Help Yourself to Your Self-Care
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What have you done to help your self-care routine lately? I am writing this because I often ask myself the same question. Is it eating right? Is it getting enough rest? How about doing nothing at all? Now, that sounds like a plan! Sometimes you need those times where you can just sit and do nothing; I call that renewal time. My book, A Life With A View talks a lot about renewal and how to get there. I had to dive into my writing when things were popping off around me.
I had to first start off with Faith - the Faith that I could take some time to take care of myself and things wouldn't fall apart. Faith that things would work out and I didn't have to kill myself trying to be perfect and get it right the first, or even the second time. Part of self-care is also not beating yourself up when things don't go quite right. Taking care of you is so important. How can you be there for yourself or anyone else if you don't take care of you? Being a single mom with two kids (now 16 and 9), it was important to me to find my balance; set boundaries where needed and also rely on Faith to get me through.
What gets you to your self-care routine? Do you have one? Here are four easy ways to continue and to get started in case you need the push:
1. Begin with what inspires your journey to self-care: a word, a phrase, an action.
2. Cherish the things that continue to make you better and get rid of the things that do not contribute to your happiness and renewal.
3. Surround yourself with people who inspire you, have inspired you and align your self-care routine to where you see yourself in one week, one month or six months...you choose.
4. Choose at least one day a week to dedicate to your self-care routine. Need help in this area? Here's a little inspiration: My day is Wednesday - which I have appropriately named: Winding Down Wednesday. This is a day where, yes - I go to work, have meetings and all...but, I take the time on Wednesday evenings to unwind and go to the beauty salon, read, catch up with family and friends and if there's time, I'll catch up on my favorite television programs.
Now, you try! Let me know how are you are doing as I would love to hear from you. If you are at step 1, great! If you are in between steps, that's good too and shows progress. Feel free to share this post with others who may benefit and also drop me a line on social media or by replying to this post and let me know how you're doing. Can't wait to hear and see all your of ideas on the topic of self-care.
To help you along, I created this free self-care eBook so you can continue your journey to self-care freedom. Click the button below and help yourself to these 10 steps.
5 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Write
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Sometimes I need quiet time and space to motivate me to write and other times I need to surround myself with things to inspire my writing creativity. Whether it is music loud or soft in a room, or a quiet office space with nothing but a pen and notepad, there are times when I am more motivated than others to write.
Back in the day, (now, not that far back) it was easy - less distractions, no social media, no reality TV, and no squirrel chasing. You are probably saying "squirrel chasing"? Yes, anything shiny or new that goes by is like chasing a squirrel and we just have to have it. I am trying to get better and stay focused. Ah - focused, there it is...remaining focused. But, how do you stay motivated?
Here are 5 things I use to stay motivated on my writing journey which helps me in every day life:
Write about the things which inspire you. We are good at things we love, right? Why not write about them.
Connect with others on your same journey and start an accountability or writing group. This is the best way to bounce writing ideas around and gain clarity on writing topics.
Not sure about starting a writing group on your own? Join an existing writing group which resonates with you. Social media is a great place to find those connections.
Join a writing or blog challenge. On social media, use the hashtag #writingchallenge and you will find dozens of writing challenges and this is a great way to build your content.
Write in your journal like you are talking to a friend and whatever comes to your mind. It doesn't have to be perfect. A word or phrase can build your best masterpiece.
Do you have other tips to share? How do you motivate yourself to write? Each one of the tips above continues to help me on this 4-year writing journey with more years to come. This week, A Life With A View turns 4 and I am so happy to have you here to celebrate with me. The book, the blog and the brand would not exist without all of your love and support.
I would love to hear your writing tips and how you stay motivated and also how A Life With A View is helping you and what I can do better. Leave a comment below and let's chat about it.
Stepping Out On Faith
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I took a leap of faith in 2013 when I decided I wanted to start a blog and then two years later, I wrote my first book. I wondered what to write about and how would I publish a book? The blog was easy at that time – I wrote and wrote for days…whatever came to my mind, I wrote and wrote. Themes at first didn’t come too easily to me so I asked myself: “How am I going to do this?” I stepped out, leaped out and latched onto Faith. I thought about: "What would a theme look like?" I think I was trying too hard to plan it out and initially, I didn’t let things flow. Once I let go and let things flow, I came up with words that inspired me with the first one being Faith. It took a lot (and I do mean a lot) of Faith to get started. I was scared, nervous and thought about things like: "Will people read this stuff?" "Am I good enough to be a writer?" All of that self-doubt began to cloud my Faith and my focus. Being determined to not let any of those thoughts take shape; in 2014 I became serious about my writing and serious about taking the blog forward and eventually publish my first book, A Life With A View.
All of this stepping out on faith with starting and growing the blog and then the first book, I wondered what I could do next. Could I help someone else on their journey? After taking the first leap of faith and getting over the initial hurdle called fear, I have grown a lot in three years; a self-discovery of sorts which I never could have imagined would have happened. Through prayer, positive energy, strength, grace, peace and serenity - I was able to discover what Faith means to me. It turns out for me, Faith is not only spiritual but also a daily renewal of one's self to face your fears, affirming your Faith, going after and possessing infinite wisdom, making timely decisions, remaining happy, healthy and continuous healing.
Here we are almost 4 years later and I am now able to put this into words; even more words than I originally thought of and planned to do. The start of my second book began to take shape last year as many people asked me when my second book would be released. I was working on so many things last year including getting clearer about my goals and zeroing in on the direction for my life. I made the decision late last year to brand A Life With A View and move to a new website to inspire not only me, but my readers and offer them the opportunity to connect with me more easily. With all of this happening at the same time, who had time to write a book? At least that’s what I told myself.
It wasn’t until recently where I realized I could write this new book. With all of the connections, collaborations and the push in the right direction, it was up to me to make it happen - it being the decision to write and continue to share my story in a second book. I still haven't changed much in regards to keeping post-it notes, journals, notepads everywhere and I kept saying: "Will I ever get this book done?" Late last year, I discovered that November was National Write A Novel Month? Who knew? Not me. What a great way to get this done and keep me on task. I accepted the challenge of writing 500 words per day but not just any words; words with meaning; words where I could take action on and share with other people. Stepping out on Faith was key to doing this – there was no other way to get around it.
So there you have it family and friends, the second book is coming soon! Soon as in Summer 2017. And yes, my second book will be a series to my first book: A Life With A View: Inspiring Creative Passion. I cannot believe I can actually say this now and with confidence. There is so much more to come and stay tuned here on the blog and on social media for excerpts and more updates from my new book as we journey together.
One last thing before you go: Be sure to Join the Discussion right here on the blog by subscribing to posts and website updates. Progress on the second book will be shared via my newsletter and posted right here on the blog. And, a giveaway of signed copies my first book, A Life With View will be coming soon! Stay tuned right here and on social media.
Rest, Relaxation, Renewal
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What do you do when you get overwhelmed? In those times it is necessary to replenish. I had to think long and hard about this one as so many things get in the way of self-renewal. A few years ago when I started my blog, I came up with the three R's - Rest, Relaxation, Renewal. I needed all three of these power statements to keep going and most importantly, I had to practice these each and every day. Sure, you are going to have some days where you rip and run and it seems like the days never end. If you have a family, children, parents that depend on you - multiply this at least by three.
So how do you make the time for the three R's? Notice I said make the time. Start with what inspires you most. Ask yourself what keeps you going. When do you feel most relaxed? Define your renewal set - it could be the three R's or one word or phrase that means the most to you.
Are you still trying to find the words? Start here with self-care. This seemed to do it for me and then the words, my writing, and me following my dream of blogging, becoming an author and inspiring others started to come true.
All of what I share here on the blog are either things I've gone through or going through or, someone has asked me to share a post on something they are going through in life. I absolutely love doing this as it inspires me also. Is there a topic you want to read about or collaborate on? Let me know - I'd love to hear from you! Oh - don't forget the three R's: Rest, Relaxation, Renewal.
Be inspired,
Lynda
Finding Color Inspiration To Write
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I have always been a little colorful. Whether through my smile or bringing cheer to others, being colorful is just me; my personality and make up.
