I detest having to deal with trivial tasks that rarely move me closer to my goals. I ignore, delegate or pay to keep them to a minimum. Still, there are certain obligations which require my attention. I try to accomplish them in the most efficient and least disruptive manner. I have found that grouping these repugnant duties together and dispatching them all at once makes them less obnoxious. Every few weeks I schedule a busy-ness day.

On the appointed day, I create a game to complete as many as possible. I map my route, and with my agenda in my hand, I stand at the starting line. The starter’s gun fires and the race begins. I dash around town, while the clock measures my efficiency and I cross items from my list. Time expires, and I collapse with exhaustion and a touch of satisfaction. Tomorrow I can return to more productive and fruitful work.

How do you ensure your busy day bears fruit?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

The start of another week and an opportunity to recommit to your path. It is human nature to stray, falter and fall. It is easy to listen to the naysayers, who spread doubts and question your sanity. They laugh, saying you will never reach your dreams, and they encourage you to abandon your plans, pulling you to their level. They want to discourage you because your victories highlight their failures.

The closer you move toward your success the more insistent they become. As hard as it may be, following your true direction could mean your friendship is at an end. If you are open, you will discover new friends on a similar journey. Perhaps they will share your dream, urge you forward and rejoice when you succeed.

How do you stay on your path?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Spring rains may bring flowers, but they also produce flooding, followed by moldy conditions, increased pollen counts and seasonal allergies and colds. Sump pumps fail, as thunderstorms rage and we improvise, moving furniture and storages cartons, and bailing water between sniffles and sneezes. Quick action gets a replacement pump installed and adverts a major soaking.

The storm passes and the sun shines on a disheveled home. The sunlight seems brighter, the sky bluer. Rooting through boxes reveals cherished memories pulled from the fringes of forgetfulness. We laugh as we remind each other of the good old days and our shared experiences. Exhausted from the day’s activities, we finally fall into a good night’s sleep.

What will you celebrate today?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Life challenges us with never-ending obligations. The day job creates its own stress. Our employment provides the paycheck for our basic needs; rent, food and a modicum of security. Family responsibilities weigh heavy on our shoulders as we strive to be good parents, loving siblings, and caring children. If we are foolish enough to presume to manage a side hustle, the demands escalate. The pressure mounts with an overwhelming task list.

Sometimes the answer to bolstering our determination and producing the biggest triumph is to concentrate on a single, modest element. A tiny accomplishment we can move to the completed column. It boosts our morale. With one detail resolved we are free to finish the next item. The wins accumulate like pearls in a necklace. It can make all the difference.

What small win can you make happen today?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

The drone of clicks, clacks, and buzzing alerts overwhelm my senses.  Notifications demand immediate responses and distract me from my goals. This program will increase my success, upgrading to the improved app earns me not one, not two, but three bonuses. Act today, time is running out. Meanwhile, a precious commodity slips away, they divert my attention from attaining what they promise. And when I download their app or install their enhanced versions, I invest more resources learning the plug and play features.

I am not opposed to technology. I love the convenience of having information at my fingertips, and programs which save me time. Life without tech is unimaginable. But lately, the “enhancements” don’t seem to have the advertised payoff. So, I am instituting a moratorium on upgrades. If it ain’t broke, I am keeping the current version, making do with the tools I have and concentrating on accomplishing tasks that will move me closer to my goals.

What can you accomplish today?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I have seen the endless prerequisites required to become a successful author. You must get an agent, submit your work, set up your platform, suck it up they reject your work, start a newsletter, cultivate your voice, love reading, build your street team, read everything in your category, manage your brand, decide on your genre, learn your craft, daydream, and find your compelling reason for writing. What am I forgetting? Oh yeah, you also need to create something brilliant. The list is long, daunting and impossible to master in a short timeframe.  No wonder people quit.

I made a radical decision. I plan to ignore the mandatory requirements and helpful advice, opting instead to compose stories. There is a saying that states, “when the student is ready the teacher will appear”. I trust the devices and skills will arrive at the point in my journey when I need them. I intend to keep an open mind, learn whatever I can today and continue to write with the tools I have.

What is your favorite writing tool?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I’m not a patient person. My modus operandi is setting huge goals and compiling long to-do lists as I schedule my daily and weekly tasks.  Friends and family council me, telling me I am too optimistic, too unrealistic and too driven. They caution me to decrease my breakneck pace, saying I will burn out and quit.

I have a slow speed. Sometimes I downshift into low gear. I recognize it is necessary and healthy to disengage and relax and I take days away from my work. I can do nothing… for a while. Extended periods of rest and relaxation increases my stress, it grates on my nerves, my anxiety escalates, and I can’t sit still. I pace the floors, roaming from room to room, desperate to find an activity to keep my hands and mind engaged.  I know I will attain my goals because I cannot stop.

How do you relax?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Each morning a zombie rises, moaning and groaning it stumbles downstairs. The zombie staggers to the coffeepot. Water splashes, coffee grounds litter the kitchen like confetti on New Year’s Eve. It grumbles and waits, then fills a cup with wake-up juice.  A sip of the black witch’s brew and the transformation begins. My eyelids separate, and the world comes into focus. I see my goals on the horizon.

I consider my options. I could swim, build a boat, rent a wave runner, find a ferry, or buy a ticket on a private jet. The exact method is whichever one moves me forward, advancing me closer to my goal. I know I must act because I am not content to stand on the shore and dream.

How will you cross the sea?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Last week was a trial, a test of the strength of my determination. The wave threatened to crash over me. Everywhere I turned I encountered trouble, obstacles, and predicaments. I resisted the temptation to bail. I found myself in a tight slot, navigating the barrel and trying hard to avoid being axed. A heavy wipeout was not on my agenda.

I survived. I am tired and hopelessly behind schedule. Assignments stand piled high, taunting me. This week I will begin work earlier and stop later. With dedication, I hope to get back on track.

How do you persevere during tough times?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Often the most difficult tasks to achieve, appear to be the easiest. As we struggle to succeed, it is easy to compare our skills and our progress with everyone else. We listen to advise from teachers, family members, and friends, without realizing their advice represents their choices. If we neglect to choose our path in favor of a consensus, we lose ourselves. Doubts cloud our judgment and we succumb to our insecurities and fears.

Honoring our authentic selves means determining what matters most. We must place less reliance on the opinions of those around us, since trying to satisfy everyone is a guaranteed way to please no one and to make ourselves miserable in the process. Regardless of our choices, we will never gain everyone’s approval. Releasing the need to subjugate our genuine desires is an important step towards discovering who we really are.

How will you be true to yourself today?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer