They say you can’t please everybody. No matter how hard you try, there is always one person you can never satisfy. Then there are dog-pile days. Every step you take is wrong. The sun shines too brightly. You wear the wrong shoes, your hair is too messy, and why can’t you smile? What were you thinking? It’s hard to put one foot right. Human nature begs us to avoid ridicule, make yourself small, avoid confrontation, set your course to self-preservation.

Everyone has an opinion of what is possible or impossible, and they will share. It is easy to cut other people’s ideas to shreds. They criticized the Wright Brothers and said men would never fly. They called Thomas Edison a failure. People told Henry Ford automobiles were just a fad. They said the same thing about the internet, email, and personal computers. Even with every success story, it is easy to doubt and wonder if they are right. You will never know until you bravely step forward and sing the song in your heart, write the story in your head, paint the image you see in your mind’s eye.

Dare to do something, say something, be something. Take your life, make it yours, make it spectacular, and become the once-in-a-lifetime person all your critics wish they could be.

What will the world lose if you allow your critics to silence you?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

There is a ubiquitous phrase making the circuits. At first, I thought it was quaint. It was endearing when family members uttered it, but now the clerk at the drive-through window echoes the oppressive cliche. “Stay safe,” she says as she hands me my order.

Her words take my breath away, my heart constricts, and I can’t escape her plastic smile fast enough. She sparks an old familiar feeling. Live a safe life, don’t accept risks, color between the lines, conform, follow the rules, remain in your cage, watch your soul wither. Be predictable and boring, march with the crowd, fear the unknown, and strangle the voice inside my head screaming to be set free. There is a reason Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken” is one of my favorites.

I realized the sentiment is a reaction to the virus, and I prefer everyone limit their chance of contracting, spreading, or suffering from this scourge. I don’t advocate or condone reckless or self-destructive behavior, and I don’t want anyone to suffer. But misery takes many forms, and there are risks associated with not taking a risk. Following the more traveled path leads me into habits created in fear, encourages small thinking, and my growth and individual development stagnate. In life, choosing the safe road will probably result in predictable results. Except our world is changing so quickly that the tried and true now often hold unforeseen pitfalls. We need to enter into our choices with our eyes wide open.

Today I choose the road less taken. Raging storms will greet me, but I have unshakable confidence in my ability to survive them, withstand the gale, and emerge stronger. I am prepared to kindle my inner fire while I face unexpected obstacles and challenges. Mistakes are inevitable, but I am determined to rise above them. At the end of my journey, I hope to discover my life was better than any dream I could have imagined.

What risk are you taking today?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Yesterday’s opening salvo warned me it was going to be one of those days. In the spirit of self-care and celebrating me on Valentine’s Day, I searched for inspiration. It arrived as an email from Starbucks offering me 50% off my Starbucks® delivery order on Uber Eats, up to $10. Perfect. I settled on the Coffee Traveler filled with 96 fluid ounces of Blonde Roast and a Bacon, Gouda, and Egg Sandwich. Yes, I am the only coffee drinker in the house, but 96 oz would have been a welcome refresher. Except, the SENDLOVE coupon code didn’t work. I tried everything, but @Starbucks doesn’t love me. I canceled the order, brewed my usual everyday coffee, and headed out to shovel snow.

Our daytime high of 3 degrees, a -20 wind chill, and a forecast of 8-12 beginning Sunday evening, it was now or never. Time to eliminate the 3-4 inches on the drive and start and defrost the icy automobile. Everything was running smoothly. My fingers grew numb from the bitter conditions, and I wrangled on my second set of gloves. Too bad I didn’t remember to wear another pair of pants. But a few minutes sitting in the car warmed me enough to attempt finishing the last portion of the job.

That’s when it happened. For the record, I am a frequent faller professional. Please do not intentionally try this at home or anywhere else. My warm foot struck a patch of ice hidden under the snow. Both feet sailed behind me, and instinct flung the shovel down the driveway far from self-harm’s way. I assumed the skydiving banana position, head up, chin up, arms outstretched, and my feet – well, they were already flying in the air. And relax. Bam. My body hit rock-solid frozen cement, cushioned by an oh so soft and downy bed of snow and the bulky woolen coat. It’s a move I call the Reverse Snow Angel.

I lay motionless. My face hovered centimeters above the layered snow, as did my hands. I inhaled, followed by an exhale. A mental examination revealed my right knee had kissed the pavement. Whether because of the cold or maybe something likely to result in a bruise, the stinging sensation would need time to access. Like Sandra Bullock in “Miss Congeniality” with her “Mustang Sally” high heels and her slinky blue dress, I rose and shook it off. “I’m fine. I’m cool. I’m good.” I waved to my neighbors and took a bow. Wait. What do you mean the cameras weren’t rolling? Take two? Where is my stunt double? Instead, I finished shoveling.

Inside, re-acclimating to the warmth, I decided I had earned a glass of wine. A 2010 Castello Di Bossi Berardo Chianti Classico Riserva made my cut. I cleaned a goblet, and as I prepared to extract the cork, it snapped in half in the bottle’s neck. Not to worry, I’ve trained for this too.

How do you celebrate challenging days?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
I’m so grateful to have,
Special friends like you!

Valentine’s Day is all about love, and today I want to say thank you to my awesome friends and followers.

When I think about the people who matter to me, you are at the top of my list. You fill my heart to overflowing when you take time from your busy schedule to stop by, read, like, comment, or share what is on your mind. I adore you, and I am honored to have the privilege of sharing your good days and the bad. I root for you during challenging times and celebrate your every victory. Yes, even your smallest, most insignificant win brings a smile to my face, and I can’t wait for your next astounding breakthrough. Thanks for being my friend.

I hope your Valentine’s Day is full of hugs, kisses, wine, and chocolate—but maybe not in that order.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I admit it. I was born stubborn, pig-headed, and maybe a touch rebellious. Like Marty in the “Back to the Future” movies, the easiest method of goading me into action is to call me a chicken. You have seen the films, haven’t you? Whenever someone calls Marty chicken, it sets off alarm bells in his brain and forces him to do crazy unexpected things. Doc Brown and Jennifer try to warn him of the dangers, but Marty is a man on a mission, and he won’t let anyone dissuade him.

Throughout the trilogy, the ensuring response is spectacular, and whether by dumb luck or perhaps a peek of the courage buried within Marty’s character, everything works out better than expected. Every tool in the arsenal is only helpful when used with intention, and in “Back to the Future Part II” we discover Old Marty has paid a hefty price for not thinking through the consequences of his actions.

Proving people wrong is a driving motivational force when you channeled in the right directions. So, you’ve always wanted to be a writer, an artist, an Olympic ski-jumper, or an oceanographer, and your friends and family laugh at your deepest desires and tell you, you can’t. Dig deep, channel your inner Marty McFly, and dare to act. Who are they to say your dreams are unattainable, silly, or risky?

If there is an ember glowing in your soul that creates a burning desire, don’t allow them to extinguish your spark. Imagine yourself in the winner’s circle, be realistic about the hurdles, obstacles, and objections you must overcome, and decide that this is what you want. Do it despite your critics, the overwhelming odds, and the possibility of failure. Embrace your dream, soar like an eagle, and prove them wrong.

What spurs you to action?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer