Tag Archives: challenges

random musings, whining

A little discouraged

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It happens. We all get a little overwhelmed and discouraged. I’m putting off this week’s Show Stories entry by a day, because I’m there right now: Overwhelmed and discouraged.

Ironic considering I have two new projects waiting in the wings. No reason to feel discouraged. I should be feeling energized and excited! I should be jumping on this with vigor! But instead I feel just the opposite.

I think a part of that is due to my schedule lately not lending itself to work very well. I’ve also not straightened my office in awhile, which has chased me out of there to work. I’ve drifted from the online networking, etc. that I’d been doing hard and heavy, and I’ve noticed that in my site stats dropping off a bit lately.

It just adds up.

Oh, I’m not giving up.  I read somewhere that blogging seems easy at first because you have no where to go but up. Then you hit a plateau and it doesn’t all seem so easy any more. I think I’ve hit a self-inflicted mini-plateau.

I need to, first, work on my schedule. Then, second, clean my office and reclaim it for work. Then, third, nurture my business relationships better.

I confess, some days, I shake my head and think it would just be easier to go find a job as a waitress somewhere and forget this “crazy dream.” But it also wouldn’t be the least bit fulfilling for me. Oh sure, it would have its perks here and there. But a few years from now, I’d be right back where I am now. Kicking myself for not pushing forward and being further along in my goals. Wishing I’d not given in to “the easy route.”

No, I’m going to keep pushing forward. Keep learning about my trade. Keep putting myself out there every single day. It’s too important to me to do anything else.

I’m just having “a day.” I’m having a Monday on a Wednesday. It happens. It won’t even last through tonight. (At least I hope not!!) But I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the struggle. Acknowledge what it takes, and acknowledge that sometimes… it gets difficult. And its in time like this, you have to push a little harder.

So here I go… pushing along.

blogging, goals

Reaching for my potential

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Enough with the bad news for right now. I don’t want to keep being a downer, when I really am at heart a total optimist! You can’t keep me down for long.

One thing that’s really risen me up is feeling success is within my reach with my writing dreams. I can see it IS possible. I CAN do this.

For the last few months, I’ve been throwing myself into learning more in-depth about my trade(s). Checking out books from the library. Purchasing books. Reading blog after blog after blog. Reading online magazines. Talking to people who are already doing what I want to do.

If I were to ever allow myself regrets in life, one would definitely be putting my dreams and goals of writing for a living on the back burner for the last few years. I’ve coasted along too long, and today I look around me and realize how much further I could be in my career if I’d only gotten more serious a lot sooner.

I can’t, however, beat myself up for long.  Instead, I am throwing myself into my trade with a sheer determination that I’m not sure I’ve quite had since I wanted to make sure I got accepted into Texas A&M University.

357: And... go!I didn’t have a contingency plan then, and I really don’t have much of a contingency plan today.  I got in then. I’m going to succeed today.

Back then, I did my homework. Today, I am doing my homework.

It’s slowly starting to pay off! I’m SO honored to now be a part of the Blogher Publishing Network as well as writing for Blissfully Domestic. I’m an active contributor to Road Widows, and  I have a separate review blog as a work in progress that I hope to go live with in the next week. I have a secondary “business” in the planning stages, and I’ve signed up with a couple affiliate networks. I’m soon going to be going after clients, submitting guest blog posts, and looking for every possible way to further myself.

This is a no-holds-barred fight to see my goals and dreams come true.

I am open to advice. (Except the kind that goes something like, “Don’t do it!” Too late, I’m past the point of no return.) I’m going to continue “stalking” a lot of other bloggers and authors for every kernel of advice and information they are willing to drop along the way.

It’s a twisty road I find myself running along full speed. In places it been well trodden and smooth. In others, its going to be a jungle. I know this… I’m prepared for it. I can do it.