motivation

19 06, 2013

One Word Wednesday – RUSH

By |2013-06-19T14:47:17-05:00June 19th, 2013|one word Wednesday|6 Comments

Good word RUSH.

Lately, I have not been rushing. Taking a two week trip through England, Scotland, and Ireland has a way of slowing your pace.

I like the idea of not rushing, of accomplishing things on my to-do list without the sense of urgency and rushing.

That’s why I’m posting later today than usual. I didn’t RUSH to get a blog out there.

According to the definition I found on Dictionary.com, it could be a wise thing not to RUSH. The first definition is: to move, act, or progress with speed, impetuosity, or violence

I certainly don’t want to move with impetuosity or with violence. My daddy always said, “Haste makes waste. Slow down.”

Okay, I know all of those words weren’t original with Daddy, but the older I get the wiser his words become. There is no need to RUSH.

I love this quote from Dave’s Words of Wisdom:

share quote

Of course, there are times when it’s necessary to RUSH. Times when we must proceed with speed, but for the remainder of today, unless you’re in one of those situations, don’t RUSH.

Slow down.

See if things don’t get done anyway.

12 06, 2013

One Word Wednesday: SELF-DISCIPLINE

By |2013-06-12T06:29:14-05:00June 12th, 2013|one word Wednesday, writer|1 Comment

Our word today is

self-discipline2

I’m preaching to myself here because I’ve been less than focused on my writing lately.

With very, very legitimate reasons, of course.  

Overseas travel, anniversaries, graduations, moving, remodeling, visting friends and family …

the list goes on and on.

But starting today I’m back on track.

self-discipline-Roosevelt

If you want to get back on track too, I suggest you check out these terrific tips in blogs by:

Kristen Lamb:  Traits of the Successful Author: Self Discipline.

 Adriane Jolly: No more excuses – self-discipline

21 01, 2013

Moving ahead. Claiming your Dream.

By |2024-01-07T07:30:24-06:00January 21st, 2013|Monday Motivations|2 Comments

So are you moving ahead on the New Year goals you set? Did you implement my plan or devise one of your own?

Whether you use my plan or any plan, I hope you’ll let 2013 be the year you claim your dream!

I found several suggestions on blogs to help us achieve writing success using a theme for the year.

The authors over at Novel Matters declared  Carpe Annum – Seize the Year for their theme.  Check out the details and suggestions here.

Fellow Wana112mate Sherry Isaac suggests we do some Baby Steppin’ That is, we move ahead one baby step at a time. You’ll love the clip she shares.

Whether you choose Carpe Annum or Baby Steppin’ or come up with your own theme. Just having a theme is a great way to focus on success.

If you still harbor some fear about moving ahead with writing goals and think you don’t have the time to devote to your dream, Edie Melson, social media coach and blogger, offers this advice: Want to Do More with Your Writing—Learn to Say No She provides very specific ways to put your writing goals first.

My best advice is summed up here: hey writer

Remember, a book is just a blank page and an eReader is a blank screen until you put your words on it.

blank book

tabletNow go be an unstoppable butterfly and fill those blank pages and screens.

WRITE!

4 01, 2013

Flying the Coop Bee Emergency – Miller Farm Day

By |2013-01-04T06:48:27-06:00January 4th, 2013|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday, Uncategorized|3 Comments

On a recent Monday (my day to go grocery shopping and do laundry among other things), I added poinsettia delivery to my errand list.

Several people at various schools bought the holiday plant from our kids for a band fundraiser and they came in on Friday. Our living room was quite festive with sixteen poinsettia plants in it.
poinsettia-group

I took six to an elementary school before grocery shopping.

I can now add floral delivery person to the list of jobs I do not want to do full time.

When I returned home on that afternoon, I noticed bees gathered on the edge of a pot on the back porch. It was strange so I took a picture with my phone and sent it to Beekeeper Brian asking what he thought. He had no idea.

I loaded up more poinsettias and headed to the middle school. On my route, I passed Beekeeper Brian, headed for the house. My first thought was “he’s going to check on his bees.”

But when I got home after my poinsettia deliveries, he was in full beekeeper garb, standing at the stove with a glass measuring bowl full of a lemony smelling liquid. He then said the words which always signal the beginning of an adventure – “I need your help.”

He needed to know how hot the liquid was. I went into bread making mode and thought about how hot water for softening yeast needed to be. After a quick finger test, I assured him the water was not more than 100 degrees.

He then carried the liquid outside. As it turns out, the bees were making a small swarm which means they were preparing to “fly the coop.”

Oops, that would be the chickens who do that. I’m not sure what it’s called when bees leave.

Beekeeper Brian then put the queen from the swarm in a nuc (small hive box) and put feed (the lemony smelling liquid) on top. He’s watching to see if the worker bees go into the nuke with the queen.

bee bucket

Meanwhile, he’s thinking of alternate plans to entice the bees to hang around. This could mean another hive and more honey!

There is never a dull moment around here.

Life on the farm is certainly full of adventure with all the elements of storytelling: Goal, Motivation , and Conflict.

YOUR TURN: Any dull moments in your world?

5 11, 2012

Monday Motivations: Creative juices dried up? 29 Ways to refresh

By |2012-11-05T07:20:17-06:00November 5th, 2012|Monday Motivations, Uncategorized|0 Comments

Hit a roadblock in your story? Creative juices won’t flow?

View this short two minute video for ways to get back in the groove.

I liked #25 and #29. #18 is great, especially with Thanksgiving looming on the horizon.

I’m not so sure I agree with #23. Doesn’t sound like fun to me.

YOUR TURN: What works to stir your creativity?

22 10, 2012

Monday Motivations: Testing the Waters

By |2012-10-22T09:23:29-05:00October 22nd, 2012|Monday Motivations|2 Comments

A friend recently shared this video titled Neglected Ducks Get Their First Swim from Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. Great music, btw.

My first thought after watching the ducks repeatedly turn away from the water was that we writers are sometimes like those hoarded ducks-afraid to test new waters with our writing.

When was the last time you tried to write

  • a different genre
  • a short story if you normally write novels
  • a novel if you normally write short stories
  • a blog instead of just reading blogs
  • a tweet – now that will test your skill
  • a 1st person POV if you usually write 3rd person POV
  • 3rd person POV if you usually write  1st person POV

To me the pond in the video represents possibilities for our writer creativity. If we’d only venture forth and test the waters more, I think we’d see brave new worlds open up for our muse.

Did you notice how much fun those ducks were having once they took the plunge?

And who knows, we might find we like writing something new and different more than what we’re comfortable writing.

YOUR TURN: Have you ever written something out of your comfort zone? How’d it feel?

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