tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-192346022024-03-07T02:19:23.567-07:00The Journey of Writer Danica FavoriteDanica Favoritehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922540628183027043noreply@blogger.comBlogger1220125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19234602.post-15882519523283841272017-07-16T23:23:00.000-06:002017-07-16T23:24:39.949-06:00Moving in a new direction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYMMLDB2OVIN2VvIZcrBAyp5aN2YdrpEokfpqblR7UTGlxmt9xCnXbNzxxuJQQ0bWgCWnOdgVth2Bjj8XvDTt3OVMOjjMPuT-8VgdxMa4MFlTjk2dYptQyViRHyFX2vkfTSqYc/s1600/Mama+hen+and+chicks.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYMMLDB2OVIN2VvIZcrBAyp5aN2YdrpEokfpqblR7UTGlxmt9xCnXbNzxxuJQQ0bWgCWnOdgVth2Bjj8XvDTt3OVMOjjMPuT-8VgdxMa4MFlTjk2dYptQyViRHyFX2vkfTSqYc/s320/Mama+hen+and+chicks.png" width="320" /></a></div>
So... I'm just going to admit that I'm breaking all the blogging rules with this post. But I've had a lot to say, and I haven't said it because every time I open up my blog, I realize I haven't posted in so long that it's crazy to post something. A few weeks ago, I realized that it's crazy to not post because of that. But then I had so much I wanted to say, I didn't know where to start. So here I am, starting.<br />
<br />
Which is a great rule of writing anything. Sometimes you just have to start. Stop worrying about all the junk, and just do it.<br />
<br />
My plan is to post more, but I'm hesitant to put it on a schedule. Partially because I want to be free to do my own thing, but also because this year has been all about blowing up my schedule. For those of you who don't get my newsletter, (WHAT? Why not?? Sign up <a href="http://eepurl.com/7HCXj" target="_blank">here</a>!) I was in a car accident in March. Though it was not a serious accident, my car was totaled, and I ended up with a mild concussion and a mild case of whiplash. I'm still in treatment, but improving. Still, there are things I think I can do, commit to doing, and then I have to take a nap instead. Like today. I wanted to write, but I spent that time napping. I give myself a lot of grace for those moments, because as the doctor reminds me when I want to push myself harder, this is the only way I will heal. So, all right. I nap when my body tells me to nap, and I do my best to respect my limitations. I sound very zen about this now, but for a while, I was very angry at feeling so helpless. At being unable to kick butt and take names the way I always have. Now I am allowing myself to be open to rest, and to be open to whatever God's plan is in this difficult time.<br />
<br />
Speaking of God's plan, so many of my plans for my writing career have changed this year. I can't share them all, but I've had some doors close, others open, and a few paths revealing themselves, but I don't know where it will all lead.<br />
<br />
Uncertainty has become my theme for the year. There are many other areas in my life I'm finding this to be true, and I'm learning to be okay with that. I'm also learning more about things that I am and am not okay with. One of the things I am not okay with is all of the negativity swirling around at times. I understand that many people are unhappy with how things are going in the world; there are many things that are making me sad as well.<br />
<br />
But I learned something while writing <a href="http://amzn.to/2upndTA" target="_blank">An Unlikely Mother</a>. (Yes, I know, it's not on my website yet. One more thing I've put off while letting my broken brain heal.) My editor asked me out of curiosity why Flora had been mean in the first place. I told her that Flora thought her meanness was kindness. That she thought, that by being mean to people, she would make them change what she thought was bad behavior. I spent a lot of time thinking about that, and how I spent many years of my life being bullied. I stayed in situations I should have left, but I believed the lies people told, and I believed that there was something wrong with me, and that if I could only fix those things, I would be better. I thought people were mean to me because I deserved it. They thought I deserved it. As I wrote about Flora, I remembered one time when a particularly mean group of people pulled me aside, told me all the things that were wrong with me, and then they told me that they were just being hard on me so that I could be a better person. Writing Flora's story taught me how to love those bullies of long ago. I can't say that I would want to invite them over for a barbecue, but I forgive them.<br />
<br />
Which leads me to my new direction. All of these bad things we see, we lash out in negativity, thinking it will prompt the change we desire. But all it does is wound. Most people don't look at their wounds and think, "huh, I guess I'll change and completely embrace what the person who wounded me wants me to do." Rather, the wounded person gets defensive, and lashes out, trying to keep from being wounded again. Which wounds the other party, and leads to more wounding. So here we are, wounded people, bleeding out, but doing our best to strike out to get the other party to just stop it already. And it doesn't work. I think about all the times I was mean to others, and it has always been in response to something mean they did to me. But it never made the situation any better. All the people who've been mean to me... it has never made me do the things they wanted. Mostly, it just made me more stubborn in my resistance. So I am done.<br />
<br />
I'm choosing to spread positivity and love. I may not always succeed, and I certainly will need to remind myself of this idea in traffic, when I use way more bad words than I should, but I hope that the additional positivity and love in the world will make it a better place.<br />
<br />
In that vein, I am joining in a new movement, started by author Trish Milburn, called <a href="http://www.trishmilburn.com/upbeat-authors-and-simple-pleasures/" target="_blank">Upbeat Authors</a>. The goal is to spread positivity and happiness. Trish noticed all the negativity out there, and how it was impacting her life in a negative way, and she asked if people wanted to join her in sharing more positive messages on social media. I was all for it. The idea answered a longing deep within me that I'd been wondering about for a long time. Was I the only one in physical pain because of the negativity in this world? If you read Trish's post, you'll see that a lot of others felt this same need, and I am so proud to be part of the group.<br />
<br />
There is so much out there in the way of bad news. Hard things. And as much as we feel bombarded by those things, we can't fight it by lashing out anymore. It's time to sow seeds of the good things we wish to have in our lives.<br />
<br />
Today, I'm sharing a picture on social media of our new baby chicks. Mama looks big and fat because there are three chicks under her, keeping warm. If you follow me on Instagram, I posted a video a couple of days ago of the chicks peeping. It's well worth a watch. Mostly because it makes me so happy to hear them chirping. This week's theme for the upbeat authors is the joy in simple things. Those little chicks are such simple things, and they bring me so much joy. There is nothing more healing than the sound of those little babies peeping about. Those noises are why I call my chickens the peeps.<br />
<br />
So that's my new direction. I'd write a better conclusion, but it's past my bedtime, and I'm out of words for the day. We'll chat more another day.<br />
<br />Danica Favoritehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922540628183027043noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19234602.post-39993527540589470452015-12-29T22:27:00.000-07:002015-12-29T22:27:10.372-07:00Infinite patience to realize your dreams<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGAlX4UUpHHm8IWZbIU0o1pQmxNgDzLhQWgMsKh9Q3f43N5bfZDQ6s5BuZSdA_vPpsWMOg21N3AQCb6iq52nhyphenhyphen_HQSL6EZxO3iCpGQMM1U9tZ0HI92DfEVUJ2YP1Ac-QWcB-V/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGAlX4UUpHHm8IWZbIU0o1pQmxNgDzLhQWgMsKh9Q3f43N5bfZDQ6s5BuZSdA_vPpsWMOg21N3AQCb6iq52nhyphenhyphen_HQSL6EZxO3iCpGQMM1U9tZ0HI92DfEVUJ2YP1Ac-QWcB-V/s320/011.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The apple tree at our old house. It only produced <br />fruit every two years, but when it did, it was a<br />bumper crop. Of course, the tree was about thirty<br />or so years old, so it had plenty of time to mature.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One of the things my coach, <a href="http://amandamoxley.com/" target="_blank">Amanda Moxley</a>, teaches is that infinite patience creates immediate results. Sometimes I get frustrated with her saying that because I have been SO patient, and sometimes it seems like my dreams are never going to come true. The words infinite and immediate seem to almost be contradictions, and certainly, when you feel like you've been waiting forever, the infinite seems far more possible than the immediate.<br />
<br />
But today, as I was having coffee with a friend who was discouraged about how her book is doing in terms of sales, I remembered my own discouragement just a few months ago. Like her, I was disappointed in my numbers. I had not yet earned out my advance. And when I had a few friends share their numbers to try to encourage me, I only felt worse, because my numbers weren't as high. I've heard enough numbers over the years to know that it's all relative. Compared to many authors, I have amazing numbers that they'd kill to have. Other authors would look at my numbers and wonder why I'm wasting my time. I checked with both my editor and agent, and they agreed that my numbers were fine. Fast forward a few more months, and there was a royalty check in my mailbox. I DID earn out my advance, and my numbers were starting to look closer to my comparison numbers. <br /><br />
<h3>
And here's the point I made to my friend today: sometimes you just have to wait it out until the numbers come. </h3>
I realized, based on talking with friends and hearing my agent speak on this topic for a while, that I was freaking out over numbers when I simply hadn't gone through the process long enough. No one plants a seed for an apple tree and expects it to be producing apples the very next day. But that's often how we view success. The seed is planted, so where is our fruit? Or we see the seed start to sprout, and we're disappointed because it hasn't grown very big. And when it finally starts producing fruit, we're mad because it only bears a few scraggly apples that first year.<br />
<br />
If any of us heard a gardener whine about those circumstances with their apple trees, what would we say? Probably something along the lines of, "just give it time." But when people tell us as writers that same thing, we get mad. And yes, I'm guilty of that very thing. Fortunately, I didn't do what a lot of writers do and quit. I dug my heels in and continued working, continued tilling the soil, planting the seeds, and doing all the stuff I'm supposed to do as a writer. <br /><br />Which led to a really cool thing that happened a couple of weeks ago. I went to the bank and deposited my latest advance check. The teller comes over the drive through speaker and says, "are you an author," in a revered tone. I say yes, and her response kind of knocked me for a loop. She said, "Wow! That's amazing! You must be doing really well for such a big check from a publisher." <br /><br />To me, it wasn't that big of a check. Add a few more zeroes to that puppy and then I will be in awe of my big check. But you know, a few years ago, I would have done anything for that check. To a lot of my author friends, that IS a lot of money. Then there are the author friends who would never work for so little. It's all relative. And that's why you have to sit where you're at, accepting of your own journey, grateful for where your journey has brought you, and understand the idea of infinite patience. I have no doubt that one day, I will have the kind of income that impresses both me and the bank teller. <br />
<br />
<h3>
Here's the secret, and how you DO end up getting the big checks: </h3>
Not one of my author friends woke up one morning, banged out a book, and got handed a ginormous check their first time out of the gate. I imagine maybe there might be a few rare folks that's happened to, but for the rest of us, the way it happens is that you get up, you write, then you write some more. And you keep doing that until you have a sale-able book. Some people can do it in months, others take years, and still others (like me) wonder if it's EVER going to happen. Then you get your book out there, and you keep doing the work. You keep believing, and you keep trusting, and you surround yourself with people who believe in you and who can see a little bit farther than you can, and you keep going. <br />
<br />
<b>When stuff gets hard, and the numbers don't seem to add up the way you think they're supposed to, keep going. </b>When your friends whine about how bad the industry is, or that things aren't fair, or that it didn't used to be this hard, keep going. (And maybe get new friends!) Because one day, you're going to pull up at the bank, and you're going to deposit a check, and the teller is going to be amazed that a real live writer who makes real money is there. And I don't know the teller's story, but I'd like to think that because she saw what she thought was a really big check from a publisher, that she now believes that something that seems almost impossible can come true. Maybe she's got her own writing dreams but someone told her that she'd never make a dime doing it, so she never pursued them. Or maybe she's trying to write a book and seeing my check gave her hope that she can do it too. Who knows?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /><b>What I learned is that in all the time I was frustrated over not being where I needed to be is that I was exactly where I needed to be at the time.</b> Like the apple tree (and I'm still just a seedling, trust me), I needed that time to grow and develop. The apples were coming (and woo hoo, am I looking forward to the day when my branches are overloaded with fruit), I just couldn't see them yet. <br /><br />I went through some old files today and I found a synopsis written by a friend who is no longer writing. I wanted to cry, because it was SO good. But because her tree didn't get apples fast enough, she quit watering it, quit fertilizing it, and that little tree has gone dormant. She published a book, way before I ever sold, and that's been it. I wonder, if she'd just kept writing, how much fruit would be on her tree today. <br /><br />Going back to the idea of infinite patience creating immediate results, I've realized that part of the infinite patience is the not giving up. People see the trees bursting with fruit, but the don't realize that those results didn't happen overnight. We think they did, but few of us were watching when that seed was planted, watered, fertilized, and coaxed to life over time. <br /><br />Even if your dream isn't to be an author, there's something out there that you dream of doing. Granted, it's not going to happen if you just sit around, hoping, but doing nothing to move in that direction, but it you do the work, and just keep moving forward, it will happen. I don't know when, and there isn't a magic formula for how to figure it out. You just have to keep moving, keep believing, keep trying, and it will come. Danica Favoritehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922540628183027043noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19234602.post-91096275534072502562015-12-04T20:29:00.001-07:002015-12-04T20:29:08.540-07:00A day in the life of an author on deadline<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgschxBHt308-JZSgoRmiH0QzKDHWsBSehWGf9wW_wvA6BJKG-uFtpVePCEMjieAcJPAE8ABpwtaboq14QTbCWseHDcup8qAdJQbr5HgWHSw2uFw_FCraKBXMYfDpay1VyNgxUU/s1600/2015-12-04+12.41.03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgschxBHt308-JZSgoRmiH0QzKDHWsBSehWGf9wW_wvA6BJKG-uFtpVePCEMjieAcJPAE8ABpwtaboq14QTbCWseHDcup8qAdJQbr5HgWHSw2uFw_FCraKBXMYfDpay1VyNgxUU/s320/2015-12-04+12.41.03.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sick kid and dogs. My company for the day.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I have a book due December 15th. The rough draft is finished (thanks NaNoWriMo) but I need to do my revisions before handing it in to my editor. I have a big work event next week that I have to finalize details for. Today is basically crunch day. Here is how my day responded:<br /><br />