When starting A Life With A View almost 4 years ago, I had a vision of what I wanted this to look like. Now, how it was going to all come together is a different story. I first started with what I liked - color, cheerfulness, being bright and me just being myself. I knew I liked pretty blues, greens, shades of brown and purple. I had it all planned out right? Well not quite...
...There have been detours and stops along the way. Stops meaning - there was a period of time where I stopped writing due to everything else in life getting in the way. So one day while at a friend's house, I was on my tablet and I downloaded the quickest blogging app and template I could find and started writing. Was this really me or was I acting out of some emotion to only get started? It was a little bit of both - I wanted to start writing and I had the burning desire to put the pen to paper or my fingers to the keyboard.
In the rush to get started, I chose something completely different than where my inner thoughts and emotions were taking me. In this blog post found here I talk about the journey to A Life With A View and how I started with bright orange colors. This is just fine as long as it aligns with what you want but for me, all I wanted to do at the time was get my thoughts on paper. No matter how haphazard, I was going to write.
As I began to write more, I had this feeling of writing more from the heart and telling my story; sharing my deepest fears and emotions. At first I was truly afraid to do this as I was still in healing mode from the end of my marriage and I was not sure which way to turn. Did I want to share everything as it related to my marriage at the time? This was at the forefront in my mind and I chose to gloss over it. Speaking of glossy, there was nothing like color that kept me going and kept me inspired. I knew I wanted to write - check! I knew I had lots to say - check! And, I knew I could write at least 1, 2, or 10 blog posts sharing the things which mattered to me; and what mattered to other people going through the same thing I was going through.
To bring this all full circle, I wanted to identify with everything that made me feel good and it centered on color. Color - imagine color as you write and as you think about what you want in life. I did eventually get to where I wanted to be with color. Color became my inspiration and I became true to what I wanted and what identified with me and my spirit. Now this did not happen overnight but it did happen and I am so glad to be here. I still have a ways to go but I have found my platform, my inspiration; colors to let my writing flow.
What inspires you to write or follow your dreams? Share in the comments and also share your thoughts on finding your inspiration and the things you identify with. I would love to hear what you identify with and how you connect with what inspires you.
Behind The Scenes of The Blog
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So let's just say you happened to stumble upon this website. You might be wondering: "Wow, how did I get here." Or, "All of this for a blog?!" I am here to tell you it hasn't always been like this - it took some work to get here; a whole lot of work.
It all started with a thought which didn't turn into a vision until years later. I've never been much of a visionary and this is something I've had to learn and grow in over the years. Talk about a lot of work! On top of my 9-5 job, I wanted to do more - write and share my stories. Stories of faith, love, happiness and hope. Many years later after the initial thought, this all turned into my vision - the vision for A Life With A View.
I had no idea I had to have a plan, or did I? For most things yes - and other things like my writing and not holding myself back, I had to let my writing flow. The thoughts in my mind had to take shape to move fear out of the way. I had to stop being afraid of being intentional and share my stories no matter if I thought people would point and laugh at me.
My first blog, Faith In Renewing Each Other, was a bright orange color since all I wanted to do was write - I didn't care about the colors and how it looked at the time. The titles for my blog posts at the time were vague and I really had to dig deep and pull out what I wanted to say and guess what? I eventually found out if I write like I am sitting or visiting with a friend the words came much easier. I think I was trying too hard to be perfect - getting the perfect blog post in line and this held me back for a long time - over a year to be exact.
In early 2016, I decided to make some changes to the blog and use a new template which was on Blogger at the time. Pretty blues, greens and color which speaks to my personality. It took almost 3 years for me to realize the vibrancy of color and how it makes me feel makes me a better writer. I began feeling good about my writing and taking online courses, webinars and classes. Changing my daily schedule and staying up a little later and also getting up earlier allowed me to pour into my writing, my blog and while absorbing all the things I was learning, it allowed me to refocus and come up with a clear vision going forward.
