Success & Productivity

I had the opportunity recently to work with Sherry Peters, a life coach who specializes in helping writers. Before I started, I had only the vaguest idea of what a life coach did. Going into the sessions, I thought I was actually doing pretty good with my writing. I thought I was quite productive, and although I have made improvements in the craft over the years, I was looking for something to take me to the next level in my writing.

What I quickly discovered was that I was more burned out than I had realized. I needed some balance in my life, and Sherry helped me find that. And, she helped me come up with some visible and tactile reminders to help me maintain that balance.

Remember how I said I thought I was productive? I've actually been more productive recently even though I feel like I spend less overall time writing. Since the end of December, I've turned in a novel to my publisher, written over forty thousand words on a new novel, and written five flash stories. My goal for the year was to write two novels and twelve short stories, and I'm nearly halfway there even though it's only February. I am accomplishing more than I ever imagined I could. I might even be able to move up my plans for world domination!

I think part of the boost in my productivity is being accountable to someone else. Every time I speak with Sherry, I tell her what I've been up to, writing-wise, and I don't want to say, "Well, I ended up goofing off on the Internet in all my free time," or whatever the excuse might be. Another part of the boost has come from talking things out with her. I actually had some fears left over from last year. I had done the whole agent search thing again, and not found an agent. Again. I had this novel that I believed in, but nobody wanted to represent it. So I considered alternatives for the novel and came to the conclusion that I would try publishing it myself. I like it, I believe in it, so I'll stand behind it. But I was scared. Terrified, actually. I wondered if I should give up writing altogether. But after talking things through with Sherry, I came to a few decisions. And it was surprisingly easy to come to these decisions. I just had to move past my fear.

Moving past that fear has meant that I feel more confident in my writing. I'm still working towards that next level, but I no longer feel stuck, or like I'm missing something. I feel like I'm doing the right thing for my writing career, and I'm pleased with my progress so far this year.

Interestingly, my half hour sessions spent talking with Sherry seem to fly by. I'm normally one who feels uncomfortable speaking with people I don't know on the phone, and I hadn't met Sherry before we started these sessions. But she's so pleasant, and asks such great questions, and makes such wonderful points that I find it as easy to speak with her. She's extremely positive and encouraging, and I have found myself being more positive recently as well. I've enjoyed my sessions so much, and found them so beneficial, that I wanted to write up a post so I could share my enthusiasm.

If you're stuck, or scared, or looking for something to give you a boost in your writing career, consider giving Sherry a try. Her first sessions are complimentary, so if you don't think it will work for you, you've lost nothing. You can find her at http://sherrypeters.wordpress.com or send her an email at sherrypeters@outlook.com.

Balance

I've been giving a lot of thought recently to balance, namely finding balance between all aspects of life: day job, writing, family, and the various other people and activities I enjoy. When things are balanced, I feel better and, I think, I'm actually more productive across the board.

In looking for pictures that represent balance, I came across the art and idea of rock balancing. If you follow the link, you'll find pictures of amazing rock sculptures that seem to defy gravity. there's even a rock bridge over a small stream. I can't imagine how long it took this person to put these together.

Ta da!

Then I came across inukshuk, or rock art that resembles humans. These figures seem like a great way to communicate with people, to let them know they are on the right path, or that there's a cache of food nearby for weary travelers. I think of the road trips I've taken where I haven't seen a building or another person for a long time, and then finally come across a sign saying the next rest stop or town is coming up, and it's such a relief to know I haven't accidentally wandered off the face of the Earth.

After looking at some rock balancing art, I was inspired to create my own. Living in the Southwest where xeriscape is the norm, I had plenty of rocks to choose from. To my surprise, I stacked seven rocks rather easily, feeling how each needed to balance in order to sit on top of one another. I felt pretty smug about it. I went inside to get my camera, and when I came back out, my dog went to my sculpture and licked it, knocking it down. He licks everything. Everything. Anyhow, it was much more difficult to stack rocks the second time around, so I ended up with only five.

There were a couple of things I learned balancing rocks. First, it's fun. When I stacked seven, I felt like I accomplished something. And it looked pretty. When I stacked them the second time, I realized it can be hard to find the right balance. There's a lot of trial and error involved sometimes. The same is true for other activities. You have to reassess your goals and desires and see if you're meeting them on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. And third, flexibility is key. If one approach doesn't work, try another. And another. And even another.

Shake It!

I spent most of this past weekend in a classroom taking a continuing education course on balance. It was an excellent course, and very applicable for me as I happen to see quite a few geriatric patients. At any rate, the instructor showed us a video at one point. I found it on YouTube and thought I'd share it here. The next time a patient tells me they're too old to do something, I'll show them this woman. Now, she starts off rather sedately, but things really pick up at about the two minute mark, so watch the whole thing.

A little research revealed she was only in her 70's when this was filmed, not in her 90's as some suggested.