<ul>
<li>Wake up and take the dogs out.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Hubby, who has worked all night, is sleeping on the couch. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Try to keep the dogs from jumping on hubby and waking him up.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Fail miserably.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Finally take the dogs outside to give hubby a chance to sleep. Try to shovel deck while holding leashes so that when the dishwasher repairman comes he does not slip and break his neck. Almost break my neck, but at least no one will sue. <br /></li>
<li>Take the dogs on a longer walk to hopefully wear them out so they won't wake hubby.<br /></li>
<li> Bring the dogs in and wake hubby up.<br /></li>
<li>Realize that while on the walk, missed a phone call from hubby's ex-wife (who never calls). Realize she's tried every number she has for us. Worry about the older kids. Find out that she just needed to help reunite one of the kids with his phone. Phew!<br /></li>
<li>Try to get some work done. <br /></li>
<li>Dishwasher repair guy shows up. Dogs go crazy. Take dogs downstairs so they will settle down. Try to get some more work done. <br /></li>
<li>Get a call from sick kid at school.<br /></li>
<li>Pick sick kid up. Make doctor's appointment for kid on the way there.<br /></li>
<li>Pray this isn't like last time when you ended up spending the afternoon cleaning up puke.<br /></li>
<li>Come home to find that dishwasher guy has left and could not find anything wrong with the brand-new dishwasher that refuses to clean the dishes. Never again, Sears. Never again. <br /></li>
<li>Try to get some work done.<br /></li>
<li>Take pictures of sick kid sleeping with dogs, grateful that no puking occurred.<br /></li>
<li>Try to get some more work done.<br /></li>
<li>Take sick kid to the doctor.<br /></li>
<li>Spend an hour in the doctor's office because they're so busy. Leave with diagnosis of ear infection, but no strep, so the rest of the family will not die.<br /></li>
<li>Text with kid from doctor's office to find that once again, you forgot to turn on the crockpot so dinner will not be ready when you get home.<br /></li>
<li>Drive home in rush hour traffic. Remind yourself that because you work from home, you only have to do rush hour once in a great while, and allow yourself to be grateful for your blessings.<br /> </li>
<li>Drop sick kid off at home.<br /></li>
<li>Go to store to pick up prescription and something for dinner. Find out that the doctor's office didn't call in the prescription yet. <br /></li>
<li>Call doctor's office to find out where prescription is. Doctor has gone home, so they take a message for the on-call doctor to call back.<br /></li>
<li>Shop for dinner while waiting for phone call.<br /></li>
<li>Get phone call, and on-call doctor disagrees with what the doctor who saw sick kid prescribed, so have to argue with the doctor, give a full detailed history, and finally be told he will call in a different prescription than what was prescribed.<br /></li>
<li>Shop a while longer to give pharmacy time to deal with prescription. Add several questionable impulse buys to the shopping cart. Get to the pharmacy, and discuss medication options with pharmacist. Pharmacist goes to fill prescription.<br /></li>
<li>Pay for groceries, then go back to pharmacy. Find out that pharmacist finally got the original prescription, but it contradicts the new prescription, and does not know what to do. Discuss the situation with pharmacist, who agrees that going with the prescription from the doctor who actually saw sick kid is the way to go. Pharmacist is baffled that two doctors in the same practice would have such vastly different ideas on what to do. <br /></li>
<li>Finally (two hours after arriving at the store) get the prescription in my hand. Realize that there is no time to cook dinner when I get home.<br /></li>
<li>Stop by Wendy's to pick up dinner.<br /></li>
<li>Give sick kid medicine, feed the family, and realize that you now have a raging headache.<br /></li>
<li>Hang out in sick kid's bed, giving her love, and spend time with her until she falls asleep.<br /></li>
<li>Try to get some work done.<br /></li>
<li>Go to bed, and hope that tomorrow is a better day! </li>
</ul>
<br />
Or at least the last two is what I have planned. We'll see how it goes! <br />
<br />Danica Favoritehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922540628183027043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19234602.post-81992934971301968132015-10-28T15:41:00.001-06:002015-10-28T15:41:58.582-06:00Turning around the bad things<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIUWgKTb1isg4VecuLjpV36G31AvaIkF8yQ3itNYymhx0Q71AZ6Ht_84av59tnMGQTLFSJqui9GgFjLtYES5LNQc7Fdh3PJyP68o9qTQjZlLDyMgJX836o3OkIarKzl-j8QNVg/s1600/Retreat+postcard+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIUWgKTb1isg4VecuLjpV36G31AvaIkF8yQ3itNYymhx0Q71AZ6Ht_84av59tnMGQTLFSJqui9GgFjLtYES5LNQc7Fdh3PJyP68o9qTQjZlLDyMgJX836o3OkIarKzl-j8QNVg/s320/Retreat+postcard+front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Wow! It has been a crazy few weeks in Danicaland. So many ups and downs, and unfortunately, I had something bad happen that made me hit a low I haven't had in a long time. Today, I was processing all those things, and a good friend made a comment that stopped me in my tracks. And while it was completely unrelated to the bad thing that happened, it put a new fire in me.<br />
<br />
Actually, the seed of the fire was planted last week when I was at another transformational retreat. We talked a lot about our visions and who we wanted to be in the future. I've really struggled with defining what I do for writers, which is hard, because I truly believe that I have a lot of great information that can help my fellow writers- and I've had a number of them say so! And then it came to me- I help writers move beyond the things that are blocking them from success in their writing career. BAM! I was looking over my notes, and right below where I wrote and circled that ah-ha, I wrote a question. How am I out of alignment with that vision?<br />
<br />
I didn't answer that question, because until today, I didn't have the answer. And now I do. You see, the bad thing that happened to me created a lot of inner drama. Because I wanted to think I was strong, I tried dealing with it on my own. But in dealing with it, I developed this fear, this place of hiding and not wanting to be seen because I needed to protect myself. Honestly, it has felt like a part of me died, and I didn't know how to get it back.<br />
<br />
Then today, talking to my friend, I mentioned something I want to do, but don't know how to do it, and she was like, "DUH, the Holy Spirit lives in you. You have all the power of God inside you to take care of it." Which is when I realized that as much as I've been trying to control my life around the bad thing, it has been controlling me. The power of God lives inside of me, and I have been letting something horrible that happened to me override that power.<br />
<br />
And so here I am, turning around that bad thing and saying, "you don't get to be the boss of me anymore!"<br />
<br />
I'm going to tell you a secret. One that has me feeling vulnerable, and yet I also want to share it, because it's part of what has transformed me as a writer, and what I believe is the key to helping other writers. As I dealt with the bad thing, I completely abandoned my writing practice. I'm almost ashamed to admit it, because I know how bad it is to let your writing go, and to let something like that drag you down. But here's the thing: we all do it. And I'm convinced that one of the main things holding us back in our writing is that we let these bad things get in our way. I don't know what your bad thing is, and I don't really want to talk about my bad thing. But we have got to realize that we are stronger than those bad things. Bad things happen to all of us, but if we let them get in our way, they control us, rather than us being in charge.<br />
<br />
Which leads me back to my purpose. I created <a href="http://danicafavorite.com/retreat" target="_blank">my retreat</a> because I want to help writers. I want to give them nourishment in ways writers need because they tend to lose themselves. I know, because I've found myself lost more times than I can count. But I am learning how to get un-lost, to be un-stuck, and to move forward. Which is what I want to teach others.<br />
<br />
So... I've decided that I really want as many people to come to my retreat as possible, because I know I am not the only writer who has lost her way a time or two or three or more. Which is why I've decided to lower my <a href="http://danicafavorite.com/retreat" target="_blank">retreat price back to the early bird discount rate of $97</a>. A while back, I told a writer friend that for me, it's not about the money, except that I do need to pay for the space I'm renting at the hotel and honor my contractual obligations. So you guys are getting it at my cost. Writers need this information, and I'm going to share it.<br />
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We all lose our way from time to time. Bad things happen. But I believe we can turn it around, and turn into fuel to move us forward. I hope you'll join me!Danica Favoritehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922540628183027043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19234602.post-91093212061153834812015-09-28T13:41:00.000-06:002015-09-28T13:41:13.825-06:00The simplified process to achieving your dreams<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I had lunch with a friend last week, and she asked me about the process it took for me on this journey to my dreams. And while there is a lot to the process, I wanted to share the basics, because the truth is, achieving your dreams is a LOT easier than you think.<br />
<br />
WHAT??<br />
<br />
It's easy?<br />
<h3>
<br /></h3>
<h3>
Believe it or not, your dreams are often closer than they appear. </h3>
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When we decided to embark on the dream house process, almost a year ago, I told my husband I thought it would take 2-3 years. He wanted to shorten the time, and I was like, okay, go for it. We still thought we'd be about a year out. But then, as I started researching the possibilities, the spark of what we could do kept coming alive, and before we knew it, we were living in our dream house. What started as a "maybe we can do it in 2-3 years" only took six months! Here is what it took:<br />
<br />
<b>Step one: Dream</b><br />That sounds really basic, but a lot of people are afraid to take a look at what they want in life, because they're afraid they won't get it. They're afraid they might be dreaming too big. Here's the crazy thing: oftentimes, what seems like a HUGE dream is completely do-able, if you're willing to make the effort.<br />
<br />
<b>Step two: Research the Dream</b><br />
Now this also sounds basic, but it's amazing to me to see how many "impossible" dreams were actually possible with little to no effort. For example, last year, we went on our dream vacation to England. We'd wanted to go for years, but thought there was no way we could do it. When we were planning a trip, we had a few locations in mind, and for curiosity's sake, I looked up how much flights to England were. Whoa!! Yes, it was expensive, but as I looked at our budget and what we wanted to do, I realized that it cost almost the same as another trip we'd been looking at. What seemed to be impossible actually was closer than I thought.<br />
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<b>Step three: Focus on the Dream</b><br />
How often do you focus on your dreams? I have a dream notebook I look at every day, reminding me of my dream, and allowing me to clarify what I want out of life. In that notebook, I have several letters to myself, where I talk about my vision, written in the future tense, expressing gratitude for having reached those goals. I read those letters to myself every day, not only reminding myself of the dream itself, but also of the why.<br />
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Here is a video I did today on Periscope showing my dream notebook.<br /><br /><b></b><br />
<b><br />Step four: Plan the Dream</b><br />
You've researched, you've focused, but you also need to come up with a plan. For example, how much does your dream cost? Have you broken down how much extra money you'd need to make that dream come true? Have you created a plan for how you'll come up with that money? What if all you needed was an extra $50 per month? Or just one hour per week? I'm always amazed at how, when you break down the dream, and start making a plan, how much more do-able it is.<br /><b><br />Step five: Move in the direction of the Dream</b><br />
Sometimes the cost of the dream is more than anything you can see. My ultimate dream, when it comes to my writing retreat, is that I would have a retreat center in the mountains, where people could come and be refreshed. I figure that building the retreat center I want is going to cost at least a million dollars. Sounds pretty hard, right? But I am starting small, and I'm hosting a retreat at a hotel as a first step. Then I'll host more retreats, and find even cooler places to go. And with each step, I'm building a foundation to create a retreat center that it going to nourish so many people. Yes, it's going to be work. And no, it won't happen tomorrow. But it's going to happen, and it's going to be wonderful. Even though it's still a long way off, it's a lot closer than it was when I sat around, talking about how cool it would be with no real movement in that direction. <br /><br />
<h3>