There were so many lessons learned from standing up the blog. My book, A Life With A View, was published in 2015 and it wasn't until 2016 where I changed the name of my blog to A Life With A View. Imagine that? Everything looks pretty now but behind the scenes just one year ago, everything from my thoughts to my writing regimen was all over the place. This caused me to be all over the place too and something had to change.
The change had to be me putting in the work. I had to get busy and hone in on my purpose and why I am doing what I do. Is it for me? For others? People ask this all the time and I think the answer is different for people who write. It is ok to write for yourself and also help others. I strive for a combination of both. Once I stopped trying to do what other people wanted me to do or what they said I should do - guess what? I now have about 15 blog titles in draft. Most of them are stories for the journey I'm on and others are to help someone else along their journey. Even with my stories I hope you can picture yourself on this path - the path to finding your purpose, being intentional and navigating your way through this life.
Pretty pictures are great but hard work is even greater when you see the fruits of your labor come true. Once moving to the new website platform in late 2016, I often think about all of the work, thoughts, labor and prayer which went into me taking this leap. I feel like I can breathe a little bit easier now since the structure of the website and blog are done and now I need to continue to grow as a writer and follow my purpose.
I look forward to hearing what your behind the scenes looks like. Whether it is a hobby, a writing piece, or a dream you want to pursue, it takes faith, work, passion and perseverance. All you need to get started is the desire to do something; to make a change.
Join Me On The Blog Journey
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I talk a lot on the blog about the journey through life which can sometimes be straight and narrow, or winding and very wide. This journey began in 2013 and although I may make it look easy, it certainly is not. What's a journey without some bumps in the road? I call those learning experiences or lessons learned.
The journey of blogging for me has been more about me opening up and sharing my experiences - being real about my story, removing the rose-colored glasses. Coming from behind the glasses and out of shadows was very tough at first. I had to learn it is ok to share your failures as well as your triumphs. I always thought: "No one wants to see or hear about failure - they only want to see the good parts and how to succeed!" I could not have been more wrong. Being a little mature in age, (just a little now) ;-) I was kind of stuck in my ways and thought only putting on my best face would make me a good writer and blogger. Well, I was wrong again.
I've stretched myself a lot over the years to share and to be more open about my experiences; triumphs and failures. I have found people who share my same experiences; the same ups and downs, and I can relate to them in so many ways. In our minds sometimes we discount ourselves and only show the pretty side of the journey. If anyone is guilty of this, it is most certainly me. A journey is just that - a journey filled with winding roads, good times and bad times, road closures and road blocks - all of the things we which make us whole and give us the passion to keep climbing and keep going.
Sharing my stories has allowed me to open up even more and relate to others and they have since joined me on this journey, my journey. Recently, I shared on Twitter with a blogger friend who I admire so much that my journey has evolved and I am becoming more of a storyteller and I am loving what I'm seeing and looking forward to what the future holds.
I am so glad you are here and I hope you continue to join me on this journey of storytelling and connecting with others. As I continue to grow in my writing, I would love your feedback on any areas of my words, stories, blog posts and future books. I recently did a content update to one of my blog posts based on your feedback and I can see where it was needed. Felt so good!
Thank you for joining me and I always look forward to hearing from you!
Why Do I Blog?
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I get this question a lot: "Why do you blog?" The short answer is: I have a lot to say and need to get it out of my head in real time. Words, phrases, poems, writings - whatever it may be at the time, I have to write it down, right then most times. I admit I didn't know what blogging was at first. Was it something formal like in research paper format or is it writing just to write only to get your thoughts on paper at the time? For me, I kind of lived in both worlds - approaching blogging very structured and then sometimes only throwing words on paper. I learned pretty quickly to be myself and write like I would normally write or speak - not like anyone else.
Over the years I have had stories in my head - true stories which have shaped my life in one way or another. Since I love to write, I wanted to share with the world my thoughts on topics of faith, love and the things which inspire me to keep going. I have wanted to write for many years prior to starting my blog in 2013 and I made every excuse as to why I couldn't or wouldn't begin writing. Fear was the number 1 reason and I'm not saying I don't face this now but it is subsiding a bit as I put myself and my writing out there a little more each day.
In the almost 4 years on the blog scene, the last year has been the best. I've connected with so many writers, bloggers and inspirational people along this journey and I am so filled with purpose and wanting to do more. Recently on the blog, I wrote about my 5 Favorite Blogs and What's In My Blogging Handbag? I felt compelled to share with you how I became inspired and what tools I use for blogging.
Lastly and certainly not least, I blog because it makes me smile and I am filled with purpose and the freedom that comes with writing and sharing with others. If you are a blogger, why do you blog? If you are pursuing your purpose in other ways, what's your why?
Photo credit: @createherstock
A Tall Girl's Dream
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Growing up, I was always the tallest in my class - the tallest girl, the tallest person, the tallest period. Back then in the late 1970s, early 1980s - it wasn't so cool to be a tall girl. Getting teased or the boys being mad because you are taller than them was something else to say the least. Being in my mid-40s now I look back on the time so long ago when being tall was not so cool.
Being a tall girl messed with my self-esteem and self-confidence a bit. All pants were high waters (imagine this - its cool now!), shoes were hard to find (I wear a size 13 shoe), my sleeves were always short (hence, the reason I love short sleeves today).
As I've gotten older, I've learned to embrace my tallness and walk tall and with confidence. It has taken a lot to get here including connecting with other tall women and looking to my family and friends for support. And, wouldn't you know it... it became cool to be tall. I thought: "Wow, I'm finally one of the cool kids!" Little did I know even as I got older that being "cool" and accepted started with me accepting myself. I had to get over my own insecurities and embrace who I am and keep going. I have many tall girls in my family - younger and older and I wanted to be an example to them and show them the way. This started within me and as I embraced myself, my light began to shine and lit the way to be an example for others.
And, wouldn't you know it - years later while looking for topics for a blog post and looking to connect with other bloggers, I ran across The Tall Society online and wondered: "Wow, what's this?" I went to the website and the light bulb came on... this is what I've been looking for: "tall girls and women worldwide unite". I reached out to the founder, Bree via a blog post she wrote and she responded! I was thrilled to connect with her and I found out The Tall Society was coming to Washington, D.C. on Saturday, March 25, 2017. This was certainly a tall girl's dream come true! I signed up immediately for the Meet Your Tall Sisters Brunch and my friend, Annette joined me. Pictures from the brunch can be found here on the A Life With A View Facebook page and also on Instagram.
I met so many amazing women at the brunch and many of us immediately connected on social media. Bloggers, writers, event planners, clothing and shoe designers - you name it, we all represented. Before we left the brunch, two of the ladies started a DC-area Tall Gals Facebook page for us to connect and get together in the near future.
For more updates and information on this and other events, stop by the new events page right here on the blog. Also, don't forget to subscribe to the bi-weekly newsletter and get updates and info first from A Life With A View.
Photo credit: @jseephotography01 on Instagram
What's In My Blogging Handbag?
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I love tools, tips and techniques! I am a how-to kind of girl who loves handbags full of tips, tricks and things to get the job done. While still in this learning phase while blogging, I am soaking it all in. People have asked me: "What's in your blogging handbag?" I get excited when I hear this question and in the interest of not overwhelming people including myself, I had to become a bit more organized. (Sssshhh! I still have lots of tools under all of the organization!)
I am becoming a bit of a gadget girl as social media has grown by leaps and bounds and everything from website templates, to branding tools, to creation techniques have peaked my interest. Besides my everyday notepad, pen and paper, I have become familiar with some great tools which help me along my blogging journey. Everything from writing a blog post to scheduling and creating images.
Since I am still a bit of a newbie in this area, I figured I had to start somewhere and here is what's in my blogging handbag:
My website: Now on Squarespace has been my saving grace. Everything in one place: the blog, the site itself, adding pages and graphics were easy once I had it down. Bee Fells Creative built my site and I am so pleased and now I am getting comfortable doing things here and there.
Canva: I was introduced to Canva in 2016 by several bloggers and when Bee Fells Creative did my first set of social media templates. Since then, Canva has took off for me and it is so easy to use. Upload your images or create new ones using the templates they have on fie. Mostly all of the social media formats are covered: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and much more. A really great tool for planning to post or to post a quick image or image quote on social media.
