3 Attitudes that Hold You Back

Before I got my first publishing deal, I was attending conferences with zeal and trying to learn everything possible about the craft and business of writing. At one such conference there was a session you could sign up for, where in a small group, you would read the first ten pages of your manuscript, and an editor who acquired in your genre would give you notes. It was terrifying. I really wanted to throw up. The only comfort was that all the other writers were equally green – except for the one who went to drama school and couldn’t wait to perform her masterpiece. You know the one. We went alphabetically by title, so I was first. I read my…Read More

Letting go of the past, making room for now, and embracing the future.

Moving. There’s nothing that stimulates a purge as much as moving does. It can be a lot of hard work—the sorting, the selling, the recycling, the giving away, and then finding the right spot for what is left. And it seems like there is always more that can be purged. But when it’s done, the benefits are many and ongoing. My advice…don’t wait until you move to make your home, and life, right again. There are things we hold onto for good reasons—believe me, I had a good reason to hold onto everything. There was always something I was going to use again, “some day”. But, paring your life down to what you need and enjoy every day, brings a great…Read More

Friday was the day! My last day at Walt Disney Imagineering. It was another good one too—only the last one! After deciding to pursue my passion to write and create to full time, I put my notice into Disney earlier this month. I’ve been blessed with support and encouragement and when I drove off the lot it felt like the perfect ending to that chapter. I was relaxed and at peace. My farewells were positive. I hugged all whom I needed to hug, I thanked all I needed to thank, I wrapped up the loose ends, I prepped for the new person, and I even left them a little gift for their first day. Then I did a last round…Read More

Day One or One Day. You Decide.

We all have that thing that we put off, dream about, or push to the side and say, “one day…” What’s yours? As I write this month it is knowing that the year before me will be a time of great change—much of it transforming my life in ways I don’t even know yet. My “one day” is drawing near. Last year was my year of gratitude and it truly changed how I feel about everything. I enter this year of change with immense gratitude for all the changes I will make and need to make this year. My first big change: I resigned January 5th from my job with Walt Disney Imagineering where I designed and developed attractions and…Read More

November is the perfect time to update your gratitude list if you haven’t done so lately. There is a long list to be grateful for by virtue of living in America, but this month I would challenge you to list out the people who made a difference in your life this year – whether it was monumental or minuscule. And even consider being thankful for the people who sucked and made your life a living hell. There’s as much to learn from a tormentor as there is from a mentor! Either way, at least you know who your friends are. This year, my list seems incredibly long, but there is nothing like having that one person who makes your soul blossom no matter what is…Read More

The 16 for 16 List

They want you to think they are funny and cool as well as athletic and hot. But they’ll take funny and cool if the rest is not in their cards…yet. They don’t care that much about makeup—on them or you, but a welcoming smile that makes them think they are funny, cool, athletic or hot goes a long way. They can’t express it but they want to be accepted as they are—just like you—even when they can’t accept themselves. If boys see you value yourself and your dreams they will secretly and sometimes openly admire you. Men love confidence in a woman. Boys respect confidence in a girl and are often drawn to her for it, but can’t explain why….Read More

Surviving Exam Season!

You are a student, you are stressed, and you feel the pressure put on my teachers, parents, and worse – yourself. It’s too much! It really is. Stop and take a breath. Give yourself a little credit. You are more than one exam, one grade, or one day in your life. Do the work you need to do, then get a really good night of sleep. And remember these basic truths! Education is a journey, not a race. It doesn’t matter how long it takes to get there, just that you keep going. Even if you fail, there’s summer school! No grade is worth your life, your health, or your sanity. Take it one test, one day, one hour at…Read More

What does your social media say about you?

Freedom of Speech is an American right, even if nothing we say is right. But what does it reveal about you? Is bad form your norm? Are you the new adult bully of social media? While I don’t think this is statistically true, it often feels like social media has manifested more bullies in the adult population than all the playgrounds in the last twenty years! As a writer, I’m acutely aware that words have power. Words can inspire, hurt, educate, encourage, curse, destroy, unite, divide, turn you off, pique your interest—and everything in between. Which will you do today? Because there’s been so much negativity from people on social media platforms, I took a break this past month from social…Read More

Join Me in a Year of Gratitude

I am a person who always strives to be better, as I’m sure most of you are. But ongoing growth requires new and different practices for me. And there’s always so many things to work on it can be overwhelming. So I decided to pick one thing for the year and delve deep into the study and practice of it. It’s sort of my theme for the year, and next year I can pick something new. This, as you’ve guessed from the title of my blog, is all about gratitude. I’m giving it a whole year of focus because I really want this practice to go beyond habit to integrate and transform in who I am at my core, and become…Read More

5 Election Season Tactics

Every four years, since I can remember, elections come around and they seem to bring out the worst language, behavior, and attitudes in the American people. This election, most seem to agree, that whoever wins, the next President will not only be lacking in character and integrity, but the two contenders have been touted at the “worst two people in America”. Ouch! Well I don’t think they are the worst Americans, and I don’t think either one is going to press some red button and end the world, but still…where does that leave us? We are part of this process. We are one of the few nations with the freedom of an anonymous vote in a democratic system. We are…Read More