Showing posts with label New Year. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 16, 2024

Goals and Self-Forgiveness ... by Delsora Lowe

Goals: Am I setting myself up to learn something new, OR setting myself up to fail?

Every year I set a goal vowing to pay attention to social media. That includes updating my website, which I do so infrequently that, each time, I have to relearn how. <SIGH>

Then there is reengaging on Instagram, which I always enjoyed, and learning TikTok, which I still haven’t tried to tackle. And forget learning how to work on Twitter – See!?! That is how long it has been since I thought about conquering what is now X. Even my FB engagement lacks, and that is what I use the most.

I haven’t just learned that I am horrible at staying caught up on any type of social media. I have been reminded of that defect in my character—HA—year after year, when I have to assess my old goals and reaffirm new goals for a new year. To me, navigating social media is like trudging uphill, one plodding step at a time, and never reaching the top.

So, as you probably guessed, social media is my least favorite goal to achieve.

I recently wrote a writer friend of mine about proclaiming goals to achieve THE WIN, versus setting hopeful expectations for a new year. If you consider every goal accomplished as a win, then what is the opposite? A Fail?

I have always considered goals to be about hope. Expectations you seek to attain. A mission. Something you write down and tell others, so that you’ll make a concerted effort to achieve, either by yourself or as part of a team or coordinated with workplace colleagues.

Seeking Forgiveness:

Some goals, in the workplace or in your community, are important or essential to attain no matter what. But personal goals… Well, my philosophy is life gets in the way. If something comes up that is more important—a make-or-break, a family emergency, or a task in your day job that will affect the next steps of a project, or even changes in a writing project—well, those intervening tasks must be attained. And at times to the detriment of achieving other goals.

When setting personal or writing goals, I believe there is room to delay reaching that goal. And, in some cases, it is perfectly fine to say this goal no longer seems top priority or necessary to achieve this year. Or this goal can just as easily be pushed forward to achieve at a later date.

Hence, my need to just hit DELETE on Social Media goals. I hope by taking this off my list, I will just wander into achieving that now, unspoken goal, without feeling the pressure. <SHRUGS> One can hope. But one can also be relieved without that added pressure.

Although, in reality for 2024, I believe I have set myself up to most likely “fail” in tasks I have never tried before. It all depends on my energy to learn something brand-new to my toolbox of writerly skills. But they are also skills I have always been intrigued to try. If I can’t conquer how to achieve leaning these skills, at least I will have tried.

Yes, I am setting myself up to learn something new. And yes, my chances of failing or not totally achieving 5-star competence, is high. But hey, I’ll still learn something—anything—new. One step at a time… And, no pressure.

The exciting part of setting “reach” goals is that I know I’ll probably need a little help along the way from my writer friends. So, watch out—I might be needy in 2024.

Do you like the idea of setting annual goals? Or does committing to accomplishing
a long (or short) list
of annual goals give you “hives”?

Moonlighting

Starlight Grille ~ Book 3

A blast from the past, a ten-year old matchmaker with a valentine wish, an omission, and a villainous man…a recipe for disaster? Or love against all odds?

Amazon Kindle (only in print as a collection: Starlight Grille)

Books2Read

Starlight Grille

A Serenity Harbor Maine Collection

Welcome to Serenity Harbor, Maine, a small coastal town where the Starlight Grille is a favorite meeting place. This sweet, with a touch of heat, collection includes a new bonus short story and a Starlight Grille recipe.

Amazon: (also in print)

Books2Read

~ cottages to cabins ~ keep the home fires burning ~

Delsora Lowe writes small town sweet and spicy romances and contemporary westerns, from the mountains of Colorado to the shores of Maine.

Author of the Starlight Grille series, Serenity Harbor Maine novellas, and the Cowboys of Mineral Springs series, Lowe has also authored short romances for Woman’s World magazine. The Love Left Behind is a Hartford Estates, R.I. wedding novella. A Christmas novel (The Inn at Gooseneck Lane) and novella (Holiday Hitchhiker) were released in late fall 2022. Look for book 3 of the cowboy’s series, as well as book 2 of the Hartford Estates series, in 2024.

