Craving My Creativity

I can always be distracted by love, but eventually I get horny for my creativity ~ Gilda Radner

One of the first lessons I learned about small goals and boundaries was how much I craved to get back to my work the next time it was scheduled. By setting a goal of so many words per day and sticking to it, I found not only was I making progress on my writing, but then I had time to get everything else done that I needed.

After I am done writing for the day, I move on to other tasks, but my mind wanders back to the stories. I marinate on where I left off, what is supposed to come next, and sometimes on events I’ve already written. This makes for an even more productive session the next time. Every once in a while, a brainstorm is so powerful that I have to take a few minutes and pound out the scene that is eating at me so bad I can’t think about anything else.

Defining boundaries and scheduling work toward your dream goal not only helps you reach your goals, but also balances out other parts of your life.

What benefits of setting boundaries have you experienced in your dream journey?



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Define Boundaries 

Television Routines

One of the secrets of finding time is not to watch television ~ Bob Keeshan

I found a quote this week that hits two of the three steps, so I’m using it again today.

Television had become a horrible routine for me over the last six to eight months. In the past, I always gravitated toward TV watching in the colder winter months, but, seriously, the last six months has been bad for me. I haven’t even been multitasking!

I’ve mentioned before that my life was turned upside-down about seven weeks ago and that’s been a big eye opener for me. I stopped watching TV and filled that time with many other other activities. I have returned to my writing and also projects like this daily blog. All because I cut out TV as an excessive routine.

I did have to add one hour of relaxation tv back into my schedule and it’s on my daily non-negotiable list. I have to concentrate on the boundary to sit and watch the program I select rather than research other projects on my iPad or work on anything else. But it’s been a good goal to return to my daily relaxation list.

Is television a good routine or a bad routine for you and your dream journey?



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Develop and Follow Routines

A Secret to Find Time

One of the secrets of finding time is not to watch television ~ Bob Keeshan

Have you ever set out on a new adventure and wondered how you were going to fit it all in?

For a long time, I have been evaluating the amount of time I spend in front of the television. There are times (usually the colder, winter months) when that’s all I seem to get done. There have been other times when I look at everything on my DVR, Netflix, Amazon, etc, and just say, I can’t do this anymore. I have more important things to accomplish.

That’s been my mindset for the last six or seven weeks. My life and routines have been turned upside down. But one bad routine I’ve been able to cut out is countless hours devoted to watching television. I just went through my DVR this weekend and deleted thirty to forty percent of the programs I just won’t get to.

The thing about watching television is that I’ve known for along time that it’s a big time waster. But it took a major life event to open my eyes to it’s true danger to accomplishing my goals.

What’s in your way of accomplishing your goals?



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Setting Goals

A Worthy Purpose

Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose ~     Helen Keller

Has your life changed because of your dream journey? Are you more organized, more scheduled? I sure have been.

The commitment to my dream journey also means that I am committed to the other parts of life: keeping the house cleaned, eating healthy and properly, and plenty of downtime to recharge. It’s been that “fidelity” to a worthy purpose that has helps me keep on track. The other time management tools I’ve learned along the way, keep me focused and on track. I even have to schedule downtime so I don’t over do it.

In the end, I live a much happier life than I did years ago without any direction or any special projects going on.




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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Creating a Vision

What about you? How has your life changed since you’ve began your dream journey?

Your Own Nature in Your Pictures

Every artist dips his brush in his own soul and paints his own nature into his pictures ~ Henry Ward Beecher

“Let your soul blossom with a list of that which you are grateful. If you do this often and want a fresh approach, make categories: Gratitude in the areas of health, people, opportunities, safety, rights, food, skills, beauty, prosperity, freedom, etc” ~ Jill Badonsky

What’s on your dream gratitude list today?



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Creating a Vision

Setting Goals

Develop and Follow Routines

Define Boundaries 

Dream Buddy

The Fairest Blossom

Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul ~ Henry Ward Beecher

Happy Saturday! How was your week? I hope it was as productive and successful as you planned it to be. Yes, I used the word planned and not the word hoped.

This week I most grateful for two things: the insight to understand when I’m trying to accomplish too much and productivity tools that help me schedule even the most important and routines tasks such cleaning out the cat box, cleaning up the kitchen, and watering the patio plants each day. I shared earlier this week that I reviewed everything I was trying to accomplish and exhausting myself in the process.

