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Funny Friday: How to write a book
“I’m writing a book. I’ve got the page numbers done.” ~ Steven Wright I’m starting to work on a new essay collection this fall, so today’s quote hit home while it made me laugh. Too often, procrastination throws me off schedule. If I don’t set a real deadline, I’ll find dozens of other things to distract myself. How about you? What motivates you to start and complete a project? ~CL
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Changing with the seasons
“Every time you are tempted to react in the same old way, ask if you want to be a prisoner of the past or a pioneer of the future. The past is closed and limited; the future is open and free.” ~Deepak Chopra Most of us prefer to stay with what’s comfortable or familiar, even when we know there’s something better out there. Change demands courage — but if we’re fearful, we usually try to avoid it. This applies to everything from trying a different entree on a menu to breaking an unhealthy habit like chronic complaining. We shortchange ourselves when we’re resistant to change, or, as Einstein put it,…
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Putting yourself last?
“Sometimes you have to put your own needs first, even if that doesn’t please others. You are not required to set yourself on fire to keep other people warm.” ~Shannon Olson When I was younger, I often placed the wants and wishes of others before my own — even in matters as simple as choosing where to go out for dinner. Like other women I knew, I allowed myself to remain stuck in second place. Everyone else, it seemed, had greater needs, better ideas, or bigger problems to solve than I had. Even if someone gave me “permission” to put myself first, I felt guilty when I did so. Thankfully,…
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My Halloween story in Bella Grace
“Anyone could see that the wind was a special wind this night, and the darkness took on a special feel because it was All Hallows’ Eve.” ~Ray Bradbury Bella Grace is the first magazine I reach for when I want to calm down, escape the hard news, and tune out the white noise around me. I often refer to it as a grown-up picture book, with dreamy images that never fail to transport me to another place and time. So, you can imagine how thrilled I was to get my work published in the Autumn 2021 issue (Issue 29). My essay, “I’ve Never Outgrown the Magic of Halloween,” is featured in…
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Enough to share
“Love is something that if you give it away, you end up having more.” ~Malvina Reynolds For years I’ve been fascinated by the “law of abundance,” which some might dismiss as one of those woo-woo New Age theories. I think there’s something to it. In a nutshell, the abundance theory suggests that if you live generously, acting on the belief that there’s always plenty to share, you’ll attract more goodness in your life. In other words, the more you give away — whether it’s love, money, time, or produce from your garden — the more you get back. Conversely, if you’re stingy or overly protective of your own resources, you’re…
