When Inspiration Strikes…

On my 30th Birthday, I made a promise to myself…
“When inspiration strikes, honor it.”
I’ve made a conscious effort to live by the mantra ever since. 

I’ve also learned that inspiration comes in many forms, and it can strike at any moment. This presents some challenges for me sometimes, because there never seems to be a shortage of inspiration. Time, on the other hand, well – that’s a different story.  Hoola Monsters has been so super busy with performances and events lately (which I’m incredibly grateful for); in fact, this Thursday, we’re working with ESPN and we’re fire dancing at the Gasparilla Bowl. So exciting! I’m also plugging away on Hoola-Fit, in preparation for the January Online Teacher Training launch. All good stuff.

Being busy isn’t an excuse for not writing, though. I haven’t even blogged in 6 weeks, and that needs to change. So, I’ve put systems in place to prevent the lapse from happening again. What systems you might ask? For starters, I now have a 6 a.m. wake up time (I used to wake up around 7:30 a.m.). One of the benefits of working for yourself is the fact that you can set your own schedule (which also happens to be one of the detriments of working for yourself. No one is checking to see if you clocked in on time). So, I have a “boss” named Alexa now who wakes me up at 6 a.m. and tells me to start writing. The phone then goes to “Do Not Disturb” mode, and I write. I work on the book for two hours each morning, and by 8:30 a.m., I’m at the gym.

I also invested in Scrivener, and it’s totally rocking my world. Scrivener is a word processing system and outliner for authors. I dig it. Additionally, I’ve been networking with other writers, and it’s helping me stay focused. Watching others complete their book projects serves as a form of motivation for me. 

I also won’t beat myself up about missing my October deadline (this is when I originally said my first draft would be complete). Some re-structuring needs to take place in order for the book to be what I intend for it to be.

I’m committed to creating a book that will truly help people. I have a responsibility to share my story authentically while also reflecting on dark times with compassion. It’s a fine line to walk… to be vulnerable, speak my truth, and also help people heal. I want readers to realize that they aren’t defined by the stories they tell themselves. We can change our minds, and we can change our lives. I’m here to serve as an example of that.

So, that’s all I have to share with you guys today. I’ll blog again soon. I promise. Until then… Stay inspired.