By slowing things down and spreading out the tasks I’d like to get done, I was able to enjoy my week a bit better and not be so stressed I wasn’t getting everything accomplished. It also helped me realize on Wednesday night that I just needed to come home, take care of the cat box, and go to bed. Two weeks ago, I would have tried to work through the exhaustion and been just as tired the next day.

So this week, I am grateful to have found the gift of more balance and the gift of improvement to continue to work my plan.

What are you grateful for this week?



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Creating a Vision

Setting Goals

Develop and Follow Routines

Define Boundaries 

Dream Buddy

Dream Buddies

Here’s to the movies that make us laugh out loud ~ Jill Badonsky

What have you and your dream buddy done this week? For me, I attended a seminar with my friend Rudy who does retail consulting. It’s been a long time since I have seen him and the last time was more social than being able to talk about our creative interests. He helped produce of a movie with a positive transgender role. He’s a writer and speaker like me on improving yourself, your brand, and ultimately your business and income.


As important as it was to finally take Rudy’s class and apply what I could to marketing my book, it  was almost more powerful to be there to support him and connect with him again. He’s a crazy, busy guy and so each time I get the chance to see him, whether its a class like this or a social event, I jump at the chance. Rudy is good people and the type of people with whom I want to surround myself.

What have you done with your dream buddy this week? I’d love to hear!



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Dream Buddy

The Less I Call It Work

The more I want to get something done, the less I call it work ~ Richard Bach

Yes, the more I want to get something done, the less it seems like a chore, but that can also get me into trouble.

Some of you may know about a recent divorce that has turned my life upside down. Paralyzed by the shock of the event, I drifted for about a week, just taking care of the necessities of the day. Once my shock and grief waned, I amped up my activity to the opposite end of the spectrum.

Then I was trying to accomplish way too much. I worked on writing, chores around the house, re-arranging rooms, cabinets, shelves, this blog, my romance blog, became more active on Twitter (I have two accounts to maintain now!), plus attend Al-Anon meetings twice a week and still attend counseling. I’m trying to read three books right now!

But the last week I figured out, I just can’t do it all. There aren’t enough hours in the day. When I wake up on Monday morning and feeling the exhaustion in my legs because I didn’t take enough time off over the weekend to just relax and chill, I know I’m overdoing it. So last weekend I sat down and reorganized my life again. I have a list of non-negotiable items I get to every day (even things on this list get missed because that’s just the type of day I have). In addition to that, I only scheduled myself to do 4 or 5 other projects, even on the weekends. After that, I am done for the day.

I feel much better about my boundaries this week and even though it’s really only been about four days into trying them out, it’s working. I’m still not getting everything done on my list, but I I know that everything has its time. I am moving forward on my fiction writing and maintaining my blogs, and that’s what matters.

What recent revelations have you had about your boundaries?



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Define Boundaries 

Cultivating Patience

Here’s to cultivating patience - Jill Badonsky

Thank you, Jill for that reminder! I have been struggling with my daily routine schedule for a few weeks.After weeks of not writing or editing, I finally have that routine worked back into my daily non-negotiable list. I took a closer look at things this weekend and carved my daily goals down into more manageable chunks.

There are just not enough hours to get everything done I want to. I have to have patience that I will get my goals accomplished and faith that what I am doing is enough to move forward every day. I still need to rest, relax, and refresh so I can continue moving forward.

I had to make some tough choices and had to continually revise, but so far, the week is going well. I’m still not getting as much done as I wish, but the way I have things organized, I feel like I’m getting my non-negotiables done as well as some direction with the other projects I want to complete.

How do you get focused when your daily routines get turned upside down?



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Develop and Follow Routines

Take Your Heart to Work

Take your heart to work ~ Meryl Streep

Do your goals match your heart? If your goals match your vision, I bet they match your heart.

I had a conversation with a friend of mine about focus and career. And it started with talking about making a choice to be a “morning person” a long time ago. When I switched to a day shift, I hated the fact that so many people, my parents’ age at the time, complained about mornings. I made a conscious choice to be a cheerful person in the morning, not moody and volatile.

The conversation went from there to career goals and really finding out what she wanted to do. She’s been working a job steadily for the last two years (if I remember right), but it’s not a career job that she enjoys. She enjoys the stability but is ready to take on a more career minded job.

Her heart isn’t into what she’s doing and she doesn’t see advancement. And she wants to find meaningful work that interests her. So instead of complaining about her co-workers, she’s decided to start figuring out “what she wants to be when she grows up.”

