder what kind of stuff I am made of. Introspective questions began surfacing in my mind. For example, how would I cope if tragedy struck my life, or am I capable of actually setting realistic goals and really sticking with them?

Inspired by my husband, I decided that though I am physically capable, I need to do some inner strength training! I have challenged myself to try and overcome some of the mental challenges in my life in order to be a more successful individual. I have two main goals for my life right now. I will do something physically good for my body every day, because for me that’s a mental thing. My body can easily run three to five miles a day, or do Pilates, or ride a bike. It’s my brain that tells me not to!

My other goal is to really focus on my writing career again. It’s a challenge for me, not because of overcoming mental stuff, but because I have to learn how to balance my life better. A 14-year-old, a five-year-old, and a toddler can really take a toll on one’s ability to organize and structure life. But it’s not impossible. In fact, moms and dads all over have found great success with their freelancing careers. It’s all about how much they want it, and what they are willing to do to accomplish it.

I suppose this is about self-esteem in a sense. Not that mine is unhealthy, but isn’t it great to know what you’re made of? Nick does. What he did amazes me! I will probably never participate in a race like that, but it’s the daily race of life that we all participate in! Shouldn’t we strive to be the best we can be?

An Irresistible Story!

Have you ever read a book and began to mourn its ending because you were almost done reading it? The kind where there are no sequels, so it's as though you have to say goodbye to the new friends you've made...special friends that you became very attached to in a short period of time. When you read that last page you know it's over, and you grieve the loss of interesting, fun, and exciting people.

I just finished reading "In Her Shoes" by Jennifer Weiner, and that's exactly how I felt when I closed the book for good. I picked it up at a garage sale for a quarter thinking it would be nice to read books by authors unfamiliar to me. For only a quarter I figured I couldn't go wrong. Wow! And believe me, I didn't.

"In Her Shoes" was not an intellectual read I suppose, but in it Weiner packed it full of human emotion, real life tragedies, and issues like body image concerns that affect women and people every day.

The book has three main characters. The first two that we meet are sisters, Rose and Maggie, who lost their mother at a very young age. They appear to be completely opposite in every way, but as the story progresses we learn that they have a lot more in common than originally thought.

The third main character is Ella who had been estranged from her grandaughter's lives for many years. She is a gentle soul, who like Rose and Maggie did not live her life without pain and adversity.

The plot emphasizes life's troubles... troubled families, relationships, and the personal challenges everyone has to overcome. Life is not picture perfect. But when it comes right down to it families, troubled though they may be, tend to stick together through all the imperfections.

What I enjoyed the most about this book was the way Weiner was able to bring her characters to life, with their flaws and shortcomings, and she makes us fall in love with them. In "in Her Shoes" Jennifer Weiner creates realistic characters that people can relate to in one way or another - those who are hard to say goodbye to, and the kind of book that's hard to close for good! If you are looking for a fun summer read, be sure to check it out!

Free Software You've GOT to Try!

Usually, the conversion from the harsh cold months of winter to the much awaited warmer spring weather seems to happen suddenly - sometimes even over night. But this year, I really kept my eyes on things! I payed attention to the grass as it turned from dingy to the most lush shade of green that can only exist in the early weeks of spring. I have watched closely as trees have begun to bud and as the flowers have popped up in the cool, moist earth! I love it! When people ask me what my favorite season is, how can I tell them when I'm really not sure myself! Every season holds a special charm. Right now, my favorite season is Spring!

I've been doing a lot of rambling just to get to my point. With spring finally here, I've been doing some major spring cleaning, and I have to say that I am very thankful to a friend of mine. Mig from eWritings - Online Public Relations contacted me via email asking me to try out some awesome software that one of her clients recently developed. I've known Mig for a few years now and trust her explicitly. Her desire to keep children safe on the internet has been an ongoing crusade of hers for years. And honestly, it's a desire I share with her. Of course, I downloaded the software.

It's FREE and it's called KIDO'Z and believe me, it's a lifesaver, maybe even literally! It allows your children to play on the computer without having to worry that they might see or get into something that is inappropriate. Everything is parent filtered and it's ads-free, too! I can't tell you how many times one of my girls clicked on ads before using KIDO'Z, thinking it was something legitimate only to find out it wasn't.

I LOVE KIDO'Z and my children do too! Let me tell you one more thing. Several months ago, our family had a very scary incident involving my oldest daughter and a potential predator. Since that time, I have restricted all of their activity online. My oldest daughter still needs it for school, but I restricted my five-year-old completely. I simply didn't want to risk something horrible happening to them. Now, I don't have to worry. KIDO'Z is safe. My children can play all the games they enjoy and I don't have to worry - and I can do all the spring cleaning I want!

If you have children you should truly consider downloading KIDO'Z and give it a try! It was developed by a father - a loving parent, just like you, just like me - who wanted to keep his children safe on the internet. Spread the word and let all of your friends who have children know all about KIDO'Z. Let's keep our own "Kiddos" safe while they get to enjoy plaing games that enhance learning on the internet!

Download KIDO'Z for FREE here: http://kidoz.net/

Let the Creative Juices Flow!

A lot has happened since my last post - back in March! I have enjoyed this last year of just being a mom, wife, and homemaker. But now it's time to move on to other things. Oh I still have every intention of being a stay-at-home mama, but I'm ready to move into the "Work At Home Mama" role. I am ready to write again, and I'm also dabbling into the home business category, as well.

Some of you already know that I sell Avon. In fact, some of you have even shopped at my online Avon store - thank you so much for your business! I've actually been an Avon Independent Sales Representative for over five years, but it's really been just a hobby. Now that my children are older I am treating it as it really is: my business.

One month ago, I set the goal to become a Unit Leader and double my sales. I've already met those goals, and plan to keep forging ahead, looking for customers who are interested in great products at affordable prices, or for those who are interested in learning more about becoming a representative themselves. Please let me know if you might fit into either category, or take a moment to visit my store and see for yourself the great bargains you can find! There's even a men's line!

As I said earlier, I plan on writing again. It's a part of my life that I can't stay away from forever. It's difficult to find the time with three children, but you are all such great inspirations to me! Many of you have children of your own and blog on a very regular basis. I will work on being more efficient and productive with my time and I will keep you posted on that journey!

As for beauty blogging, don't worry, I will not be doing that here! This blog was created in order to be "A blog of encouragement, learning, and inpspiration for writers of all genres." That will not change, but I will be creating a blog especially for my Avon business. So if you are interested, there will be more information coming up on that soon!

I truly hope that you are all doing well! I have missed you and all of your wonderful comments! You have been as much if not more so of an encouragement to me than I could ever be to you - I thank you for that! Take care, and I will be back soon!