What's your dream? Have you thought about how you're going to reach it? </h3>
Danica Favoritehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922540628183027043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19234602.post-11389617419960602052015-09-23T23:35:00.000-06:002015-09-23T23:35:54.604-06:0010 things that make you AWESOME!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, okay, I'll admit right off the bat that I have no clue what makes you awesome. Well, maybe. Some of you, who I know personally, I could come up with a list. But the rest of you... I'm just going to assume. Because the fact is, we all have things that make us awesome, but we don't always claim it.<br />
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Why don't we claim it? Well, there are a lot of reasons, and I know for me, a lot of it goes back to childhood wounds where people mocked me for claiming my awesomeness. I was bullied and treated really badly by a lot of people, so it was easier to shrink and hide from the meanness that seemed to inevitably follow. But you know, the more we keep hiding our awesomeness, the more we let the bullies win. They drag us down, and keep us down, and if you think about it, they don't do it because we're not worthy of our awesomeness, but because they aren't. Our awesomeness threatens them, because they bought into the belief that if someone else is awesome, they can't be awesome too.<br />
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Which is a big, fat lie.<br />
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Here is the truth about being awesome. I am awesome. You are awesome. And your awesomeness in no way diminishes mine. My awesomeness does not diminish yours. In fact, if we both allow ourselves to be awesome together, in recognition of our mutual awesomeness, we make the world a better, more awesome place. We give all the people out there, hiding their awesomeness, permission to shine. <br /><br />I did a great video on Periscope today, about the fear of putting yourself out there. Friends, I wish I could tell you that I am not afraid. But the truth is, I'm a big old chicken. Maybe that's why I love my chickens so much. I can totally relate to them. If you're not on Periscope, you should follow me and watch my scopes. Why? Because they're awesome! Anyway, in that video, I gave people a challenge to come up with ten things that make them awesome. I promised that I'd do it, too. Now, I did say I'd do it within the hour, but then I got inspired to do it as an art journal project with Princess, and I had to wait for the paint to dry, so it took a bit longer. But I am keeping my commitment to my viewers, to my friends, and to myself... the picture you see is the picture I made proclaiming my awesomeness to the world!<br />
<br />
And, in case you can't read it, here is my list: Ten things that make me awesome!<br />
1. I make mistakes, and that's okay! (I messed up the lettering in my art, and it's okay!)<br />
2. I am a good mom.<br />
3. I love chickens.<br />
4. I like to help people.<br />
5. I am a good writer.<br />
6. I am creative.<br />
7. I am a nature lover (as long as it's not in my house!).<br />
8. I love to travel.<br />
9. I like to learn new things.<br />
10. I am resilient!<br />
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So here's my challenge for you. What makes you awesome? Make a list of your ten things. If you're not brave enough to share them all on my blog, share your favorite. Whether you admit it here or not, you are awesome. I don't know all the things that make you awesome, but I know they're there. So share! Let's be awesome together, and make the world a more awesome place! Danica Favoritehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922540628183027043noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19234602.post-17192200311904020972015-09-21T11:53:00.000-06:002015-09-21T11:53:08.614-06:00Five Steps to Healing Writer Wounds<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSXBIZ2H_j_qHN2cK6NpIRGPsrRTqXzmYFviI5R-KUGMK2zCSDJvQu4XunHcCAIotGOIncANxCc_QCwj_FL5hWJZy2i0lVuA8AawxJd2QhKmshGFh8RTXbPKsuwEpgLUesL-5K/s1600/Healing+your+writer+wounds+brings+you+more+success+in+your+writing..png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="www.danicafavorite.com" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSXBIZ2H_j_qHN2cK6NpIRGPsrRTqXzmYFviI5R-KUGMK2zCSDJvQu4XunHcCAIotGOIncANxCc_QCwj_FL5hWJZy2i0lVuA8AawxJd2QhKmshGFh8RTXbPKsuwEpgLUesL-5K/s320/Healing+your+writer+wounds+brings+you+more+success+in+your+writing..png" title="www.danicafavorite.com" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had so much response to my post about writer wounds, and
while I knew others had been wounded by other writers, I didn’t realize how
much it hit home with people. I think it’s because we try so hard to do the
right thing, and turn the other cheek, that we end up silently suffering for a
long time. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Writer wounds are a different animal from a lot of the other
wounds we face. There are a lot of reasons for that, but mostly I think it’s
because as writers, we’re in this weird place of being in business, but in a
way that makes us extremely personally vulnerable. </div>
<h3 class="MsoNormal">
After all, what is our writing,
but our vulnerabilities out for the world to see? </h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Even though I’m listing out this process, recognize that it
is a very personal journey, and these steps might be different for you. So don’t
be discouraged if your process isn’t exactly like this. Part of why I am
including this in my <a href="http://danicafavorite.com/retreat" target="_blank">retreat</a> is that it’s a bigger and deeper process than you
can get out of a blog. More importantly, I believe that the unhealed wounds we carry around are part of what's holding us back in our writing success.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Step One: Acknowledge the Wound</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Because we’re supposed to be professional, a lot of times,
when we’re wounded as writers, we brush off the wound. The editor who just said,
“your writing stinks,” is still your editor, and you’re going to have to work
with that editor again. Or, the big-name author who stepped on you is still a
big-name author and you’re going to have to interact with that person on an
on-going basis. So, a lot of times, we push it down because we’re trying so
hard to suck it up and move on. The trouble is, pushing it down never heals the
wound, and eventually, the wound will come back up when we least expect it. The
first step in healing the wound is to say, “this happened, and it hurt me.”<br /><b><br /></b></div>
<b>
</b><div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Step Two: Feel the Wound</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Part of the pushing down process means that we never fully
feel the pain of the wound. Maybe it’s because the wound happened at a time and
place where having a good cry isn’t appropriate. But a lot of times, it’s
because we’ve trained ourselves not to feel the pain. I’ve talked to a lot of
counselors and coaches who all say that allowing yourself to feel the emotion
is part of what helps you heal that emotion.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Step Three: Process the Wound</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A lot of people stop at feeling the emotion. They feel it,
and it hurts, and then they sit in the hurt. But you also have to take the time
to process that emotion. Why did it hurt? What did that hurt remind you of? Is
there an unexpected gift in that wound? A lesson that can help you grow? How
can you care for yourself and love yourself in a way that is going to help that
wound heal? <br />
<br />
<b>Step Four: Forgive the Person Who Wounded You</b></div>
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I have a daily forgiveness practice that I work through, and
the thing I’ve learned about forgiveness is that it is never about the person
who hurt you. It’s about softening your heart, and giving yourself the gift of
letting go of the wound. One of the biggest misconceptions about forgiveness is
that you can just say, “I forgive you, and move on.” Forgiveness is actually a
process that takes time. You’re going to say, “I forgive you,” today, but
tomorrow morning, you might wake up and still feel the pain. And you’re going
to have to say, “I forgive you,” again. You may have to say that a whole lot of
mornings before you actually feel the forgiveness. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<h3>
</h3>
<br />
<h3 class="MsoNormal">
Forgiving the other person does not make what the person did
to you right. </h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In fact, you should forgive the person whether that person is
sorry or not. Note that I did not make, “confronting the other person,” part of
the process. There are a lot of reasons for that, but mostly because this
process is more about you and your emotions. You can’t control the other
person, or change them. The only person you have control over is you. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Step Five: Use the Wound for Good</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have a journey entry from when I was about 12 years old,
and I was processing a hurtful situation. In it, I wrote what has become a
driving force for my life. I decided back then, that I was going to use those
painful places to help others- whether it be to help others out of a similar
situation, or to prevent similar situations from happening. As writers, we also
have a third way of using the wound for good. We get to use that pain, that
situation, even that emotion, to inform our words as we write. <br /> </div>
<h3 class="MsoNormal">
Being wounded happens to everyone- whether we like
it or not. But in the end, we get to choose how we use those wounds. We can let
those wounds fester inside us, crippling us, or turning us into mean grumpy
people. Or we can heal those wounds, and use them in a positive way.</h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you’re curious about my story about Matilda, and how it
ended, here’s the result. Matilda and I haven’t spoken in about 3 or 4 years. I
gave up after I couldn’t get past her assistant. I have never spoken to her
about my hurt. And at this point, it doesn’t matter. If she called me up
tomorrow, I would treat her like any other acquaintance who called me out of
the blue. I’d be polite, but I also wouldn’t give her unguarded access to my
heart. I had some good times with Matilda, but I choose to invest my energy
into friendships that are more mutual. As much as what she did to me hurt, I’m
grateful for the experience, because it opened my eyes to the kind of person I
want to be as a writer. There are people in my life that I’ve asked to hold me
accountable to that standard. And I’d like to think that as I become more
successful, I’m going to be a person of integrity and love. Not perfect, of
course, but hopefully my name won’t be synonymous with jerk. Plus, I’ve been
able to use this story to help others, to know they are not alone in their
pain. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So Matilda, even though I’m not using your real name, and I
know you do not read my blog, thank you. What you did really hurt me. But I
forgive you. It does not excuse your behavior, but I’m not holding on to it and
letting it define me. In fact, I’m using it to help others heal. And while they
don’t know who you are, they thank you, too. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you want to learn more about this healing process, I'd love for you to come to my <a href="http://danicafavorite.com/retreat" target="_blank">retreat</a>. We won't be spending the entire time at the retreat talking about this, but we will go more in depth than I did here on the blog. </div>
Danica Favoritehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922540628183027043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19234602.post-24793886258873907782015-09-14T14:50:00.000-06:002015-09-14T14:50:06.749-06:00Healing Writer Wounds<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW5ItLAGowqKyC2IxfC-EZbKdNLU-thDd23BjnWgJD0DONUl9q0zX96xpfWu6L0cITuf220-KihFvUXeRRkfmqElA_ib2pJbsL8WldiXfYmDfTF5TU9FzvDzfxh6YPWfMoBKyW/s1600/2015-06-22+20.00.39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="www.danicafavorite.com" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW5ItLAGowqKyC2IxfC-EZbKdNLU-thDd23BjnWgJD0DONUl9q0zX96xpfWu6L0cITuf220-KihFvUXeRRkfmqElA_ib2pJbsL8WldiXfYmDfTF5TU9FzvDzfxh6YPWfMoBKyW/s320/2015-06-22+20.00.39.jpg" title="www.danicafavorite.com" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ll never forget the last time I saw her at a conference. I
had been friends with Matilda (not her real name) for years. She was sitting at
the bar, just hanging out, and I joined her. After all, that’s how our friendship
had been year after year. But that year, something was different. Matilda
seemed annoyed that I was there, and I noticed that she spent the whole time
looking around the bar for other people. We had a brief, polite conversation,
and then, when a bestselling author entered the room, Matilda ditched me. Our
emails, rather than being the usual friendly sort, turned into her assistant
very politely blowing me off. Basically, once Matilda’s star rose, she left me
behind as a friend.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve been thinking about this a lot, and it’s taken me a
while to come up with this post. Because it hurts to go there. It hurts to be
reminded of how, when Matilda needed help with a book, I contributed what ended
up being the meat of a chapter, and in her acknowledgements, she thanked big
name authors who, in separate conversations that they initiated, mentioned
being surprised because they’d had nothing to do with her book. Yet, despite
everything I’d done to help her, I’d gone completely unacknowledged. Not that I
did it for the acknowledgement. As a friend, I’d been happy to help. But it
became really clear that she saw people like me as people to use on her path to
success, and once my usefulness was over, I no longer existed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I wish I could say that Matilda was the only friend who did
this to me. I have several friends, now bestselling authors, whose early
careers I helped, who no longer acknowledge our friendship because I’m no
longer an asset to their career. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So why do I share this story? It’s not so that you feel
sorry for me, or question my judgement in helping friends who clearly aren’t,
or even to get back at Matilda. I purposely hid her name and identifying
details because my goal is not to hurt Matilda. She’s a fine writer, and I
still believe in her work. I just think she was a lousy friend to me, and her
actions really hurt me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But here is the point: a friend of mine emailed me to tell
me that she was interested in my retreat, but the real problem with why she’s
stuck in her writing is that another writer hurt her and she can’t get past it.