Social Media Links:
Author website: www.delsoralowe.com
Facebook Author page: https://www.facebook.com/delsoraloweauthor/community/
Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.com/Delsora-Lowe/e/B01M61OM39/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Books2Read Author page: https://www.books2read.com/ap/8GWm98/Delsora-Lowe
BookBub Author Page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/delsora-lowe-93c6987f-129d-483d-9f5a-abe603876518
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16045986.Delsora_Lowe
Instagram: #delsoralowe / https://www.instagram.com/delsoralowe/

Photo Credits:
Free Goals Cliparts, Download Free Goals Cliparts png images, Free ClipArts on Clipart Library (clipart-library.com)
free clip art shrug shoulders - Search (bing.com)
Pin on Education/School - Clip Art Library (clipart-library.com)

Tuesday, January 17, 2023

It’s a New Year – A Time to Dream Big, But Be Realistic: Learning to Take My Own Advice ..... by Delsora Lowe

SETTING GOALS

January is always the time of year when we set goals and make resolutions. How many of those we keep throughout the year is questionable. So, my advice to myself for starting each new year, and keeping on-track throughout the year, is to start planning in November and December of the previous year.

As I have often discussed in the past, I belong to two goals groups (one has a daily check-in and the other a weekly check-in) and I set out annual goals that I start working on before the new year begins.

I find if I plan, write-out that plan, check-it twice (oh, wait – that’s my naughty or nice, holiday wish-list,) and check it often (at least once a month) to ensure I am on schedule, I am more likely to achieve what I wanted to in any given year.

Having said that, life gets in the way – whether it is personal set-backs or things beyond our control, readjusting goals all through the year is perfectly acceptable. And healthy. No point in making goals that will cause stress.

REASSESSING

If you are anything like me, you have high hopes and ambitions during those down-times that are less stressful. But once you get into the midst of head-down, get-er-done mode, it is easy to get overwhelmed and become negative. So, the second part of my advice is to give yourself leeway to readjust your goals from time-to-time. And that means, you can put off achieving a goal until later. It also means when an opportunity arises, you can squeeze-in or replace one new goal for another one that can wait to be finished.

SMALL INCREMENTS

As is normal at this time of year, there are plenty of experts who have advice. This morning on the news a psychologist gave some sage advice (wish I could remember her name.) Instead of setting a lofty goal (such as my goal to release 3 books this year,) set goals that are the steps to that goal. In my case, I have three books already written, so my next step is to edit them (which is my stated goal with the intention to also publish them.)

Editing a book is one goal. Releasing it is an entirely different goal. Instead, I also need to adjust my stated goals to work on the next steps (after editing) to getting each published. Those steps can include sending the edited manuscript to a professional editor, then a formatter, then commission a book cover, etc. And while that might be a lofty goal, it also means that if I edit all three books during 2023, I can then take the next steps, one at a time. And I may or may not get all three published this year. I may get one published and another one formatted, and the third one sent to the professional editor.

I now realize I need to adjust those goals to show incremental steps.

PROS AND CONS

Setting goals can help you push yourself forward. But setting goals too high, and overachieving, can wear a person out and cause a person to not reach goals. The key to staying sane is flexibility and readjusting goals along the way.

REALISTIC VERSUS PIE-IN-THE-SKY

The other piece of advice to myself every year, is to be realistic. It’s okay to set stretch goals. At the same time, add in variations of what that goal will look like, so readjusting goals won’t make you feel sad or bad.

Always remember – not meeting a goal is not a failure. It is an opportunity for adjustment so you can achieve that goal under different circumstances.

CELEBRATE

Here’s to a happy and successful new year. But also, here’s to a realistic and non-stressful new year as you reach to achieve new goals.

How do you prepare your annual goals or celebrate your successes?

One of my goals is to edit and publish the next Cowboys of Mineral Springs book.