Whatever you do, make sure your heart is int and take your heart to work.

When did you realize what you wanted to do and follow your heart?



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Setting Goals

Everyone Deserves a Little Sunshine

Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting, small but approachable, butterflies lead you to the sunny side of life…an everyone deserves a little sunshine ~ Jeffrey Glassberg

I agree, everyone deserves a little sunshine. That’s how my vision helps get me through the week sometimes. When it seems like I’m not getting anything accomplished, I take stock of what I’ve done and remember the sunshine at the end of the journey.

Mondays are the beginning of my week at my NSEDJ, but Saturdays are the beginning of my week at home. All my planning at home stars with Saturday and then Sunday so then it feels like I can get jump start on the week in my fiction writing and other projects including maintaining this blog. It’s slight change in the way I look at things, but sometimes that little change helps me feel better when I don’t get as much done during the week.

What’s your vision for this week?



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Creating a Vision

I Will Awaken in my Own Time

Just like the butterfly, I, too, will awaken in my own time ~ Deborah Chaskin

Are you ready for another week of going after your dream goal? I can’t wait to get going this week.

Last week was another one of transition for me. Again, recognizing that I’m trying to over-function, I once again reviewed my routines and boundaries to see what I really needed to accomplish each day. I can’t wait for the next week to work on my revised routines and continue to set boundaries for myself.

What about you? What are you excited about in the week ahead?



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Creating a Vision

Setting Goals

Develop and Follow Routines

Define Boundaries 

Find a Friend

Only Those Who Attempt the Absurd Will Achieve the Impossible

Only those who attempt the absurd will achieve the impossible. I think it’s in my basement…let me go upstairs and check ~ M.C. Escher

How’s your week been? It’s been a crazy one, some of us experiencing the same fear and depression we felt after the September 11th attacks. For others, it’s been relieving the anger after the Supreme Court announced the Marriage Equality decision last year.

If national events such as these tend to arrest your ability to progress on your dream goals, as they have me in the past, consider this. Although the events continued to unfold this week, the world kept marching on. Business happened, there were chores to be done around the house, meals to prepare, families and friends to take care of. Why when the weight of the world falls on our shoulders do we not make our dream goals just as important as the other aspects of our lives.

It was not until 2012, when I made an absolute commitment to writing every day, that I finished my first novel and write my second in the next four months after that. From 2012 to 2014 I wrote every day and produced four manuscripts. Three of those have been published. It was not until the events of 2015 that I set my goals aside for other people (my fault, not theirs) and suppressed my passion to make my writing dreams come true.

My fire is back, in part due to the nature of writing this blog every day. I’m taking a few days off of writing on novels to prepare a short story submission for an anthology with publisher, but I AM BACK TO WRITING ONE THOUSAND WORDS A DAY. I am screaming that in all caps because I’m celebrating a small step moving forward in my own dream journey that I’ve been trying to get back to since January.

So now matter what is happening in your life or in current events, my challenge for you is to stay the course and focused on your dream journey. Even if you only get one tenth of what you plan or need to get done, keep moving forward on your journey no matter what it takes.

What did you accomplish this week on your dream goals? I’d love to hear!



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Creating a Vision

Setting Goals

Develop and Follow Routines

Define Boundaries 

Find a Friend

Love in all Different Forms

Here’s to Love in all its different forms ~ Jill Badonsky

The best thing about having a friend along in our dream journey is a different perspective. Even today, a friend gave me a new viewpoint on an idea to create a bit more immediate income.

If you haven’t already found a friend to join you in your dream journey (I also call them a business buddy, depending on what your dream journey might be), I encourage you to find some one as different from yourself as possible. They will provide you an outlook  you might never see unless someone else tells you. I promise you’ll be able to do the same for them.

What qualities do you look like in a business buddy?



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Find a Friend

Finishing Too Long After the End

Too many pieces of music finish too long after the end ~ Igor Stravinksy

How are you doing with your boundaries? I admit, I’m still working myself to the bone. But I did have an epiphany on Tuesday that helped.

First of all, I did not get to bed as early as I wished on Monday, so I planned to sleep in a little. I started waking up at my normal time with a horrible stomach ache and nausea and soon I found myself in the bathroom. The bout food sickness I had on Tuesday morning meant I had to throw all my routines away for the day and take care of myself. But I did it, and I did it without feeling guilty about not completing my list. My health and well being was more important on Tuesday than getting ahead on blog posts.