Boy, do I know that problem. So many Matildas in my life, and other hurts, and
sometimes writing is hard. I have friends struggling with hurts from harsh
editors, betrayals from friends, mean reviews, and a lot of negativity in their
writing business. And guess what? They sit in writing paralysis based on those
hurts. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I know that paralysis all too well. For a long time, I was
afraid to be a successful author because I didn’t want to turn into the kind of
jerk who abandoned all my friends because I was more successful than them. It
was more important to me to be a good friend who was there for her friends than
it was to be a successful author. For some reason, I thought those two things
were mutually exclusive. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What a crock! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I realized that I have many friends who are successful
authors, friends who are not about stepping on others to get ahead, but are
reaching their hands down to pull others up. And that’s the kind of author I
intend to be. <br />
<br />
But here’s the thing: That wound paralyzed me for a long time. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 class="MsoNormal">
The wounds many
of my friends have been dealing with are keeping them from moving forward in
their writing careers. </h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Part of the work we’ll be doing at my <a href="http://danicafavorite.com/retreat" target="_blank">retreat</a> is looking at
those wounds, and seeing how they’re holding us back. But also, finding healing
for those wounds. One of the ways we writers are lacking in nourishment is in
finding healing for our wounds. The wounds we carry, if they’re still
festering, are shackles that bind us to the past and prevent us from moving
forward. However, when we find healing for our wounds, we find the freedom we
need to move forward in confidence toward success. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I can’t promise that if you come to my <a href="http://danicafavorite.com/retreat" target="_blank">retreat</a> that you’ll
find full healing. But my goal, and my hope, is that you’ll be able to identify
those wounds, and identify ways of dealing with them, so that you can move in
the direction of healing. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 class="MsoNormal">
If someone has wounded you in a way that has hurt your
writing, you owe it to yourself to find healing. </h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Carrying that wound doesn’t
affect the other person at all- it just hurts you. I’m pretty sure that Matilda
isn’t sitting at home, thinking about how awful it is that she hurt me. She
looks at herself in the mirror every day and doesn’t give me a second thought.
And that’s okay! So why do I spend so much energy worrying about her? The most
freeing thing in my life has been healing that wound. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And I want to help you
find that same healing. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Obviously, my blog is a little too public for you all to
pour out your hearts. But if you’d like to share on the topic, I’d love to hear
your thoughts. Have you found healing for wounds? And if you’re struggling with
a wound, and need to chat, feel free to email me privately at <a href="mailto:danica@danicafavorite.com">danica@danicafavorite.com</a>. <br />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</div>
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<br />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</div>
Danica Favoritehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922540628183027043noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19234602.post-42736727695408701342015-09-07T12:16:00.001-06:002015-09-07T12:16:56.203-06:00Five Ways to Believe in Yourself as a Writer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIUOw1NH-yZ3gTv1ZA9bxj04hpfNK69H8sfsIr80o9l4ZoUehZcgUiuu8-sxbIJMpv_E1q7QSbXGdRmj2E6zX89oNrIBZrtIYkLRcO0vQbJSimfVeWx0iF-s8QF86dYXS6sNNQ/s1600/You+are+SO+valuable%2521%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="www.danicafavorite.com" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIUOw1NH-yZ3gTv1ZA9bxj04hpfNK69H8sfsIr80o9l4ZoUehZcgUiuu8-sxbIJMpv_E1q7QSbXGdRmj2E6zX89oNrIBZrtIYkLRcO0vQbJSimfVeWx0iF-s8QF86dYXS6sNNQ/s320/You+are+SO+valuable%2521%25281%2529.jpg" title="www.danicafavorite.com" width="320" /></a></div>
I had a different post in mind for today, but when a fellow writer posted a question in a group I belong to, I realized that the core of what I do, and why this retreat is so important to me, lies in the answer that I gave her. You see, I think one of the biggest things writers struggle with is believing in themselves as writers. <br />
<br />
The way this idea manifested today is that a person asked about the value of critique partners. And you know, while I did give her an answer, I didn't give her a complete answer. Mostly because it was way too long for a simple FB post, but also because it's a much longer explanation than, "should I look for a new critique partner?"<br />
<br />
Over the years, I've had some amazing critique partners. I've also had some really terrible critique partners, whose cutting criticism of my work had me feeling absolutely worthless. Lately, though, I have not used critique partners at all. When I submitted the first book I had published, my good critique partners were too busy to read it. So I sent it in, with no one but me having read it. That book sold. In fact, every book I've ever sold has never been fully critiqued. If I have questions or doubts about a certain passage, I'll send it to trusted friends to give it a read-through. But it's usually something that doesn't take long, and is usually something very specific I want to know. My editor reads the book, and then I get my edits from her. <br />
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I struggled to sell my first book for a number of years, and during those years, I had dozens of critique partners, including well-known writing experts. Interestingly enough, the things that my editor didn't like about those books were all things that the experts told me to do. Now, I don't blame the experts, and, I have no intention of revealing who they are or what they said. I think they do know a lot about writing, and they've helped a lot of people. They just weren't the right fit for me, and I didn't have the courage to respectfully disagree.<br />
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The person I blame is myself. Because, as the experts told me their advice, I knew it wasn't right for my book. But rather than owning my story, I let the experts shape my story and turn it into what they thought it should be. I didn't believe in myself as a writer, and the truth is, that showed up in my writing.<br />
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My writing is different now. Not because I took a class that taught me a new technique, or because I read a fabulous writing book. But because I learned to believe in myself. To trust the story I had inside me, and to trust in the fact that I know how to write.<br />
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So does that mean people don't need critique partners? Absolutely not! I used to judge a lot of writing contests, and I read a lot of bad writing. There was one particular story, year after year, I would somehow end up judging in multiple contests. Every year, it was exactly the same story, and the author never changed anything. One year, I received a nasty email from that author basically saying that I had no idea what I was talking about, and how dare I say that her book wasn't perfect. I fought the urge to answer her back and tell her that after five years of not being a finalist, and not selling the book, she might consider that her writing could use some improvement. <br />
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There's also the author, whose work I spent hours critiquing and really trying to help, and finally, after not selling her book, decided to self-publish. To support her, I bought the book, and was horrified to find that she hadn't changed a thing- including the typos! So now, she complains everywhere that her book is not selling as well as she thinks it should be.<br />
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<h2>
Where, then, is the room for being critiqued?</h2>
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I know at least a hundred authors. Probably more. Of those authors, only one has told me that she doesn't have a critique partner and her editor never gives her edits on her books. However, she's also published more than a hundred novels, so I'm going to say that she knows a little something about writing. Every author has some level of editing done before the book goes to print. With the advent of self-publishing, more authors are choosing not to have the book edited, but I believe that's a mistake. There are things you can't see in your own work that you need someone to help you find- even if it's just typos. <br />
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Even though you'd think that not having a book edited means that you believe in yourself as an author, I'm going to take a different stance. If you do not have the courage to let someone else critique your work, and are not willing to listen to suggestions and make changes, I think that comes from a deep insecurity manifesting itself as pride. I've noticed that people who are overly prideful are people who have such low self-esteem that accepting criticism in one area means that they are bad people as a whole. None of us are perfect. We all have flaws, and one flaw doesn't make a person a waste of a human being.<br />
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<h2>
So how do you balance the need to trust yourself and the need to have another set of eyes improve your work?</h2>
<b><br />1. Recognize that you are not perfect.</b> And that's okay! You are not a failure of a human being for not being perfect. No one is perfect, so embrace your imperfections and choose to love yourself anyway. Even if someone tells you that your book is the most awful thing they've ever read, their words have nothing to do with your value as a writer. Even the greatest writers in history are criticized to this very day!<br />
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<b>2. Recognize that you are a talented writer.</b> You have a valuable story to tell, and it deserves to be told. There is something special inside you that deserves to come out. Only you can tell your story. <br />
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<b>3. Recognize your flaws as a writer.</b> There are people you will never please with your writing. My own daughter won't read my books because she hates romance. But there are people who DO like what you write. Have them look at your writing, and notice the patterns that come up. Part of why I don't use a critique partner, except for problem areas, other than the fact that I have an editor, is that over the years, I've seen enough patterns in critiques I've received. If you want to know my flaws as a writer, I can give you a list. So I know, when I'm reading through my work, what to look for.<br />
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<b>4. Recognize your strengths as a writer.</b> Sometimes we're so focused on our flaws, that we forget the incredible strengths we have as writers. There are things you do really well. Find out what they are, and celebrate them! <br />
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<b>5. Recognize that being an author is a journey.</b> We're all at different places on that journey, and because the journey is so full of different paths, you might be further on one path than someone who is further on a different path. And that's okay. We can learn from each other, support each other, and help each other along the path. A lot of people want to arrive at a certain place on the journey, but the truth is, you never really do arrive. There's always something new to learn and do, and when you embrace that truth, being a writer becomes so much more fulfilling.<br />
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Where do you need to go deeper in your belief in yourself as a writer?<br />
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I am hosting a retreat in November, and this is one of the topics we'll be addressing. I've talked to so many writers, and it makes me sad to see how many of us struggle with believing in ourselves and our work. The things we write are so valuable, and I really want to see us owning that value!<br />
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You can find more details on the retreat here: <a href="http://danicafavorite.com/retreat">http://danicafavorite.com/retreat</a><br />
<br />
And,
for a little fun-spiration today, as I wrote this post, I had this
great song going through my head. If you replace the life stuff with
writing stuff, it's really the same story. The writing life is a dance
you learn as you go! So take a chance on your writing, and let it out!
You're worth it!<br />
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<br />Danica Favoritehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922540628183027043noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19234602.post-22452723166402986362015-08-24T10:07:00.001-06:002015-08-26T14:31:29.068-06:00Turning 40 isn't the end of the world!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgms_V5RBsehB-Io8JyXZfRr8bp0vbX1ftOGaFmPc_6xPHJpes5zUBm8W3AKQJHg2mfBlEEu-s19MPXBD_PsC1eQRq8U5C7RAJHSXUsViuT1rPy8COYo0anLkvg-x2L5WnVA1lS/s1600/2015-08-22+15.32.54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="www.danicafavorite.com" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgms_V5RBsehB-Io8JyXZfRr8bp0vbX1ftOGaFmPc_6xPHJpes5zUBm8W3AKQJHg2mfBlEEu-s19MPXBD_PsC1eQRq8U5C7RAJHSXUsViuT1rPy8COYo0anLkvg-x2L5WnVA1lS/s320/2015-08-22+15.32.54.jpg" title="www.danicafavorite.com" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even the lichen was excited about my birthday!</td></tr>
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Over the weekend, I celebrated my 40th birthday. As I've mentioned to people that I'm hitting the big 4-0, it's been interesting to see their responses. Most people think that I'm depressed over this milestone birthday, and they offer all of this encouraging wisdom about age being just a number, etc. But here's the thing: I'm not depressed! To me, it's just a cool milestone number, and I want to celebrate.<br />
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For me, the road to 40 has been long and hard. But I've learned a lot of great lessons as I've taken that road, and I'm excited to use that knowledge as I continue life's journey. I spent my birthday doing a lot of great things to take care of myself, and one of those things was that I took a hike. I'd hoped to do a longer, more significant hike, but I slept in instead. My body needed that sleep, so I'm not complaining. I had a lovely day. <br />
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I recorded a video on my hike, reflecting on those lessons. The biggest lesson I learned, and the one I want most to share with you, is that no matter what your dream is, it's not too late to go for it. We have a lot of <strike>reasons</strike> excuses why we don't go for it, but you know, there will never be the perfect time, the perfect opportunity. Life is always going to get in the way, which is why, if there is a dream on your heart, then you need to take the steps toward that dream.<br />
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Turning 40 isn't the end of the world. But let's be honest. There are ages at which some of our goals become less and less possible. If I really wanted to become an Iron Woman Ultra Marathon Whatever, I could probably still do it at 40. Just so you know I haven't totally lost my mind, that is not one of my goals. :) There will be an age at which it isn't possible. And here is where I sit at 40: I do not want the possibility to remain dormant inside me. All the things I've been wanting to do with my life- I'm doing them. Maybe not at the level I'd like to be doing them, but I'm taking the steps, even if they're just baby steps.<br />
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So that's my encouragement for you: Whatever it is that you want to be doing with your life, whatever goals you have that you haven't reached, move in that direction. God put those dreams inside you for a reason. Don't look back with the regret of never having tried.<br />
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And if you want help reaching your dreams, I'd love for you to attend my retreat, <a href="http://danicafavorite.com/retreat" target="_blank">Nourishing the Writer's Spirit</a>. We're going to be spending a lot of time looking at nourishing ourselves so that we can follow our dreams. <br />
<br />Danica Favoritehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922540628183027043noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19234602.post-65058542250251510072015-08-19T08:00:00.000-06:002015-08-19T08:00:03.859-06:00RUDC Scavenger Hunt!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr1YrDTAGLSSMupJY4z-6gT3iBWJAe0ByA31uTm5K574lw75rFlTIDyD6Jj2d9ejth0RiP9R9zGYEMMGc6sh8OHZ-2wfVHfbSWDWPas6ehIbIx8iBv0E0Q13kPdrykATGsPvT_/s1600/RUDCPROMOSquare250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=19234602" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=19234602" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=19234602" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=19234602" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://readinguntildawncon.wordpress.com/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="blank"></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr1YrDTAGLSSMupJY4z-6gT3iBWJAe0ByA31uTm5K574lw75rFlTIDyD6Jj2d9ejth0RiP9R9zGYEMMGc6sh8OHZ-2wfVHfbSWDWPas6ehIbIx8iBv0E0Q13kPdrykATGsPvT_/s1600/RUDCPROMOSquare250.jpg" /></div>
One of the main goals of <a href="http://readinguntildawncon.wordpress.com/" target="blank">Reading Until Dawn Con</a> is to give our readers a chance to get silly and have fun with our authors. We've got a full schedule of games planned for October... but we thought it would be great to get the party started a little early. That's right... some of us Featured Authors and Bloggers are getting a head start on the fun times and hosting a SCAVENGER HUNT!
