Where in your life do you not trust the process? Where do you feel something needs to be happening that’s not? Something’s wrong. Something’s missing. Where is the hardest part of your work to simply sit back and wait? There are times in every creative process when you look around at the field where you planted the seed and see only dirt. Nothing’s happening. And it looks like a failure. This post is #8 in a series of 12 which takes you through the 12 stages of the...
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“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” – John Lennon When I arrived in Houston, Texas on April 23, I had an idea about where my ‘little book tour’ was going to take me, but I had only glimpsed what would happen in each place. Here are the highlights: When I began the trip, I thought I knew what I wanted to achieve, and an even bigger idea about what I should do, what had to happen, what would be...
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I just watched a very inspiring video of Michele Obama speaking to a group of influencers in Chicago about young people and gun violence (which is a terrible problem in certain areas of Chicago). She spoke very personally about her experience growing up there and how the only thing that made the difference for her was opportunity – opportunities created by her parents who made sure she had the chance to be involved in things that stimulated her. She talked about...
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Sometimes in the course of the day, I observe my tendency to take hold of my life and try to control my way through it. Whether I’m trying to make something happen that I really believe in or to keep something from happening that I think is bad or wrong, I close my fists around life and try to have my way with it. Have you ever noticed that the more you try to force your will on life, the more your desired outcome avoids you? This approach breeds a sense of urgency and...
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The DHL man has just left. I’ve been waiting for him all day. Today at our house he is Santa Claus, and his truck is the sleigh. My book has arrived! (Just had to tell somebody!) What I feel right now is a strange mix of shock, nerves, wonder and awe. It looks so small in my hand, a beautiful compact product made with heart and soul, love and fear, laughter and tears, and a whole lot of hard work. I could not be more thrilled. You know, that little girl kind of “You...
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I am having trouble with my downstairs neighbor. He would say he is having trouble with me. He has complained that I am too noisy, primarily that he can’t take my walking back and forth in my apartment (which I do a lot, as I work at home). For the past few days, I have been unable to take a step without thinking of him, and wondering if…. My emotions vacillate between anger, worry and catastrophizing. But this morning I had a new thought. The irony of all this is that I...
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