Check out the series links on Delsora Lowe

~ cottages to cabins ~ keep the home fires burning ~

Delsora Lowe writes small town sweet and spicy romances and contemporary westerns from the mountains of Colorado to the shores of Maine.

Author of the Starlight Grille series, Serenity Harbor Maine novellas, and the Cowboys of Mineral Springs series, Lowe has also authored short romances for Woman’s World magazine. Her newest novella is The Love Left Behind. Look for both a Christmas novel (The Inn at Gooseneck Lane) and novella (Holiday Hitchhiker) later this fall.

Social Media Links:

Author website: www.delsoralowe.com

Facebook Author page: https://www.facebook.com/delsoraloweauthor/community/

Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.com/Delsora-Lowe/e/B01M61OM39/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Books2Read Author page: https://www.books2read.com/ap/8GWm98/Delsora-Lowe

BookBub Author Page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/delsora-lowe-93c6987f-129d-483d-9f5a-abe603876518

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16045986.Delsora_Lowe

Instagram: #delsoralowe / https://www.instagram.com/delsoralowe/

Images:

Ready, Set, Goals = clip art goal setting - Google Search - Goal Setting Clipart - Clip Art Goal Setting - Free Transparent PNG Clipart Images Download (clipartmax.com)
SMART Goalsetting = clip art goal setting - Google Search - goal setting clipart free - Clip Art Library (clipart-library.com)
GOAL Ladder = Free Goals Cliparts, Download Free Goals Cliparts png images, Free ClipArts on Clipart Library (clipart-library.com)
Success = clipart success - Google Search
Celebrating = clipart success - Google Search, Success Clipart Images | Free Download | PNG Transparent Background - Pngtree Celebrate Clip Art Pictures - Clipartix
Dreams = free clipartdreams - Google Search
Work Hard, Dream Big = Dream Stock Illustrations – 394,028 Dream Stock Illustrations, Vectors & Clipart - Dreamstime
Thinking = Free Think Cliparts, Download Free Think Cliparts png images, Free ClipArts on Clipart Library (clipart-library.com)

Tuesday, January 3, 2023

My word!

About ten years ago, someone somewhere talked about choosing their special word for the year, a word by which to live to be a better version of yourself. I’d never heard of this before and so adopted the idea.

I thought long and hard for my word, the one word to rule them all *cough*, the word by which I’d live for the entire year. I’m sure I was gung-ho for the first few days or weeks, but much like a January gym membership, gave it up and thought no more about it. I have no idea what word I chose.

I was reminded of the practice at the end of that year and, not to be daunted (my stubbornness is genetic), once again chose my magical word. The word that would change my life (for the better).

I’ll bet you a slice of my fruitcake that you can guess what happened. *

And so it went. Every year I’d choose a word, a word that would stand for who I would be or what I would accomplish for the next 365 days. And every year, poof, I’d forget all about it. Even if it was on a sticky-note at eye level above my desk where I sat every single bleeding day!!!!

Then two years ago, I had a brainwave. An entire year governed by ONE word? That was ridiculous.

Now, I’m a follower of the author and planner extraordinaire, Sarra Cannon, and have implemented a good bit of her HB90 system (extremely helpful for me). As the name suggests, HB90 focuses on setting goals and implementing tactics to achieve those goals within 90 days, i.e. a quarter of the year. So, what if I chose one word per quarter? Only 90 days to live under the rule of the one word that would guide me toward achieving my goals. I thought longer and harder and chose four words.

Pfft!

Clearly, I was doing something wrong. And lest you think I chose silly words like millionaire or bestseller (wanting bestseller status is a laudable & achievable goal for some, but for me it would be silly. I still dream of breaking even on publishing costs), my words were FOCUS and ACCOMPLISH. (Great words for the Queen of Procrastination, eh?)

Last year (a week ago – ha!), the time arrived to choose a word-of-the-year. I sighed. I harrumphed. I procrastinated. Why bother? It doesn’t work. (Imagine voice of whiny brat.) But genetics being what they are, I refused to be defeated. I was stronger than a measly word. I was determined to—

Ah ha!

Could it be?

