Tag: Inspiration

Training for life.

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“We do not rise to the level of our expectations. We fall to the level of our training.” Archilocus

I love how in the fitness community, those who live Fitness like a lifestyle call exercise or working out, Training.

I love thinking about fitness and work outs as: “I’m training for life.”

I’m using fitness as an example, but your training, your daily habits, your discipline (which I know is the least sexy word in the dictionary, right next to phlegm and mucous) in creating action in your life…is relevant for any part of your life that’s worth pursuing: financial freedom, business savvy, writing the Great American Novel, physical prowess, …

When Life Stuff eventually happens, all that unpredictable, unexpected Stuff that makes us stumble will make us want to fall back to your comfort zone. But how quickly you wallow, how quickly you recover, how quickly you can shake it off, how quickly you are even affected by the event at all, comes down to your training and what you have allowed yourself as a baseline.

You don’t need to start big to develop discipline. In fact I enjoy small wins. The discipline of making your bed is something tangible and productive, and starts your day out with a feeling of accomplishment. Small wins or what I call everyday efforts become more like synergistic actions. The whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts. For Harry Potter nerds out there, I think training my nervous system like Gryffindor’s sword—it only takes in what makes it stronger.

Creating action toward a meaningful habit will amount to bigger changes in yourself than just the habit itself. In creating these small wins, you are giving yourself that new neural pathway toward the habit of winning.

Sidenote: When you have the discipline to take action around something you want in your life, something changes. You become more humble, coachable, teachable—you seek out mentors you admire, you seek out a group of people where you support each other toward a higher goal and purpose. You become focused on what truly matters to you and you will want to create more of that stuff in your life.

Someone once said that “Success is not about how much time you spend doing what you love; it’s how little time you spend doing what you hate.”

I hope you fill your day with what you love, creating so much action toward what you want in your life that it blots out those things you merely tolerate or hate.

Have a great day.

xoxo

Liza

Be Here Now

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“Lost time is never found again.” Benjamin Franklin

I’m about to dive in to the busiest time of year again, and no, I don’t mean the frenzy of National Novel Writing Month which kicks off at midnight (though I do enjoy that annual treat!). I’m talking about that blessed time of year that people love to hate: The Holidays.

Personally, I love the holiday season. I’m a sucker for the window displays. The more nostalgic and whimsical, the better! Bonus points if the window displays are animated! Anyway, even though I may end up mentally, physically, emotionally exhausted by January (yay for spa days!), I always look back on the Thanksgiving-through-Christmas rush with a feeling of ‘Whoa!’ Another mountain conquered, another wave I rode out, another notch added to my belt.

But before I dive headlong into the thick of things, I need to give myself a few ground rules/reminders. After all, I juggle multiple roles, and I want to ensure that I balance all aspects of my life.

1. Before I can be take care of others, I need to take care of myself. I’m not going to lie, I feel BLESSED to have my strong immune system, and I’m sure that my positive outlook on life is directly related to my health. I don’t remember the last time I’ve been sick, and I want to keep it that way. So. When do I schedule my work outs? What foods do I need to keep in stock to prepare my meals in advance? What does my routine need to look like so I can get a good night’s sleep?

2. Don’t Mistake Activity for Productivity. Instead of scheduling All The Things and prioritizing them, I just need to schedule my priorities. Ask myself, ‘Does This Thing require my attention Right Now or can I manage this later?’ Focus on the Few Things that will give me the biggest return on my investment. During the five weeks of holiday, those few things are: exercise/nutrition, family time, writing time. Everything else is a luxury.

3. Be Here Now. To me, all of the above planning and prepping is to set me up to be 100% present, whether at work or at home. So, where do I need to invest my time so that when I’m off the day job, the switch stays off and I can enjoy being with my family when I’m with them? When can I schedule time to write, so that when it’s writing time, I’m writing my novel and not tweaking a work schedule? How can I invest in my family time so that I don’t carry any emotional baggage with me to work?

