500 Words Challenge brings me two steps forward…Finally.

500 words. 31 days. 1 giddy writer.
I actually accomplished a challenge.

FINALLY!

Some of you out there in bloggerland might not appreciate my accomplishment. “Big deal!” you say. You’re on day 523, you say. You get up at 4 am so that you can write using your antique quill pen and inkwell and watch the sunrise while drinking your favorite warm beverage by the fireplace. Ok, I have to admit, that’s impressive. But I am still excited for me because achieving your goals should be an exciting and celebratory experience because you did it.

And this time I did it! 

~Determination leads to Success~

Achieving success is a great feeling for me. Validating. Purpose-giving. I expected these feelings. What I didn’t anticipate was the sense of connection that propelled me to my goals. My challenge started out as my own, but once my community connected with my goal, it became ours. And I wasn’t going to let us down.

Are you facing a challenge today, maybe a personal goal or a lifelong hardship? Can I encourage in a few ways that helped me move forward?

1. Be your first team member. Commit to yourself. Believe in what success will bring you.

2. Recruit a team for support, both people you know and those you don’t. For me this goal was not just about completing a task but one of the first steps in rebirthing a dream. My husband, daughters, family, and friends have been tremendous supports in my writing goals. But those who love me are a bit biased…and I love that about them. I needed to take a bolder step.  The 500 words community with Jeff Goins and the coachme app helped me step forward a bit more into the unknown. Would they support me? If I stumble, would they judge? All of these questions I had no answer for until I started. I realized the bigger my team, the more motivated I became to focus on the finish and not the excuses to fail.  My next venture has teamed me up with a blogging class through Blogelina (no shame is honing skills!). I am hopeful that with more accountability and more support will come more success.

3. Find a rhythm all your own. Ever watch 3 year olds dance? They move and baby-shake in ways that are all their own. They don’t look to the other preschoolers to see how they move. They find their own rhythm. I get stuck sometimes trying to do my own thing how someone else does theirs. Selfishly, I think this method will make the work easier and bring the success faster. In actuality, I will become a unoriginal; the shortcut will stunt my creative growth and the loss of myself will mute my voice before it ever gets a chance to speak. Some things I will gain by learning and by being mentored, but some risks I am going to have to take by dancing to my own beat.

What items would add to this list to step towards success? I would love to hear them!

What’s next for me? I will let you know

…after I finish celebrating!

Until next time, here’s to YOUR success!

Hugs!