Why, yes, Virginia, there is a word that best sums up what I hope to achieve this year while, at the same time, making use of one of my better personality traits. (I am NOT stubborn!)

Ladies and gents, I give you my word-of-the-year: DETERMINATION

Do you ascribe to a word-of-the-year? Would you like to share?

*Gambling prohibited.

Luanna Stewart has been creating adventures for her imaginary friends since childhood. She spends her days writing contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, and historical romance. When not torturing her characters, she’s in her kitchen baking something delicious. She lives in Nova Scotia with her patient husband and five hens.

Website ~ Bookbub ~ Instagram ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

Door knocker - Photo by Chiara Guercio on Unsplash

Crown - Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Cake - Photo by lindsay Cotter on Unsplash

Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Happy New Year, Spring – Seasons and Stories … Delsora Lowe

For some reason, for me, both spring and fall always seem like the start of a new year. The changing seasons equate to changes in our lives.

In my mind, summer seems to drift into fall, and winter seems to drift into spring. Like the tides, winter teases us by splashing up on the shores of spring. Just when we dip our toes at the edge of spring warmth, the tide surges. Cold rushes back in. We wait with anticipation for a quick retreat, so we can feel the warm sand between our toes and walk the beach without hugging ourselves against a strong cold wind.

Winter storms wreak havoc on the spring we hoped had finally arrived. Little green shoots, a symbol of rebirth and growth and new beginnings, end up covered in that cold, white fluff. And all our hopes are dashed, until the sun returns from behind storm clouds and gives us a taste of a resurrection of sorts.

This whole process reminds me of writing a story. As many of you know, writers are supposed to “torture” their characters. That means throwing challenges in the way of the both the hero and heroine, to make it harder for each to achieve dreams of falling in love. And achieving one by one the steps in between dreaming of love, finding the one person that may have potential to be the one, and then assuring that you are worthy of winning and keeping that love.

Think how boring stories would be if everyone was perfect and got along and achieved their dreams with no effort. Actually, as much as I hate conflict, I have to admit life, in general, would be boring if we didn’t have to challenge ourselves.

And the same would hold true if we had no change of season. No heat that gave away to beautiful, sunny, cool days and colorful leaves. No bare trees that gave us a clearer view on now vivid blue, fall into winter skies. No blanketing of that white stuff (that yes, we have to shovel,) but when it falls it brings with it a serene blanket to makes us feel cozy and warm (as long as the heat works or a fireplace is roaring.) No retreating of layers of snow and ice, to expose a brown lawn that will soon turn green and lush and sprout a few weedy, yellow dandelions to add new color to our world. No cool nights moving in on still warm, but not too hot, days.

Trees turning from a continuum of green to an array of colors: yellow, orange, red, purple. And then the winds pour in and rip the leaves from branches to scatter them about. The green lawns are covered in those leaves, which we rake into piles, and watch dogs run through them, or kids jump into them until they are covered in a soft blanket provided by nature. And just when the landscape is brown and boring, the snow returns to blanket us in pristine white.

Giving our characters, challenges, tests, reasons to second guess their view of the world, a need to ditch a plan and devise another to solve a problem—all those things make our characters and stories interesting. Just as the change of season both challenge us and give comfort, our characters, too, need challenges to make the reward at the end—LOVE— that much more precious.

So, looking at the change of season as part of the continuum that leads to a new year, keeps us on our toes, gives us new challenges, and brings new delight.

Happy New Year, Spring!

Disclaimer: this opinion piece is written from the point of view of someone who lives in the Northeast in the USA. And yes, I face challenges, in that in the dead of winter, I do wish I could travel to visit my friends in the south. And in the heat of summer, I wish I could cross the border and travel to the northern part of Canada. Here’s to embracing challenges and what we learn from them.

What is your favorite season?

The Legacy of Parkers Point

Starlight Grille ~ Book 1

Two lives, one legacy—the lure of Parkers Point

One Runs From …

Inheriting his grandfather’s estate on the rocky point in Serenity Harbor, Maine is the perfect escape from the biggest professional disaster of Grayson Mann’s life. Will distance and space help Gray heal old family and professional wounds enough to open his heart to love?