Using Tuesday’s lesson, I continued that into Wednesday night. Both nights I had meetings after working all day, but after being gone from the house for nearly twelve hours, I had to give up everything but the most basic of chores (cleaning the cat box and watering the outdoor plants) so that I could spend some time journaling and recharging so I could get through the week to Friday. I am off the NSEDJ on Friday and plan to catch up over the weekend.

So even though I like to keep regular boundaries around my dream work and house work and relaxation and having fun, sometimes it’s more important to go with the flow, either because your body tells you that you need rest or even because you’re still figuring out your boundaries along your journey.

What new boundaries have you experimented with this week?



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Define Boundaries 

The Invisible Force of a Gentle Wind

Here’s to the invisible force of a gentle wind ~ Jill Badonsky

My world has been full of new routines lately. I split my blog into two blogs, which requires more than double the posts. It also includes separate Facebook pages and Twitter accounts. I am newly single, so I have a whole bunch of new routine chores that need to be done around the house. In addition to that, I’m trying to move forward with my two current WIPs, one set in the 1930 and another fantasy merman story.

There’s also a lot of reading I’m trying to accomplish as well. Part of my hesitancy in reading is because of one book on the topic of my recovery during this time of divorce. Funny how I normally devour non-fiction books, but this one still sits on the desk waiting to be read. I’m finding new titles all the time, but the part of me that almost always finishes a project feels a need to finish the recovery book first.

So I decided to try something different. Instead of saying I would read a whole chapter of the book, I decided to set a timer for 10 minutes and read the recovery book. After that 10 minutes was up, I set the timer for another 10 minutes and read a new self help book (The Shadow Effect by Deepak Chopra, Debbie Ford, and Marianne Williamson). After that 10 minutes was up, I switched to my current gay romance title, A Tested Love by Kayla Jameth.

Then I expanded this “10 Minutes At A Time” routine to other big chores: cleaning the entire house by myself, working on promotional posts, blog posts, critiques for my two writing groups. Pretty soon, I had accomplished a little bit of everything I wanted to do! The first benefit of this new routine was not getting bogged down on a to-do list a mile long, but working through each of the projects for a specified amount of time and accomplishing a little bit on each.

Now there are some projects, in my humble opinion, that just need to be completed from start to finish. For me, those include cleaning the cat box, doing the dishes, watering the plants, chores around the house where I feel I just need to do them. But I break those chores up with fun stuff in between: reading, posting on Twitter,

But I gleaned a second benefit from working this way. Soon, I stayed with projects longer than the 10 minute limit. This extended from the chores I mentioned earlier, to reading the book vital for my recovery from divorce right now. And this includes continuing to read and participate in an Al-Anon recovery program. Today, instead of switching books, I read the recovery book for 20 minutes while on my exercise bike, but switched the other book for the last ten.

Established routines are important, but new routines can help jazz up a schedule if it’s starting to feel stale. For me, this new routine is helping me get back on track to the routines I’m used to following every day to reach my goals and dreams.

What new routines have you tried on your dream journey today? Were they helpful or hindering?



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Develop and Follow Routines

If You Want Time, You Must Make It

You will never “find” time for anything.  If you want time you must make it – Charles Bruxton.

Now that you have established a vision and you know what "success" looks like, break up the journey to get there into milestones.  These milestones become goals.

I love the song in Disney's "Cinderella", "A dream is a wish your heart makes."  A goal is a dream with a date attached to it.  Until you assign a date for completion on your goals, they are just dreams.  I also like, "...That star can only take you part of the way, you've got to help it along with some hard work of your own and then you can do anything you set your mind to.." That's from Disney's, "The Princess and the Frog."

As the quote says, you must make time to reach your vision through your goals.

Goals – Closing Thoughts…

1.    Set goals.
2.    Schedule activities.
3.    Constantly revise.

How are you doing with your goal setting this week? I'd love to hear!



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Setting Goals

Is Your Vision Big Enough?

To every future leading man who’s making his debut
In his fifth grade production of Peter Pan as pirate number two
To every future dancing queen who’s feet are set to fly…
To every theater kid with stardust in their eyes
To the boys and girls, transgenders, too
To every Broadway would be,
Don’t wonder if this could be you, it absolutely could be true ~ 70th Annual Tony Awards opening number

I could not believe my ears last night as I heard those lyrics during James Corden’s opening number for the 70th Annual Tony Awards. Read those lyrics again. How inspiring!