Authors and bloggers will be posting their logo/game graphics from August 17th through the 21st, and <a href="http://readinguntildawncon.wordpress.com/" target="blank">Reading Until Dawn Con</a> will accept entry emails through August 25th. Since the Scavenger Hunt IS a game, there has to be a prize, right?? One grand prize winner will win DINNER WITH OUR EMCEE, DARYNDA JONES at <a href="http://readinguntildawncon.wordpress.com/" target="blank">Reading Until Dawn Con</a>!! That's right, just you and Darynda, chilling out and chatting over a meal, our treat. We'll also have four runner up winners, who'll each receive special book and swag packs from a few of the Featured Authors.
So... who's ready to start playing?? If you haven't registered for <a href="http://readinguntildawncon.wordpress.com/" target="blank">Reading Until Dawn Con</a>, now's the time to get that done, so you're ready to enter to win a meal with Darynda!
Good luck, everyone... and happy hunting!
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=19234602" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=19234602" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=19234602" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=19234602" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://readinguntildawncon.wordpress.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="blank"></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq0VtXAKFupNvxwAvY9L9-LW6ASp726FLsE1Cvh6Os5NOB0IfXmy7xwRYrBpC1x95ki0nPEBFIy8c0k8d35o9wc9WSh1gOkZJPcKQre9W-KBxYkVS1BZ-ZmxjJAFZOo7lJQHeD/s1600/RUDC.SH.Hung.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq0VtXAKFupNvxwAvY9L9-LW6ASp726FLsE1Cvh6Os5NOB0IfXmy7xwRYrBpC1x95ki0nPEBFIy8c0k8d35o9wc9WSh1gOkZJPcKQre9W-KBxYkVS1BZ-ZmxjJAFZOo7lJQHeD/s320/RUDC.SH.Hung.png" width="241" /></a>Scavenger Hunt Details:</h3>
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There are twenty (20) logo/game graphics hidden on 20 of the feature author and bloggers websites. A schedule is posted at <a href="http://readinguntildawncon.wordpress.com/" target="blank">Reading Until Dawn Con</a>, so you can see who will have their graphic up on which dates. All you have to do to play, is check out the website and/or blog posts of each of the authors or bloggers on their scheduled date. Keep track of who has which graphic, then once you have all 20, just email your list, along with the name/address you used when you registered for <a href="http://readinguntildawncon.wordpress.com/" target="blank">Reading Until Dawn Con</a>, to ReadingUntilDawnCon @gmail.com with the following information
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Are you registered for <a href="http://readinguntildawncon.wordpress.com/" target="blank">Reading Until Dawn Con</a> this October in Denver, Colorado? If not, why not?! Join us for fun, games, snacks and possibly <a href="https://youtu.be/kGfwjuFiRwM">pants-optional dancing</a>.</div>
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<b><a href="http://readinguntildawnconllc.eventzilla.net/web/event?eventid=2139054001" target="blank">REGISTRATION</a> is now open! Come party with the authors who keep you up all night.</b></div>
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Be sure to keep up with all things <a href="http://readinguntildawncon.wordpress.com/" target="blank">Reading Until Dawn</a>, by following it via your own personal social media drug of choice: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ReadingUntilDawnCon" target="blank">Facebook</a> |<a href="https://twitter.com/RUDCon" target="blank">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://plus.google.com/107863243454519651428/posts" target="blank">Google+</a> | <a href="https://readinguntildawncon.wordpress.com/up-all-night-reading-challenge/" target="blank">Up All Night Reading Challenge</a> | <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/RUDcon/" target="blank">Pinterest</a> | <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/readinguntildawncon" target="blank">Tumblr</a> | RSVP at the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/509913505827548/">Facebook Event</a>.</div>
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<br />Danica Favoritehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922540628183027043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19234602.post-51803807259658913572015-08-18T20:18:00.001-06:002015-08-18T20:18:33.580-06:00Animal update! Lots and lots of CHICKENS!!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSD6nQCq1nVyoTotlUoC5YMOAbV2tcWL2r6Dzjel1hI8U3rzweEQLomswOmILkroISbIE9mXk1Zvp_nhs9PgGQvEwrYiTSwf8AiydMioGEf8oY-5gIlBo445dxX8UIYiRm6hJ0/s1600/2015-08-10+13.24.03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="www.danicafavorite.com" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSD6nQCq1nVyoTotlUoC5YMOAbV2tcWL2r6Dzjel1hI8U3rzweEQLomswOmILkroISbIE9mXk1Zvp_nhs9PgGQvEwrYiTSwf8AiydMioGEf8oY-5gIlBo445dxX8UIYiRm6hJ0/s320/2015-08-10+13.24.03.jpg" title="www.danicafavorite.com" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chickens pecking at hail</td></tr>
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Everyone wants to know about the chickens!<br />
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When we bought our new home, the previous owners had chickens, ducks, and geese. We asked them to re-home the geese, but they didn't. We also got some ducks and bantam chickens from my brother, who is moving to a place where he can't have them. So now we have 6 geese, 4 ducks, and 23 chickens. Sadly, two of the chickens we had when we moved here were killed by a fox shortly after we moved here. <br />
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So, we say goodbye to our beloved Gwennie Poo Poo and Lacy, and we also had to let our precious Grant go to doggie heaven. Which makes us very sad, but we have more than enough to keep us busy. Hubby is building us a chicken chateau, and all the birds will be very happy soon.<br />
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For more detailed info on the chickens, you can visit <a href="http://danicafavorite.com/about/my_flock" target="_blank">my flock page</a> on my website.<br />
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<br />Danica Favoritehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922540628183027043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19234602.post-618544814078198102015-08-17T15:41:00.000-06:002015-08-26T14:26:46.503-06:005 reasons why you (yes you!) need a retreat!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Mywlvn9MkvLcaxMBM7lvGSJHF4nfV0VrBxPWsdSB0HbHuuFF4zeZ1XUPI_G4mJpl45s0IL3tkIAHLXi1hrZfx3cwnQ-nCFOsveTHNTlU67ojFzxe0Wmr0K-p5whNOIcC5i74/s1600/Depositphotos_19961341_s-2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Mywlvn9MkvLcaxMBM7lvGSJHF4nfV0VrBxPWsdSB0HbHuuFF4zeZ1XUPI_G4mJpl45s0IL3tkIAHLXi1hrZfx3cwnQ-nCFOsveTHNTlU67ojFzxe0Wmr0K-p5whNOIcC5i74/s320/Depositphotos_19961341_s-2015.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Part of my heart for hosting my own retreat is that as I talk to other writers about their writing and their writing lives, I keep hearing a common theme: they all need a retreat for one reason or another. I see so many people who need a break. Writers wear so many hats, and have the most overfilled, overloaded plates of everyone I know, and yet, we just keep piling it higher, or grabbing a bigger plate. What we're not doing is stopping to take a time out to assess what's really important to us. And I believe that taking the time for a retreat, and investing in yourself, is the best way to do that. So here are the top five reasons why you need a retreat:<br />
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<h3>
1. You need a retreat if you are at, or close to, burnout.</h3>
<i>Ha! That's not me!</i> It's easy to be in denial, but the truth is, many of us are a lot closer to burnout than we think. Most writers are going at a breakneck pace. In the current writing environment, it seems like there are so many things changing, adapting, and requiring our constant attention. I am increasingly disheartened to see so many of my writer friends either walking away from their writing careers, struggling where they used to find ease, or living in a state of utter exhaustion. Taking the time for a retreat gives you the rest you need to restore those burned out places.<br />
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<h3>
2. You need a retreat to take time for yourself.</h3>
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One of the things I love about my writer friends is that they are such givers. I was just on the phone with one of my really good writing friends, and what I love about her is that she has the biggest heart of anyone I know. I have seen her in places where she is absolutely running on empty and she still finds room to give to anyone who asks her. However, when it comes to taking time for herself, she feels like she's being selfish. But here's the thing: if she does not take care of herself, she's going to end up so utterly depleted that she makes herself sick or worse. When you take time for yourself, you refill the well so there is something for you to keep giving. There is a reason the airlines tell you to put on your oxygen mask first!<br />
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3. You need a retreat to refill the creative well.</h3>
Taking care of your own personal well is just one of the wells that can run empty. The creative well is one of the other wells you have that needs to be replenished. Again, when you're constantly pouring out, you need the time and space to refill. Going away to a place and situation outside your normal world and routine gives you the opportunity to access new creative materials and stretch your brain so you have even more to draw from! <br />
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<h3>
4. You need a retreat to give you the space to take care of yourself. </h3>
Even though we set the intention of doing better to take care of ourselves, to refill the well, to do all the things we want to do with our creative practice, most of the time, we don't do it. Something always comes up. The afternoon you were going to go write, your kid decides to start throwing up. True story. Nothing makes vomit happen faster in my house than having plans to go write (or having a clean house, but that doesn't happen as often). But when you've made reservations, paid money, and are all set to go on a retreat, you don't have the choice but to go, unless you want to all that to go to waste. If you don't have specific plans and something at stake, it's easy to forgo taking care of yourself in favor of other seemingly pressing matters at home. A retreat gives you the structure to force you into doing what you need to do for you.<br />
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<h3>
5. You need a retreat because you don't need another writer's conference.</h3>
Let me be clear and say that I am not against writer's conferences. I've been to dozens of writing conferences, and I've gotten so much out of them. I absolutely love writer's conferences, and there are so many that are really good. I am very much in favor of writer's conferences. However. I believe that most writers already know what they need to know to be a good writer. I'm not saying we don't need to improve, because I think everyone has room to grow. Sometimes, though, what we need more than learning HOW to write is that we need to learn to BELIEVE in our abilities as writers. To care for the parts of us that will sustain us through our writing careers. We need time and space to process the things we've learned at writer's conferences. But if you're anything like me, you get home directly from a conference and have to dive right in to family life- without processing what you just learned at the conference. A retreat gives you the time and space you need to process what you've learned at a writer's conference, from a writing book, or any other thing you've done to improve your writing. <br />
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<h3>
Ultimately, though, you need a retreat because you need to invest in you. Writers, you need to know that who you are and what you are doing when you put words on the page is valuable. </h3>
Obviously, I'm biased in favor of people <a href="http://danicafavorite.com/retreat" target="_blank">signing up for my retreat</a>. Mostly because I have a lot of cool stuff planned that I believe will help us all avoid burnout, and give us the care we need to move forward in what I know is complete and total awesomeness. But you know, even if you just make a plan to get away on a little retreat of your own, you're still going to get a great benefit. Don't put off taking time for yourself. You deserve to have the time and space you need to take care of yourself.<br />
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<a href="http://danicafavorite.com/retreat" target="_blank">Sign up for the retreat before 9/4/15 to get the special Early Bird Pricing! </a>Danica Favoritehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922540628183027043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19234602.post-7967335248750255552015-08-13T14:12:00.000-06:002015-08-13T14:12:10.936-06:00Following my dreams and bringing you closer to your goals!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWIed00HMcV6YTqWU1mJTIIWrS8indeooxWvQq527OidCVS6rR5R4slLQIYLU7OTdX6KXMHgC8vgdetX6AMId5FSlZSDoeEHnoyh3qsgAhu9YK08XS8Y02h9eLatJzLmrYivJ4/s1600/2015-06-10+20.09.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWIed00HMcV6YTqWU1mJTIIWrS8indeooxWvQq527OidCVS6rR5R4slLQIYLU7OTdX6KXMHgC8vgdetX6AMId5FSlZSDoeEHnoyh3qsgAhu9YK08XS8Y02h9eLatJzLmrYivJ4/s320/2015-06-10+20.09.38.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://danicafavorite.blogspot.com/2015/08/our-house-story-aka-path-to-dream.html" target="_blank">The dream house</a> is pretty big, but I'm up to something even bigger! You see, I've always had a lot of big dreams in life, not just for me, but because I've always wanted to help people. I can remember writing in my journal at age 13 about a tough situation I was going through and saying, "I don't know why I'm going through this, except that maybe it will give me the strength to help others so they don't have to." And that's been a theme running through my life.<br />
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My dream home in the mountains isn't just about me wanting to live in the mountains. The truth is, I have ulterior motives. Once upon a time, a long time ago, I thought it would be cool to have my very own retreat center, where I would host retreats and teach people about a variety of things. I'd also have guest teachers and other fun things to give people rest and rejuvenation. I remember one time, calling my pastor and leaving this super long message about how I wanted to help with retreats at the church and all these great plans I had. He never called me back, and I never got the opportunity to help with church retreats. At the time, I figured I must not be ready for such a big challenge.<br />
