Digging Deep: Focus

Lately, I haven’t been as focused as I should be. I guess because I have too much on my plate and that, in itself, contributes to me being overwhelmed. For many writers, trying to cope with the many demands of life, plus the book publishing business can be draining. I’ve been thinking about all the things I know I should do but haven’t really focused on doing. But, it’s time to get back to basics. Here’s what it looks like:

Photo by Lisa Fotios: https://www.pexels.com/photo/white-rolling-armchair-beside-table-1957478/

Stop over-committing. I’ve been more disciplined about the “sparkly new idea” syndrome, but I still need to dig deeper and find the discipline to say no to new projects that will consume more time than I have.

Let “No” be no. I struggle with saying no to people, but I’m learning not to commit without explaining why I can’t. Not feeling guilty about saying no is also something I’m working on. I’d love to help everyone, but that’s not wise or practical.

Focus on what matters.  Creativity can be a blessing and a curse, depending on how you look at it and how you manage it. I have a kazillion ideas fighting for dominance in my mind and for my time. I’m niching down on the things I really love and that will give the biggest yield on the investments I make. Everything else can take a backseat until I free up more time and space in my schedule.

Make resting a priority. Aside from being nurturers, women hold down jobs and make important contributions to society. While we’re busy making those contributions and taking care of the home, we forget the importance of rest. Without it, we cheat ourselves and diminish our health. Get enough sleep, exercise, meditate. Your mind and body will thank you.

Self-care is important – Whether you go for a nature walk, have a spa day, or simply read a book, try to do something that is specifically for you. You’d be amazed at how invigorated you feel just by planning some activity to benefit you.

Photo by Kindel Media: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-drawing-smiling-sun-on-sand-7938450/

Life is a journey. Be sure that as you travel you stay focused on your end goals and that you’re getting satisfaction on the way.

Here’s a story about one woman who thought way too much of what others thought of her.

Caroline Byrd is living her dream—following her passion and looking forward to life with the man at the center of her world. Then family problems, involving the law, turn things upside down.

There’s no way a man like Gordon Raimes can understand what she’s going through, and she cannot risk embarrassing him and his family any further. Her plan to disappear fails because Gordon refuses to cooperate, but Caroline knows it’s a matter of time before he discovers her secret. Has she given up too quickly on the man she loves or will he prove her suspicions true?

Find out how Caroline solves her issues – https://lrd.to/Blindsided

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078T39F51/

7 Must-Dos in 2022

Around the start of the new year, many of us would have already decided how we’re going to improve ourselves and our lives. We create lists of goals we plan to achieve. But just looking at, or thinking about everything on our plates can be daunting. When we become overwhelmed, we shut down and very little gets done.

For 2022, I’ve decided to do things a little differently, starting with the fact that I didn’t do any kind of graphic to share how many books I published in 2021. If I had, I’d have been comparing it to the larger number I produced the year before and you know how that goes …

We women tend not to take good care of our mental health. Fact is, if we’re not in optimal shape, we can’t take care of others. Here are my suggestions for making life just a little easier on ourselves.

  1. Don’t assume a task is going to be hard to do before you get started. Worrying about it builds up a lot of anxiety that’s often a waste of time once you get started and everything flows together smoothly.
  2. Stop worrying about things that may never happen. Ninety-nine per cent of the issues we worry about never become reality. Don’t buy trouble. Live in the now. Even if you have challenges, remember they don’t last forever.
  3. Enjoy the present moment. Life is short and when we’re old and can’t do the things we used to, that’s when we’ll look back and see how much time we wasted. Time and energy used up thinking about challenges that didn’t happen cannot be restored.
  4. Whatever is on your heart to do, do it now. Whether it’s a course in baking bread, crocheting, or writing a memoir or novel. Today’s the right time. Just. Do. It. Visualize what you want, then chase after it as if someone is trying to take that dream away from you.
  5. Rest. That’s it. Get enough sleep to give your body the chance to repair itself. Our brains and bodies and will not operate at the level they’re meant to if we keep cheating on sleep.  
  6. Read every day. Aside from learning new things, the written word (especially in the form of fiction) can take you away from your current circumstances and transport you to places you may have only heard about. Be an armchair explorer. It doesn’t cost you much.
  7. Nothing is as important as your peace of mind. Preserve it with everything in you. As best as you can, stay away from toxic people who suck the joy out of you. Pray. Meditate. Preserve your peace. Strive to be happy.

Go forth and enjoy your year!

For today only, my romantic suspense novel Grudge, is free to download at lrd.to/grudge

Corra Bingham is on an island vacation, recovering from a bad break-up, when she realizes she’s being stalked. Against her wishes, a determined police office, Phillip Denham, takes her under his wing. Using his skills as a detective, he races to find answers that will prevent Corra from ending up on a slab in the morgue.

Download here

Download your copy today! lrd.to/grudge