A few years ago, I decided to stop being the sort of person who hoarded pretty notebooks and start being the kind of person who used them.

I started small, with paperback journals, each 60 pages or so, and later upgraded to hardcover, dated journals that sometimes take me over a year to fill.

I carry the current notebook with me everywhere. Between the covers I take notes at meetings, journal, draft blog posts, and dream big. When the pages are filled, I place them on a shelf in my office for safe keeping.

Occasionally I like to browse the ink filled pages, reminiscing on moments past, reflecting on how far I have come and sometimes commiserating on how the past parts of my journey are so similar to the path I am now. Shouldn’t I have made it by now?

I titled my 6th journal #winning, because I was so certain that 2019 was going to be the year that things would change… or at the very least the year I would launch my radical rebirth as a quote, unquote, professional writer. I had set it up beautifully and despite a set back with a traditional publication project, I was ready to have the best season of my author career.

I usually buy my journals at Barnes and Noble or some other store in person, because I like to thoroghly look them over first. However, now that I have fallen in love with the DesignWorks Inc. line of journals and we are living in a time of QUARANTI… — I usually buy my journals at Barnes and Noble or some other store in person, because I like to thoroghly look them over first. However, now that I have fallen in love with the DesignWorks Inc. line of journals and we are living in a time of QUARANTINE… it might be safe to order them online since I know I already love them. You can grab this style **here**.

I had booked my 2020 spring calendar full of school visits, speaking gigs, writing conferences and even one trip-of-a-lifetime, to present at The Sharjah International Children’s Book Festival in the United Arab Emirates. I planned to launch a book, the third in a series (which according to author urban legend sprinkles fairy dust on the series and sales skyrocket). People who had said “no thanks,” to my past requests and offers, were now asking and paying me to be a part of their events. I had finally planned a workshop series that people wanted (and paid) to attend!

And then the COVID-19 health crisis hit, and everything ground to a halt.

Tomorrow I will start my 7th journal.

Grow with the Flow.

I think that this mindset will prove more useful than focusing on winning, especially in these times. Who knows what winning looks like anymore? We’re all too busy working to change and adapt and pivot to come up with a new definition. The finish line, which used to feel like it kept changing, is now almost invisible. I am a goal-setter and a goal-getter. This ambivalence is hard for me. But if I’m honest with myself, even as a “fixer”, there’s nothing I can really do about our current state of affairs… except do my best to grow with the flow. All I can do is continue to show up each day and work be the best version of myself that I can.

I work really hard to include tangible takeaways in my work, specifically in my blog. I am a hands-on doer. I don’t usually need a pep talk. I need a strategy and a set of steps I can implement, and time to get things done. I try to provide that each week for you as well… because I want you to be able to learn and grow and succeed right alongside me. But today all I have to offer is this mindset shift, because the rest of my time is being spent following my own advice.

Check back soon to see what new things I’m up to. I can’t wait to show you all the new directions I’m about to grow.

Today’s post post was made beautiful by CANVA and is categorized in my blog archive under Authorpreneur Advice. Check out the entire collection here.