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Time went on, and the dream never left me. I even fell in love with a number of retreat centers for sale. Of course, at a million dollars, hubby was not eager to support the endeavor. :) I told my friend <a href="http://camytang.com/" target="_blank">Camy Tang</a> about my dream, and she said, "why don't you just start your own retreats at other places and when you build a successful track record, you can get a loan to build your own retreat center?" I thought about it, but I never managed to get it together. But the desire never left me.<br />
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<h3>
So what does this have to do with you and your dreams? I think, in a lot
of ways, we all have the same things holding us back. I doubted myself
in a lot of areas, and I used them as excuses to not move forward on
something that had been calling me for a long time. Often, we look at
the practical things, like with my house, and see how it's virtually
impossible, so we don't even try.</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSnrQ6bBaU40QrXmt4eeMHL_s33ymnwRrjXzUn0XhzncWwPp4eSb1p8uqRK2pRTVJQHTtAGx7al1sqnh8TZX4I_GCofxDkVh5_T726dB_tFcRANB3EjVHfuRRZDwRoiLJKEf6S/s1600/retreat+ad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSnrQ6bBaU40QrXmt4eeMHL_s33ymnwRrjXzUn0XhzncWwPp4eSb1p8uqRK2pRTVJQHTtAGx7al1sqnh8TZX4I_GCofxDkVh5_T726dB_tFcRANB3EjVHfuRRZDwRoiLJKEf6S/s320/retreat+ad.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /><br />Which is why, as I am following so many of my other dreams, I've decided to take the big step in following this one as well. I have created a <a href="http://danicafavorite.com/retreat" target="_blank">retreat for writers</a>. I'm taking the advice I've received and starting small, but my goal is to grow so that eventually, tucked on my beautiful mountain property, there will be a place for other writers to come and find respite. But for now, we'll be hanging out at a hotel, and there, you will be able to find rest.<br />
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I specifically created this retreat based on my experiences at retreats, but also based on what we as writers need. I saw other writers struggling in their careers, and I understood that pain. It took me twelve years to get published, and it wasn't for lack of skill as a writer. I see so many perfectly talented writers who can't get ahead, and it's a shame, because their work deserves to be read by others.<br />
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So why, then, if talent isn't the issue, are so many people not succeeding as writers? It's like there's an invisible switch inside them that seems to be turned to the "off" position. I know, because I had that problem. And I also learned to re-set that switch. Which is what I want to help others do.<br /><br />Honestly, I think we get caught up so much in the business of writing that we forget the joy of writing. We forget the love we have for the written word as we find ourselves torn between the artistic side of writing and the business side of writing. We are overwhelmed by the expectations, deadlines, pressures, goals, edits, and marketing. And what we need is space to play. To relax. To rejuvenate. <br /><br />
<h3>
But here's the thing... we all say, "yes, that sounds good, and I totally need that." But we never make the time for it to happen. Instead, we promise ourselves we'll take better care of ourselves, and then we never do. I created this space so you can keep that promise to yourself. I created this space to keep my promises to myself.</h3>
<br />The retreat is called Nourishing the Writer's Spirit, because your writer's spirit deserves to be nourished. It needs to be nourished. And as we nourish your spirit, you'll discover the dreams buried inside you, and find the strength to move forward on them. <br /><br />I believe every writer needs to have the time and space to nourish themselves. Which is why I think every writer needs to come! If you're in a place where you feel depleted, or are struggling with where you're at in your writing career, you especially need to give yourself this gift.<br />
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<b>You can find registration info here:<br /><a href="http://danicafavorite.com/retreat">http://danicafavorite.com/retreat</a></b><br /><br />I'd also really appreciate it if you shared information about the retreat with other writers you know. We spend so much time learning about craft and career, but we don't take the time to learn about something equally important- nourishing ourselves. I'm also happy to come to your group and talk about these topics. <br /><br />Whatever your goal or dream with your writing is, I know you can do it! And I've love to help you get there.Danica Favoritehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922540628183027043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19234602.post-40662430427511739752015-08-12T08:00:00.000-06:002015-08-12T08:00:05.387-06:00Our house story... aka the path to a dream<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRcPRkKOKop7F_l6fnMTGFxNMnFSxyl-kzUnk8CXgqIp36wDn0dXLyHUG0QDKHkaifsH_7wwtCTdgLU19J1TFUoO4v_-By5L7otYEnlbiN4aLB-ym2x_2W-xMAidDTt0LJXtkC/s1600/2015-05-30+17.50.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="www.danicafavorite.com" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRcPRkKOKop7F_l6fnMTGFxNMnFSxyl-kzUnk8CXgqIp36wDn0dXLyHUG0QDKHkaifsH_7wwtCTdgLU19J1TFUoO4v_-By5L7otYEnlbiN4aLB-ym2x_2W-xMAidDTt0LJXtkC/s320/2015-05-30+17.50.38.jpg" title="www.danicafavorite.com" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My new back yard!</td></tr>
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Now that I'm catching up on my blog, people are probably wondering, okay, so what happened with the house? You found a house, lost it, and now you mention living in a new house. Well, I am here with answers! :)<br />
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Though part of my desire is to satisfy random curiosity, there's also the piece that wants you to know this house thing isn't just about me. It's about having faith, trusting God, and fully believing that whatever crazy season you're in, God will see you through.<br />
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And, because this is extremely important to the story, I'm taking you back to the very beginning...<br />
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In the beginning, there was this guy and this girl. They were dating and would go for drives in the mountains. On their drives, they would talk about how they dreamed of having a home in the mountains someday. In case you're wondering, that couple was me and my hubby. We got married, and as sometimes happens when two people get married, the practicalities of life kept us from having our dream home in the mountains. But we never let go of the dream. And, every now and again, we'd go for a drive in the mountains, and say... "wouldn't it be awesome to live here?"<br />
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Fast forward a few years, more like 15, and something super cool happened in my life. I achieved a lifelong dream of becoming a published author (yay me!). Unfortunately, the thing people don't tell you about your dreams coming true is that it's dangerous business. Because, as I found out, achieving your dreams is kind of addictive. Once you get one thing you've always wanted, you start wondering about all the other things you've always wanted, and you think that it's actually possible to get those things too.<br />
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And so, in the time since I sold my first book, I started doing a lot of things I always said I wanted to do, but never did. I went to England. I started taking dance lessons. If it was ever a dream, I started pursuing it. Which leads me to the dream house. Being the practical sort of person I am, I decided to make a plan. Last October, I said to hubby, "I think we should look at our plan of moving to the mountains someday. Let's start making it happen. I think it'll take us a couple of years, but we can make it work." Hubby said, "I agree. But I think we should do it at the end of the school year." I thought he was off his rocker, but figured if he was going to get to work on the goal, I'd support him.<br />
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HA!<br />
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Let's just put that out there again. HA!<br />
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Because I am a planner, and I like researching things TO DEATH, I began looking at mountain homes. I wanted to see what we could afford, what was out there, what met our requirements, etc. Basically, I learned exactly what I had figured. It would take a couple of years for us to afford what we wanted. And then, I found <a href="http://danicafavorite.blogspot.com/2015/01/my-dream-home-maybe.html" target="_blank">THE HOUSE</a>. The price was right, the location was good, and most importantly, the house had everything we wanted in a house. I am not kidding when I say we were not ready to sell our house or buy a new house. But I could not stop thinking about it.<br />
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Finally, one night, I couldn't sleep, so I woke hubby up, and I told him that we had to look into the house. He said okay. I'm pretty sure he just said that to get me to shut up so he could go back to sleep, but we're going to pretend that he thought it was the best idea ever. Over the next few days, I convinced him we should look into it, and we did. Now, remember back to my saying it would take a couple of years to get what we wanted? Part of that was because our house was not ready to sell. We had tons of projects that we needed to get done. Things that would make or break our sale. But once we saw the other house, we were in love, and we were going to do whatever it took to get it done. We worked hard, and we really found our faith stretched <a href="http://danicafavorite.blogspot.com/2015/01/letting-god-in-on-your-dreams.html" target="_blank">as we trusted God</a> and moved boldly forward.<br /><br />One of these days, I'll go back and count all the small miracles that happened along the way. It seemed like something would come up daily to help us in an unexpectedly beautiful way. We were days from our house hitting the market, and then it happened... <a href="http://danicafavorite.blogspot.com/2015/01/when-door-closes-on-your-dreams.html" target="_blank">we lost the bid on the new house</a>. The agony and heartbreak in those days... Wow! For us, part of why it was so hard is that I wasn't kidding on the money issue, either. There were literally no houses on the market in our price range. To get what we wanted, we needed way more money.<br />
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But we had this belief, deep down, that this was what we were meant to do. Why would we set on this path and have doors open so wide and so many crazy miracles happen for it to all blow up like that? One of the things we hadn't been comfortable with was that our realtor initially was going to price our house low so it would sell fast. We decided to sell our house, but at a higher price, because we didn't need it to sell right away. Maybe then, another house would show up on the market. So we listed our house.<br /><br />Our house sold in five days, had multiple offers, and we got above asking price. The crazy thing is, before we even made the decision to sell our house, I'd written down a goal of how much I'd like to sell our house for, and this number was above that number! <br /><br />The only trouble was, we had nowhere to go. I scoured house listings, and nothing new was popping up. Our realtor suggested we change our requirements, and we were like, um, no. Finally, we decided that since we weren't finding our dream home, we'd build our dream home. Which meant buying land, building, all that stuff. Which meant renting something in the meantime. The rental market here is insane. No one would do less than a one year lease, and anything even semi-comparable to what we'd had cost twice what we paid in mortgage. Worse, every place we called on was already rented within hours of the listing popping up. Finally, we found a place. It wasn't perfect, but we could at least live with it. The day after we signed the lease, we got a phone call that would change everything.<br />
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A couple had called our realtor to see if she would list their house for sale. Our realtor walked in the door and knew immediately she'd found our house. We looked at the house, and yup, we wanted it. Fortunately we were within the time frame to break our lease, so we got out of the lease with no penalty. Unfortunately, we were two weeks away from closing on the sale of our old house. We talked to our lender and the sellers, and worked out that we could close in three weeks. Which meant we'd be homeless for a week. The sellers were super nice and let us store our pod unit on the property and let us store things in the barn as well. We also rented a storage unit.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZJPvZDdoLYx93PSI22871q2eahApS1Mr_8GS7_Zd4v6wEf-wk6C847k5_ayXsjwy8BJfGUcbsH1B4hxiW1DqaECo4Uo7L7hgc9tnY-6JkpVediaKUxqJmrXeFplzX8djBMbiB/s1600/2015-04-11+15.27.31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="www.danicafavorite.com" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZJPvZDdoLYx93PSI22871q2eahApS1Mr_8GS7_Zd4v6wEf-wk6C847k5_ayXsjwy8BJfGUcbsH1B4hxiW1DqaECo4Uo7L7hgc9tnY-6JkpVediaKUxqJmrXeFplzX8djBMbiB/s320/2015-04-11+15.27.31.jpg" title="www.danicafavorite.com" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first load of junk we took out of the house</td></tr>
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Now, you'd think things would go smoothly from there... um, no. Our hotel was not as promised, but it was good enough, so we stayed there. Our hotel caught on fire one day, but was fortunately still liveable. And then, the day of closing on the new house, our mortgage broker called us up and asked for documentation on some random thing that if he'd asked for at the beginning of the process, we could have given him. But since we were living in a hotel, it was a little more difficult. And so, we did not close on time. We closed late the next day, but it was enough to throw our entire plan into a tailspin. <br /><br />Someday, I will find pictures that show how bad it actually was. Although I think we may have been too stressed to take pictures. The previous owners left so much junk and trash in our house that we couldn't move in as planned. Of course, we had movers scheduled and couldn't change that, so as people were moving stuff into our house, I was shoveling crap out, and my friend was vacuuming behind me. The poor moving guys were just baffled, and it took everything I had not to just break down and cry. Except I couldn't because we had too much to do.<br />
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And so here we are... in our new mountain home. I would like to say that moving in is the end of the story. But I would be a total liar. Because the new house, while it is wonderful in many ways, is not so wonderful in a lot of other ways. The new house, glorious as it is, is about 1,000 square feet smaller than our old house. We have five fewer rooms and two fewer bathrooms. That may not sound terrible, but to a woman who is homicidal if she does not have her space, it's basically a few levels short of hell. At least until I look out the window and remind myself of what an incredible place I get to live in.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Construction of the addition</td></tr>