Pinterest: Yes, Pinterest has been amazing and I could pin pins all day on blogging to include blog titles, how-to structure a post to what images to use.
Instagram Hash Tags: It is so easy these days to hop onto social media or even the web to search for ideas and tools around your subject matter. I have found Instagram to be the best and one of the first things I did when going live with the new website, I searched for and followed some amazing bloggers and writers. Check out this Instagram post found here and take a look at the hash tags in the comments. This is how I found and connected with many of the bloggers and writers I admire today.
Last but not least: A good tablet or smart phone device. I prefer the Apple products (iPhone, iPad) and there are so many good devices out there. Sometimes you see the perfect picture while you are out and about and it helps to have a good device for planned or spur of the moment photos for your blog.
So, there's my list: Squarespace (or other website platform), Canva, Pinterest, Instagram, Good tablet or smart phone. Do you use one of the items mentioned? Do you have others to add? Share in the comments. I love trying new tools and I am sure others would also.
5 Favorite Blogs
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Before I even started blogging, I wondered "What is blogging?" Is it writing and then sharing with others? Is it collaboration or outreach with writing? Topic or genre-focused? I had all types of thoughts and mostly questions but I knew one thing: I love to write. I would consider myself a writer who blogs. Since my early childhood, I have always loved to write whether it was planned writing or ad hoc - whatever I felt I would write it down.
I first heard of blogging back in 2010 (I know, a little late). I said to myself could I write my stories and share my writings with others and collaborate? Well, maybe but I was very shy about my writings and journals. So three years later in 2013, I began to explore and look for writers who blog and bloggers who write. This took about 6 months to find and follow the blogs which I loved. In the midst of all of this, I ended up starting my own blog in July 2013 and began sharing my writings as a blogger.
A good friend of mine, GG Renee of All The Many Layers had a blog and I began to follow her and I became very intrigued and interested in her work. In early 2014, she hosted a blog tour on her website and there it was - all of the wonderful bloggers in one place. GG did an awesome job of highlighting the bloggers and linking to their websites. One by one I began clicking the links and reading into their stories. Since then, I've come across many other bloggers and I have so many favorites now and the topics they cover in all different genres are truly inspiring to me. For this post, I will share 5 of my favorite bloggers and stay tuned as I will share my next 5 in an upcoming blog post and do a recap of my "25 Favorite Bloggers".
Ok, here we go: Here are 5 of my favorite blogs:
All The Many Layers: GG Renee - I have been following GG for years and she is also a good friend. Love her work from her writings, to her courses and connections with people and other writers. GG helps people write with purpose and peel back the layers in life and in our writing.
BeFree Project: Siobhan Sudberry - Creator of the BeFree Project. I began following Siobhan when GG Renee had the blog tour on her website. Siobhan is amazing and she helps women become unstuck and free to pursue and follow their dreams. Her courses, workbooks and interaction with her audience really draws you in and allows you to open up.
The Introcreative: Roniece Wright - Creator of the Intro Creative. I met Roniece in a Facebook group in 2016 and we connected immediately. Her approach to creativity is very unique where she focuses on the creator within; the introverted at heart. Roniece's courses and approach to creating content to capture your audience is right on target.
The Official CEO Mom: Kristie McCollum - Business Strategist and Social Media Consultant. I met Kristie in an online course Roniece hosted in late 2016. We connected immediately and Kristie has many talents from course creation to social media strategy and also blogging. I have found her information extremely valuable while on this blogging journey.
Write Laugh Dream: Ashley M. Coleman - Helping people become better writers and dreamers. I also began following Ashley from GG's blog tour and have been a fan ever since. Author of "Dear Love, A Love Letter to You" and "Love on Purpose", Ashley is an amazing writer and blogger and she dedicates her time to helping other writers and bloggers write with purpose.
So, there you have it! My first list of my 5 favorite bloggers. Are any of your favorite bloggers listed? Stay tuned for the next 5 until we make it to 25! I will do a full recap blog post. Please like, comment and share. I would love to hear your thoughts on your favorite blogs.
Photo credit: @createherstock