So, if you’re participating in NaNoWriMo, I’ll be cheering you on from the sidelines this year. There have been too many changes in my dayjob to spread myself too thin. Besides, I’m still revising WIP2, and my writing time will be devoted to finishing that.

Do you have any tips to keep yourself grounded during hectic times?

Road Trip Wednesday: Images and Imagination

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Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival,” where YA Highway’s contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question and answer it on our own blogs.

This Week’s Topic:

What images inspire/ represent your WIP or favorite book?

Several months ago, my hubs wanted me to play Machinarium, a new game he discovered on iPad2. At first, I wasn’t interested, knowing how addictive game playing would be for me, and I needed to work on my then-rough-draft of WIP2. But then, he opened up the game, and promptly sat the iPad2 on my lap. This was the image that greeted me:

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It reminded me of the landscape that I saw in my mind’s eye of WIP2’s opening scene, that I was compelled to play the game. (Plus, the robot character is really cute. I talk more about the game HERE.)

The above image was the first ever visual representation I had for my WIP. I mean, I became thoroughly addicted to Pinterest well before Machinarium, but the images on my board capture more of the mood or science-y aspects of WIP2, but nothing as close to capturing an actual setting that had only lived in my mind as Machinarium’s Junkyard scene.

Over time, I eventually stumbled upon this picture:

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It’s like a world within a world, right? It also captures the scenes leading up to The End of my story.

Cool, huh? So, now you can kinda see what the beginning and end(ish) images are for WIP2. For more images that capture the mood of WIP2, visit my pinterest board HERE.

So how about you? What images inspire/represent your WIP or favorite book?

Steve Jobs, Remembered

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In 2005, Steve Jobs delivered the commencement address to Standford University’s graduating class.

This speech was the catalyst that started me on my writing journey. He reminded me that my time is limited. He encouraged me to follow my heart and intuition.

He inspired me to dream.

At the end of the speech, he wished for all of the listeners to “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.”

I embraced that message then, and have carried it with me since.

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Thank you, Steve Jobs. I will.

Huzzah, and the Magic of Being in My Pretty Purple Robe!

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I had a cute little conversation this morning with another Tweep, and she convinced me that my pretty purple robe definitely qualified as a swirly cape.  I promptly replied that I was so happy that I can now swagger around my house and declare, “Huzah!” at inanimate objects, and they must obey me!  First up, my coffeemaker!  (Didn’t I warn you that I’m a little goofy in the morning?)

So, I know that I’ve said maybe once or twice that I want to be a full-time-writer-specifically-novelist.  But, I wanted to step back and acknowledge the fact that I am in a position at my paythebills job that allows me to be in my pretty purple robe on most (90%) mornings, and considering all the jobs that I could have had to pay my bills, I am extremely thankful.  I recognize that I have a perfect situation to write before and after The Job, giving me literally hours to work on The Novel in my pretty purple robe. (coughcoughwhenidon’tturnonsocialmediacoughcough)

Among other things I get to do in my pretty purple robe is read through other authors’ journeys and get a “second wind” whenever I feel a little tired of this effort.  I can see the obstacles they’ve gone through (mostly, mental and emotional obstacles, huh, imagine that), and see that the only difference between a published, full-time writer and an unpublished part-time writer (or, full-time scribbler) is the discipline and persistence of staying in The Novel and getting that Bad Boy DONE!

So, with 75 days till the end of November, I am committing this blog to my Novel’s journey, and making myself accountable to its progress.

In 75 days, I will hold a finished rough draft with all its flaws and imperfections and declare it beautiful and glorious.  I am proud of it, and of myself for finishing and accomplishing my goal.  I am also looking forward to the next phase of revisions and polishing and otherwise prettying it up for submission.

“Huzzah!” I say, and it was so.

Technically, it's metallic lilac 😉 If you were curious, I bought it 5 years ago, at Victoria's Secret: a satin-y, ankle-length, belted robe with flannel lining. Pretty much perfect.