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The plan from the beginning was to build on immediately. We began that project, and like all things related to this house, it hasn't been as easy as you'd think. Pretty much everything in this place is in a state of disrepair. It seems like a million other things keep popping up to interfere with the actual building process. The money is not how we thought it would be, and I'm not going to lie- it's been a challenge. You would not believe how easy it is to spend ten thousand dollars! I'm not saying these things to complain. In fact, as I look at the challenges we face, and I see how far we've come despite all of the other challenges, I know it's going to be okay.<br />
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Seriously... every day, I find a new challenge or find one of the challenges we've been living with to be SO. FREAKING. HARD. and I take a deep breath, look out at our gorgeous land, and I think, this is it!! I live in the mountains. Even though I still lay awake some nights because of creepy crawlies in the house keeping me up, or because I have all the crazy stuff we still have to do running in my head, I'll be honest... I am living my dream and I couldn't be happier.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of our ponds. I am SO happy we have ponds!</td></tr>
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Okay, fine, I would totally be happier if our construction was done, or even if I could take a bath in my own house! But really, I am so happy. I am so grateful. <br /><br />Which leads us to the question... was not getting the other house a good thing for us? As much as I really would love to live in less of a project, this house is a much better situation for us. It's closer to town, has more land, and the land is much prettier and has more cool features. Also, we've met some of our neighbors, and they're great people! My daughter says that this place feels more like home, and she wakes up every morning feeling happy that we live in such a wonderful place. <br /><br />We achieved our dream of living in the mountains, but we have not arrived. I was joking with my father in law the other day that it will take us a lifetime to finish all of the projects we have to do at this house. The longer we live here, the more ideas I have, and the more things I want to do. And of course, when I talk about projects I want to do, what I really mean is projects I want my husband to do. <br /><br />But seriously, I need you to know how happy I am. Not because our life is perfect. Because trust me, it's not. I have been stretched and grown past what I thought was my breaking point, and then back again. I am exhausted beyond belief, and I sometimes joke that I have moving PTSD. Except we're still living it. Which doesn't sound like a very happy life, except that in the midst of everything, I know that I am where I belong. I look out my window and I see a million things to be happy about. I close my eyes and I know that I can do all things because God is there, strengthening me. I learned a lot about who my real friends are. The ones who spent time helping me, supporting me, and encouraging me. I also know the ones who say they'll be there, then come up with excuses that are just thinly veiled lies, and I would have respected them a lot more had they just said they had more important things to do. I'm learning a lot about myself. I'm learning a lot about God. I'm watching my children take on responsibilities that they never would have done otherwise. I see them living a renewed childhood. I could probably write an entire book on how amazing this journey has been for us, and maybe I will.<br />
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For now though, I want you to know this. Whatever your dream is, go for it. I won't lie to you and say it will be easy. Everything will not go your way. You will have crazy miracles enabling your dream, and you will have wild unexpected setbacks that make you think you were crazy to have thought you could do it at all. But keep at it. Keep moving forward. You see, there was nothing wrong with my life when I embarked on this journey. I remember sitting in my old house, sobbing, because I truly loved that house, and at one point in my life, that was my dream house. I just knew that I was meant for something bigger. And I trusted that. I trusted my dream, and I trusted God.<br />
<br />If you're thinking of following your dream, I'll be there, cheering you on. And when you fall down, I'll be there to help you up. Because your dream is worth it. You are worth it. Danica Favoritehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922540628183027043noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19234602.post-40325350788915715452015-08-11T08:00:00.000-06:002015-08-11T08:00:02.730-06:00Book News!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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While I was off being my crazy self, I had a new book release! I'm hoping that you've already bought it, read it, and loved it, but just in case, my second book, The Lawman's Redemption, came out in July. This is where I put on my shameless promotion hat and ask you to buy the book, post lots of reviews, and encourage other people to buy it!<br />
<br />
<b>About the book:</b><br />
<i><b>Lawman on a Mission</b></i><i><b> </b></i><br /><br />Former deputy
Will Lawson is fighting to regain his reputation—and Mary Stone is his
only lead to the bandit who framed him. Now that he's tracked Mary to
Leadville, Colorado, Will needs the proud beauty to reveal her past.
Instead, his efforts spark a mighty inconvenient attraction…<br /><br />Mary's
only real crime is that she once believed an outlaw's lies. Still, she
fears disclosing the truth to Will may land her in jail—and leave her
young siblings without protection. Now she must choose between honesty
and safeguarding her family. And if Will does clear his own name, can he
convince the woman he loves to share it?Danica Favoritehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922540628183027043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19234602.post-20876857724520037602015-08-10T22:19:00.000-06:002015-08-10T22:31:02.929-06:00Good intentions gone wrong, and it's okay!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy August! In case you're comparing dates between posts, then yes, it HAS been a long time since I've posted, and that's okay! In fact, "it's okay," is the theme of today's blog, and I write mostly to comfort those of you in the same position I'm in. You had a lot of really good intentions, they didn't pan out, and now you're looking at where you'd hoped to be wondering how you got so far off track.<br />
<br />
If you don't follow me on social media, let me catch you up. What? You don't follow me on social media? Please, rectify the situation as soon as possible.<br />
<br />
Here are a few happy places to find me:<br />
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Oh wait, I just got sidetracked! And that, my friends, is exactly what 2015 has held for me. Sort of. You see, a year ago, I had the grandiose idea that since we've always dreamed of living in the mountains, we should start taking the steps to living that dream. I had plans for 2015, and none of them involved selling our house, buying a fixer upper in the mountains, moving, and living in an incredibly beautiful space in a tiny house! That, my friends, was supposed to happen in 2016 or 2017. Now, before you think I am complaining, let me assure you that I am incredibly happy with our situation. But so many of my other plans, they did not happen, and that's okay!</div>
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I had a lot of really great intentions with this move, and prior to the move, and they all kind of went by the wayside. To be honest, I've really been beating myself up over my failure to do EVERYTHING I'd planned. I thought about giving you a list, but then I realized it would only serve to bring up my stress meter. What I realized is that be thinking about everything I didn't do, I was paralyzing myself from doing all the things I can do, right now!<br />
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And that's the relevant point today. I think we all go through seasons of paralysis because we realized that we bit off more than we can chew, and we have no idea how to get back to normal. I watched my plate get bigger and bigger, and kept wondering how I was going to eat it all. But here's the great thing about your plate of life. It's YOUR plate. You get to decide what's on it, and if you put too much on it, you can empty it off. In my case, I decided that the date of January 1, 2015 is a completely arbitrary (although somewhat convenient) way of determining what will and won't happen in our lives. So I hit the reset button. And now, I'm saying that all the things I intended to do, it's okay that I didn't do *cough* many of them.<br />
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But here's what happens AFTER you hit the reset button. You sit down and think about your priorities. Moving forward, what do you want to do? It doesn't matter what you didn't accomplish. What matters is, looking at tomorrow, what can you accomplish?<br />
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So here I am, blogging about stuff I didn't intend to blog about, because it was never on the plan. But you know, it's okay. My plan changed this year. And I lovingly accept that in myself. I hope, that whatever plan you got off track from, that you can lovingly say, "it's okay." Because it is.<br />
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I did a piece in my art journal today, and I started with one intention, but it became something else. Interesting, since that seems to be the theme of my life. The funny thing is, I love what I did in my art journal far more than what I'd originally planned. Sometimes, letting go and accepting where life takes you instead of drowning in disappointment can bring you to a beautiful place.<br />
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<b>How have you dealt with being sidetracked in life? Is there one thing you can do right now to get back on track? </b>Danica Favoritehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922540628183027043noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19234602.post-3400938735796828822015-02-27T19:56:00.000-07:002015-04-21T13:57:10.686-06:00Anatomy of a Bible art journal page<a href="http://www.danicafavorite.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/2015-02-27-19.12.41.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4923" src="http://www.danicafavorite.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/2015-02-27-19.12.41-225x300.jpg" alt="2015-02-27 19.12.41" width="225" height="300" /></a>A lot of people ask me about my art journaling practice, especially as it relates to my Bible reading. I’ve always been the sort of person who likes to write in my Bible. I like to highlight passages that mean a lot to me, and I like to write notes in the margins. However, when I discovered art journaling, I found that I had a new avenue for worshipping God.<br/><h1>Have you ever read something in your Bible that made you so thankful to God? Something that made you want to worship God in a deeper way? Art journaling gives me the ability to have that deeper worship.</h1><br/>When I read something impactful in my Bible, I love being able to respond in a creative way. More importantly, I love being able to have that worship written right in my Bible. It’s a wonderful experience to thumb through my Bible and remember all the beautiful moments I’ve shared with God. Having the colors and images pop out at me bring back the experience in much fuller detail than if I’d simply underlined a passage. More importantly, the time I take to create the art in my Bible has me meditating on that piece of Scripture longer. Rather than highlighting and moving on, I spend a lot more time, doodling and soaking it in.<br/><br/>As an example of how my process works, I’m going to take you through the creation of one of my pages. I have a daily reading plan (which, in all fairness, does not always happen daily!) and I try to follow it as best as I can. The day I created this page, my reading was Psalm 136.<br/><br/>One of my favorite phrases in the Bible is, “give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, his love endures forever.” It’s mentioned several times in the Bible, and I even have a little tune I mentally sing this phrase to, because it’s such a beautiful reminder of God’s love. As I read this Psalm, even though I have probably read it dozens of times, I realized that every other line was my favorite phrase. With one exception. The word “steadfast” is added.<br/><br/>I couldn’t stop thinking about that addition to the phrase. To me, steadfast love is a much more powerful image than plain old love. I ended up highlighting the entire Psalm. When I have something that hits me that powerfully, that’s when I pull out my colorful pens and journal. I go through different phases with my Bible art journal, and I love word art. I wrote the phrase I loved and made it pretty and colorful.<br/><br/>Then, because the word “steadfast” was so important to me in this time, I looked it up, and I wrote definitions of it in the margin. I thought about each definition and how it fit God’s love. Finally, at the bottom, I wrote two summaries of what that time had meant to me. What I wanted to remember.<br/><br/><strong>Don’t take this as a “this is how you should always do it” bible art journal guide</strong>. Each entry in my Bible has a different component, or a different order. Sometimes, I skip the full reading plan, because just one verse sticks out to me in a powerful way. What remains the same and consistent through each one, is that it was done in response when I felt a particular reading speak to me. My art journaling Bible isn’t perfect. You’ll find mistakes, splotches, smudges, and other weird things. But I think it’s beautiful to God, who sees my response to him and loves it.<br/><h2>If you’re thinking about trying art journaling, or even putting some art in your Bible, I highly encourage you to do so.</h2><br/>It’s really wonderful to have these mementos of my time with God. You can purchase a journaling Bible or a notetaking Bible so you have more room to make art than you would with a regular Bible. I use the<a href="http://www.crossway.org/bibles/esv-journaling-biblereg-357-jour/" target="_blank"> ESV journaling Bible by Crossway</a>. Pen-wise, for this page, I used some <a href="http://writedudes.com/product-category/scribble-stuff/gel-pens/" target="_blank">glitter gel pens from the Write Dudes</a>. Basically, the ones you get at Target. Nothing fancy you have to buy at an art supply store. I also used a regular pen for the rest. Other pages, I’ve used colored pencils, watercolors, and Sharpies (which bleed).