I had a lump in my throat as I tried to catch all the lyrics into tweets (thank goodness for DVR and rewinding…LOL). What a wonderful message to send to all the viewers.

I had a lump in my throat because maybe I have been selling myself short. No, I don’t want to be a Broadway star, but I do want to be a NYT best seller. A few years ago, I resigned myself to make a similar income that I make at the NSEDJ. All I wanted to do was settle for the same income I was making in order to leave my daytime job.

But why stop there? Why not be a NYT bestseller??

The opening act of the Tony’s last night reminded me to reach for the stars. Is your vision big enough that you’re reaching for the stars?



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Creating a Vision

Here's To The Little Things

Here's to the little things that bring great joy, like butterflies, comfortable shoes, and lying on a blanket in the sand ~ Jill Badonsky

Here's to the little things that bring us joy. I hope you are moving forward on your goal journey and it is something that brings you joy.


It has been one month since my husband of eight and a half years decided to move out. In that time I have created my own new routines around the house since I am the only one to get chores done (unfortunately, the cats don't do housework). I also launched this blog and re-tooled my romance blog.

Now that I have all that figured out, I am back to working on my own novel. I am currently working on a merman romance. Working on this manuscript has been on my daily to-do list for weeks, but this week I resolve to get back to it ever day, 1000 words.

So here's to the little things in life...I hope you're enjoying some of those little things in your goal/dream journey!

What is your resolve to accomplish this week?



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Creating a Vision

Setting Goals

Develop and Follow Routines

Define Boundaries 

Find a Friend

Take Time to Smell the Roses

If you always take time to stop and smell the roses, sooner or later, you’ll inhale a bee ~ Unknown

Sometimes you just have to relax and laugh and that's why I love about today's quote!  How many times in our fast paced, media driven lives, do we hear, "stop and smell the roses" these days?  

The tough thing about hearing this when you're working on a dream journey is knowing that success doesn't come through stopping and smelling the roses.  Success in any dream journey comes from having a clear vision and goals, routines and boundaries to work towards those goals, and friends to help you along the way.  And my new mantra is to keep it all simple so it doesn't become too complicated.

So yes, stop and smell the roses along your journey, but don't stop too often or too long, or yes, you will run into a bee. 

Make it a great finish to your week, everyone!



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Creating a Vision

Setting Goals

Develop and Follow Routines

Define Boundaries 

Find a Friend

The More We Share, the More We Have

The miracle is this, the more we share, the more we have ~ Leonard Nimoy

If there’s anything I’ve learned in life, the more I share, the more I seem to have.  I love Christmas and birthdays, not because I’m the one who gets all the gifts, but the because I enjoy seeing the people close to me open their presents.  The more I share, the more I get in return.

That’s part of the reason I started blogging on my step process.  I want everyone to know that if I can go through this journey to be a published authorl, then you can do anything that you set out to do.  Just create your vision, set milestone goals that support your vision, come up routines and boundaries so that you work on your dream goal at least once a day, and finally, it’s always nice to have friends and buddies doing the same thing to help you along the way.
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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Find a Friend
What have you shared lately with your dream journey buddy?  I’ve love to know!

The Color Purple

I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it ~ Alice Walker

I think it pisses God off when we don't notice a lot of things. We live in such a fast paced world anymore, sometimes simple things can be missed.

But they don't have to be. It's up to me to stop and take time to enjoy life, even though I have some pretty aggressive goals for the year. Right now, I am focusing on recovery and getting through a divorce. Along the way there are some routines I need to adjust, and there are only so many hours in a day. Right now I am feel accomplished if I keep this blog going consistently.

And I am trying to take time to relax and enjoy myself.I set a time for myself each evening during the week to be done and I set a time during the day on the weekends to be finished with writing and focus on relaxing and fun. I haven't done very well at accomplishing everything I want or meeting my deadlines, but it's work in progress.

How are you doing this year with setting boundaries and enjoying your success in your dream journey?



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Define Boundaries 

The Importance of Routines

The odd thing is, I fee, for the first time really, I understand what it is to be happy ~ Lady Mary, Downton Abbey

If you followed me here from my author blog and twitter account, you might know that about a month ago my husband of eight and a half years ago decided to separate. In one second, my life seemed like it was falling apart, but once I calmed down and now that a bit of time has passed, I relate to the Downton Abby quote.

