Is Recycling a Good Thing?

Of course it is, unless you are committed to writing a blog post every day in 2016 and you are drawing a blank. No, not drawing a blank, what is really happening is there are so many things you want to write about that you can't focus on just one of them long enough to craft what you really want to say.

I'm a writer and that paragraph above is not even well written, it's not you who is committed to writing every day, it's me. When I feel like I can't find what I'm looking for to put words to paper, I start to think about the hundreds of thoughts and ideas I've already posted that likely have not been read by anyone. Yes, I've been writing and blogging for a really long time. I started my Monday Motivator as a weekly email back in 1999. I uploaded it to a blog in 2007 (I think) and tried to upload as many previous emails as I could find. My MMs have all been read, but my Intentional Winning in Life blog posts have not all been read - I'm sure of it.

But I'm not going to recycle my writings unless I want to share and add to an earlier life thought. Reading back through old posts I find that as I continue to live and learn, some things change, while some things remain the same and I think, man, that's good! Did I really write that? Nice! 

With that, check out my earlier posts here and on my Monday Motivator and see what you think.

Why Don't You Start?

We've all said it, "Someday, I'll..." What? What is on your list of things that you will do someday? Mason often reminds me of the lofty goals I have in my life, things like take my family to Italy, or travel for 3 months around the US in an RV and when he does, I say, "Someday." He loves that because he knows he will get me when he replies, "Someday is today!" Yes, I say that all the time and now, so does he.

In reality, what I actually mean is someday is today, today is the day to set the wheels in motion to work toward that goal. Every small step adds up to getting you where you want to go. I proved this to Mason two years ago when we were watching a Travel Channel special on Disney Cruises and the construction of the new Disney Dream. Mason said, "Mom, you always say you want to take a Disney cruise, when do you want to go?" Without hesitation I replied, "Let's go next year for your birthday." He was pleasantly shocked and we immediately started looking at the different plans online. I called a Disney cruise specialist the next day and that phone call turned into several emails, some literature that came in the mail, and my first small payment on our cruise. In October 2014 we set sail to the Bahamas on the Disney Dream! A simple intention and the action following it with a phone call made that bucket list family vacation a reality.

What I'm really loving is watching Mason learn about the power of intention and how to set his to get what he wants. In 2013 Mason set his intention to be on the Food Network and this year, he competed on and won Chopped Junior! I look at him and I just imagine what my life would have turned out like if I had learned the power of visualization and intention at his age. Stay tuned, I see big things in his future and I suspect his Somedays will come sooner than most others Somedays.

What do you want to do, what is on your list to happen Someday? I bet there is something you can do right now that could set the wheels in motion to that someday coming sooner than you think. Go ahead, start.

Chicken Soup For The Soul

I mention this anthology because it is Chicken Soup for the Soul! My first nationally published story was in Chicken Soup for The Mother and Son Soul. I've gone on to submit and be published in four other CS books. Most CS stories come from "new" writers but you have to be good to be selected. Only ten percent of stories submitted make the first cut and that's out of thousands of stories submitted. There is an amount of editing help that will be provided to help you, but that depends on who the Co-Author is and if you have a really great story.

I bring up CS for several reasons. First and foremost, anthology series are a great place to submit your work and CS always has titles they are accepting stories for. Visit their website to see if you have something to contribute. It's great practice not only writing, but learning the process of story submission and hopefully selection. Additionally, read the CS history, it's a great story of an idea grown to world wide success!

I'm going to post Blogging: Part II and also introduce you to some writer friends of mine who will provide you with so many resources for opportunities to write. It may not be where you want to be ultimately, but we are talking about Orange Roads, getting the journey under way!

I started my writing career with a column in an industry newsletter - I was the Dear Abby of the new era voice mail systems being sold to large corporations. I've also written a weekly e-mail column since 1999 called The Monday Motivator - every Monday, and numerous other books, copy for web sites, and more.