One Runs Toward …

Lauralee Adler struggles to save the family art gallery as she watches her aunt succumb to Alzheimer’s. Returning to the small coastal town is payment for the kindness that saved her life and soul. Now she’s on a quest to find her father. Will this trip home help her learn to trust and finally convince her she can truly belong for the first time in her life?

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Legacy-Parkers-Point-Serenity-Starlight-ebook/dp/B0743NVCC6/

Books2Read

books2read.com/u/b6rQzx

~ cottages to cabins ~ keep the home fires burning ~

Delsora Lowe writes small town sweet and spicy romances and contemporary westerns from the mountains of Colorado to the shores of Maine.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
Author website: www.delsoralowe.com
Facebook Author page: https://www.facebook.com/delsoraloweauthor/community/
Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.com/Delsora-Lowe/e/B01M61OM39/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Books2Read Author page: https://www.books2read.com/ap/8GWm98/Delsora-Lowe
BookBub Author Page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/delsora-lowe-93c6987f-129d-483d-9f5a-abe603876518
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16045986.Delsora_Lowe
Instagram: #delsoralowe / https://www.instagram.com/delsoralowe/

PHOTO CREDITS:
New Year: new years eve clipart - Clip Art Library (clipart-library.com)
Beach: Free Images Of The Beach, Download Free Images Of The Beach png images, Free ClipArts on Clipart Library (clipart-library.com)
Sun and Storm Clouds: Free Images Of The Beach, Download Free Images Of The Beach png images, Free ClipArts on Clipart Library (clipart-library.com)
Change of Season: Free Four Seasons Cliparts, Download Free Four Seasons Cliparts png images, Free ClipArts on Clipart Library (clipart-library.com)
Spring Fever: free clip art new spring - Google Search

Tuesday, January 18, 2022

What’s New in ’22 … Delsora Lowe

For me, it is not what’s new for the new year, but what I will recycle and make new in 2022.

I’ll admit, 2021 was not the most productive year I’ve had. Between trying to figure out how to live a normal life, in a crazy situation, and then experiencing many life-changing situations, both sad and happy, I had difficulty making my goals that I set out for myself last year.

For 2022, I’ve brought forward all that I planned and was excited about in 2021, in hopes of accomplishing them in 2022. That list includes both professional and personal goals. For several years I have had on my list to join a local, non-profit organization that provides a meeting place and a list of activities for both teens and retirees. Last spring, I finally joined. The activities that interested me most were exercise classes, various art classes, and a writing group. Did I do any of them?

A BIG FAT NO!

So, what’s new for ’22, is to get myself out of the house, with mask in place, and get to exercise class two days a week, join the writing group, and explore some art classes that will definitely take me out of my comfort zone. My sister was an artist. My grandmother was a juried craftswoman, mostly in painting on tins and velvets. My grandfather dabbled in painting, as did my mom. My daughter is an interior designer and a floral designer. Me? I loved art when I was in school, and I took craft classes as an adult and loved rug braiding, pottery, knitting, etc. But I never pursued any of them beyond the adult education classes I took.

2022—here I come. Time to get out of my comfort zone and learn a new craft. If only, because it will challenge my creativity in a different way than writing. And by doing so, my hope is to jumpstart my writing,

I’m convinced that if I can activate my creative brain in other areas beside writing, that I might jumpstart my writing creativity, as well. In other words, allow the light of creativity to shine through once more.

“It is the light in the lantern which shows you the path,
not the lantern.”
from a Yogi Tea Bag

And that leads me to what I love…writing. Alas, 2021 was a bad year for me. I totally shut down. I missed most of my goals I set for myself at the end of 2020, and I beat myself up over it. But hey…as I write this, we are in the last few weeks in December and all of a sudden, my creative juices are flowing through my brain and into my fingers. Time to take advantage, pull all my 2021 goals forward, and kick up a dance of creativity (both physical and mental) for 2022! And STOP with the I’m a failure self-talk.