People in my support system constantly ask me, how are you doing all of this? This is a major stressor and you’re handling it remarkably well.

The answer: my routines.

Ever since I got serious about writing in 2012, routines have helped to push my writing career forward, resulting in publication in 2013. Although I’ve been a bit dormant in the last seven or eight months that culminated in the decision to get a divorce, the routines put in place three or four years ago come back easily. Now I have to adapt and add new routines in the mix.

For example, I have chores like cleaning the cat box and taking out the trash that I never had to do. I could also get out of cleaning up the kitchen more times than not. I have to make time for those chores every day. (If you haven’t noticed, my posts on routines almost alway bleed over into boundaries…and posts on boundaries almost always murk across the line between into routines).

There are some additional recovery practices I have been working on since October as well. There are daily readings, Al-Anon meetings, and new books that I want to read, in addition to the genre fiction I read. Again, I have the same twenty-four hours a day that every one else does.

Life is calming back down and becoming more manageable again, thanks to the peace and solace that my routines bring to me.

Has there ever been a stressful time in your life or dream journey that your established routines helped you get through the situation? I’d love to hear!



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Develop and Follow Routines

Inspired by Lori Frech

On April 2, 2011, my sister-in-law, Lori Frech, ran her first 5K race.  The picture above is Lori right before she crossed the finish line.  I went to show my support in the early Spring morning.  I was so proud of her for setting this goal and achieving it. 

Lori announced a few months before, via Facebook, that she would be running her first 5k race.  Each week she shared with us her achievements and her struggles in her quest to meet this goal.  Even the last week before the race she shared that the week had not gone as planned.  Yet, she persevered and she finished the race strong, barely needing to catch her breath at the end.  Way to go, Lori!

I want to reiterate Lori's success, because we can all learn from her journey.  First of all, she shared her goal with all of the important people in her life.  By sharing her goal and making it public, this helped her push forward and accomplish her goal.  Next, she shared her progress with all of us, both the good and the bad.  From weather issues, minor injuries, and just plain not wanting to workout, she shared it all with us.  Even with well meaning comments suggesting she take it easy, she persevered with her training and finished the race yesterday.

We can all learn from Lori.  Share your goals, share your progress, and never give up.  Congratulations, Lori...you truly are an inspiration.

Do you have anyone in your life that inspires you to go after your goals?  Your comments are welcome.  Have a great week, everybody!



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Setting Goals

Don't Give Up What You Really Want To Do

Don’t give up trying what you really want to do.  Where there is love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong. – Ella Fitzgerald.

What an inspiring quote from a legend!  No matter what journey you’re on and no matter what you’re trying to accomplish, I fully believe these words.

Even in my own “real world” career as a manager in a call center, my journey to get a promotion to the next level has not met with it’s challenges.  I returned to a call center environment in 2007 after a 13 year absence.  I was working at a door to door sales job and 2006-2007 was one of the worst winters I ever experienced in Denver.  As the temperatures cooled in 2007 and the snow outlook didn’t look at better than 2006, I left that job and went looking for “indoor work.”  I returned to a BPO call center and after working ten years at the bank.  I easily found myself excelling at my supervisor duties and loving the environment once again.  Then we moved to Northwest Arkansas.  It took me three months to find another call center job.  After a year and a half we moved to the Kansas City area and I had to transfer from customer care to a retail job to make the transfer.  After realizing that I wasn’t cut out to work retail hours at 39 years of age, I found another job at another BPO organization.

Just with anything else I’ve pursued, my opportunity to shine and show my real skills didn’t just fall into my lap.  I had to be patient and “pay” my dues at the new company.  Six months and one Holiday Season later, my opportunity arrived and I grabbed it for my taking.  I’d nearly reached my goal of being a second level manager, managing other supervisors.  And I enjoyed every minute of it! That job led to my current job in the office of a smal medical practice.

And I’m on the same journey with my writing.  It’s been a long journey so far and I still have far to go.  My goal is to move forward 1000 tiny steps a day (that's writing or editing 1000 words on the novel), that takes me just thirty minutes.  You can apply the same principles to the goal or goals you’re trying to accomplish.  Good Luck!

Share with me the “tiny step” can you start today to fulfill the goal you’re going after, I’d love to hear your stories, too!



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Creating a Vision