<br/><br/>Do you art journal in your Bible? What tools do you use? I’d love to hear about your process. And if you don’t art journal in your Bible, but want to try it, let me know that too!Danica Favoritehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922540628183027043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19234602.post-42337538846244999302015-02-20T16:25:00.000-07:002015-04-21T13:57:10.620-06:00Owning your value as a writer<a href="http://www.danicafavorite.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/You-are-SO-valuable.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4919" src="http://www.danicafavorite.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/You-are-SO-valuable-300x300.png" alt="You are SO valuable!" width="300" height="300" /></a>I've had a couple of conversations lately and I wanted to share the gist of them, because I'm seeing a trend in a lot of friends, especially writers, and it bothers me. We are not seeing and claiming our value! As writers, what we do is so valuable. Think about the books that have changed your life. Most people, especially readers can name a book that impacted their lives. What price do you put on that?<br/><br/>You might say, "well, Danica, I'm not a Hemingway, or Dickens, or whoever, and therefore, I'm not in that category." And you know what I say to that? BALONEY. Actually, I'd use a stronger word here, but I might get in trouble with the internet police, so I won't. :) You don't have to be great to be valuable. You just have to be you.<br/><h1>The trouble with owning your value is that it's scary to step out there and do it.</h1><br/>Yesterday, I talked to a friend who said that she was afraid of sounding too prideful or getting too big of a head if she started sharing all the reasons why she was valuable. And I understand that. We've all met the jerks who think too much of themselves. In fact, this friend and I have a pact that if we ever turn into writing super stars, we will keep each other in check to not become jerks. But there is a difference between saying I am a great writer and what I do is valuable, and saying, I'm too cool for you because I'm a great writer.<br/><br/>God gave us each these fabulous talents and abilities. So when we downplay them and say that we're not as awesome as God made us to be because we're afraid of people thinking our heads are too big, we're denying God. We're not letting God's gifts shine through us. We've dimmed the light, and frankly, I think that's offensive to God. He gave us our gifts and talents to USE them.<br/><br/><strong>How do you start owning your value?</strong><br/><br/>First of all, recognize it! Have you thought of all the ways that you are valuable? The things that make you valuable? Seriously. Take a minute and write a few down. I'll give you a few examples.<br/>1. I am a great encourager.<br/>2. My friends know that I will tell them the truth, even if it's uncomfortable.<br/>3. I have a variety of life experiences to draw upon.<br/>4. I'm a good writer.<br/>5. People like my books.<br/>6. I am a good mother.<br/>7. I love chickens!!<br/>8. I seek to understand other points of view.<br/>9. I love to try new things and have new experiences.<br/>10. I am persistent.<br/><br/>Now think about the kind of person who is all of those things. Put in your head what kind of person that is. That's a pretty awesome person, right? And guess what? That person is ME!! Your list of all of your awesome things? That's YOU!!<br/><h2>What does this have to do with owning your value as a writer?</h2><br/>Everything. If you aren't owning your personal value, then you can't own who you are as a writer. All of those wonderful things about me? I bring that to my writing. I have those gifts that add value to the words I write. Are my words autobiographical? No. But they are flavored with those beautiful and not so beautiful things about me. And yes, I do believe the ugly things, our scars, our flaws, those add value too. But too often we focus on the negative and the reasons why we can't, and we don't see the wonderful things we bring to the table with our writing.<br/><br/>The friend I spoke with the other day, she is a fantastic writer. People love her books. But she's had a lot of things happen lately that have discouraged her and she's feeling not so valuable. She's afraid to put herself out there and shine. What if the negatives are right? What if she's being too bold in saying that she is a great writer? What if she's not as great as she thinks she might be?<br/><br/>All of those things are lies. She, like so many of us, get trapped into believing them because we're conditioned to think that way instead of owning our value. I'm not saying any of this to pick on her, by the way. I'm just as guilty, and perhaps that's why I can recognize it in her. I've been there.<br/><h2>Why does owning your value matter so much?</h2><br/>When you don't have confidence in your value, it shows. Who wants to have a surgeon with a shaky hand perform surgery on them? But that's exactly what you're doing when you fail to claim your value and stand securely in it.<br/><br/>Being valuable doesn't mean being perfect. I can say I'm a good mom and be confident in that, but also know that I am not a perfect mom. I got a little competitive playing on the Wii with my daughter yesterday and a swear word popped out. Oops! That one mistake doesn't negate the fact that I'm doing a great job raising my kids. And guess what? I admitted my mistake, apologized to them, and turned it into a teaching moment to demonstrate that I am not a perfect mom, but I am a mom willing to acknowledge my shortcomings. My mistake helped build character in my kids. That's valuable.<br/><br/>On the writing side, if I sit at my computer, filled with fear and insecurity, it shows in my writing. If I'm second-guessing myself because I have no confidence in myself and my abilities, I make mistakes that I wouldn't have made otherwise. Last night, if I'd spent the time beating myself up for that swear word, I wouldn't have had the precious giggle and snuggle with my girls. When we fail to acknowledge our value as writers, we're locking up the beautiful moments like giggles and snuggles, and keeping them off the page, and out of the hands of readers who could be blessed by it.<br/><h2>Take some time today and think about the things that make you valuable! I'd love for you to post some of the items on your list, and if you're brave enough to share, I'll tell you something I see in you that's valuable!</h2>Danica Favoritehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922540628183027043noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19234602.post-59456455908995603312015-02-11T20:17:00.000-07:002015-04-21T13:57:10.603-06:00Booksigning! Meet Danica!Hi Everyone! Still busy with the house situation. Our house will be on the market tomorrow! But what I want to share is that Saturday, I have a booksigning.<br/><br/>Would love to see you there!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.danicafavorite.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/www.danicafavorite.com1_.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4906" src="http://www.danicafavorite.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/www.danicafavorite.com1_-300x169.png" alt="Rocky Mountain Dreams booksigning" width="300" height="169" /></a><br/><br/> Danica Favoritehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922540628183027043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19234602.post-48816289646559507272015-01-28T10:48:00.000-07:002015-04-21T13:57:10.588-06:00When a door closes on your dreams<a href="http://www.danicafavorite.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/2015-01-27-14.19.49.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4890" src="http://www.danicafavorite.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/2015-01-27-14.19.49-225x300.jpg" alt="2015-01-27 14.19.49" width="225" height="300" /></a>I've been working hard to make the <a title="My Dream Home… Maybe!" href="http://www.danicafavorite.com/my-dream-home-maybe/">dream home</a> I found at the end of last year a reality. Unfortunately, we received bad news. We were outbid on the house we wanted. To say I was heartbroken to come so close to my <strong>dreams</strong>, only to have it fall apart was an understatement. It was pretty devastating. Even my husband, who is not known for his demonstration of emotion, was crushed. I remember sitting here, sobbing, crying the big fat ugly tears that make your face swell, your eyes hurt, and your nose too stuffed up to breathe.<br/><br/>I poured out my heart in my journal, and one of the lines I wrote really sticks with me. "I feel like Jacob, working so hard for Rachel, only to be presented with Leah. My faith is so small right now- I want to believe and trust, and honestly, I don't know how."<br/><br/>Betrayed. That's how I imagine Jacob must have felt, and that is how I felt. If you don't know the story, it's found in Genesis 29:16-30. Basically, Jacob fell in love with Rachel, worked seven years to get her, and instead, was given Leah, a woman he did not love. He had to work another seven years to get Rachel. It doesn't really say what Jacob went through in terms of his anger and betrayal, but it's easy to imagine how hard it would have been to be so close to the woman of your dreams only to have it ripped away.<br/><br/>And there I was, so close to the house of my dreams, and we got outbid, and frankly, the whole thing was just kind of stupid, the way it was with Jacob being forced to marry Leah on a technicality. Yes, I realize that a house and a wife are not necessarily the equivalent, but for us, this is something we've wanted since we met. We've dreamed of this for seventeen years, and it all seemed so perfect. We had so many miracles leading up to this point that it made no sense that the door shut when it did. I can imagine Jacob felt the same way- he was there, at the finish line, and WHAM! The door closed.<br/><br/>People told me things like, "God has something better," and honestly, in the midst of my grief, I wanted to smack them. We've waited SEVENTEEN YEARS for an opportunity like this, and haven't seen anything come even close. There hasn't been anything better in that time. It reminded me of all the things I've waited for that never came. That will never come. Every piece of grief that I thought had been healed opened up again, and I just wanted to know why. Why, when I was doing all the right things, did this, too, have to be taken from me?<br/><br/>But see, there is another piece to Jacob's story. He got over the betrayal, and he worked another seven years, and he got to marry Rachel. I read a bunch of articles and things speculating on why Jacob had to do the Leah/Rachel thing. Why it couldn't have been simpler? We really don't know, and we won't know until we meet God face to face. Sometimes you get to know why, and sometimes you don't. Will I know we why lost that house? Maybe. Is there another, more wonderful, house waiting for us? Maybe. I'd like to think so.<br/><br/>So here I am, the grief over my house loss subsided, and a new plan in place. We are selling our house, a house I love, because our dreams are bigger than staying where we are. Currently, there are no houses out there in our price range that even come close to being what we want. But I'm choosing to step out in faith that when the time comes, there will be a house for us. My daughter asked me what happens if there isn't. I told her we'd live in my van. Which would be weird, considering we have a dog and three chickens, and I'm seriously anti-poop in regards to my living conditions. But I'm choosing to believe that we'll be okay.<br/><br/>I went for a walk at a nature preserve yesterday with my friend Kay, and I took a great photo of the sun through the trees. Only when I looked at the photo after, I saw these fun blue and red spots in my picture. I don't know what they are, but I felt so much peace sitting there, that to me, those were my confirmation that everything is going to be okay.<br/><h1>What do you do when a door closes on your dreams?</h1><br/>I think it's okay, and even necessary, to take the time to grieve. But then you have to figure out a way to move on. To know that there is something good waiting for you, even if you can't see it. You have to find the strength and courage to go forward, even if your faith is so small. Even when you don't know how. I have no idea where this journey is taking us, and yes, I'm scared. But I suppose, if we had all the answers, there'd be no reason to have faith.<br/><h2>Have you had a door close on your dreams? What did you do? And if you're like me, blindly stepping out on faith, let me know how I can encourage you.</h2>Danica Favoritehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922540628183027043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19234602.post-46321241712248219962015-01-23T22:35:00.000-07:002015-04-21T13:57:10.573-06:00Letting God in on your dreams<a href="http://www.danicafavorite.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/art-logo.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4653" src="http://www.danicafavorite.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/art-logo-300x137.jpg" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" width="300" height="137" /></a>I just got done taking a bath and reading a book. This may well be the first book I've actually read this year. Sometimes I get so single minded in pursuing my <strong>dreams</strong> that I have a tendency to forget to slow down and take time for me. Yes, I have a lot of work to do before our house hits the market on Thursday. But I also have to remember that part of pursuing a dream is also allowing God the grace to move and act in that space as well. Which means slowing down, spending some quiet time and nurturing yourself. If I trust God, this house thing will still happen without me killing myself with overwork.<br/><br/>The past three weeks have been nonstop- getting up earlier than usual, doing my regular job, then performing a lot more physical labor than this body is used to until I finally fall into bed. Some nights, I toss and turn worrying over everything I still have to do. One night, I even got out of bed at midnight and worked for two hours on a project that was bothering me. And yes, in the midst of this, I turned in some book ideas to my editor.<br/><br/>If you think it's crazy, it is. But that's me when I'm consumed with something important to me. And this afternoon, as I was listening to a devotional on audio in my car, I realized that all-consuming passion leaves no room for God.<br/><h1>If a dream really is of God, then you have to give him room to work.</h1><br/>I think it's a tough balance- on one hand, I do believe you have to do the work to make your dreams come true. I don't believe God is a magical fairy who goes around with his wand to make things happen. But I also know that God does want to be involved in your dreams. I think he wants to be able to work miracles in your plans. If you're too busy working and not taking the time to notice, you might miss the miracles that happen along the way.<br/><br/>We do not have the house yet. Our house goes on the market next week, then we will get the other house. So far, I've counted at least ten things that have been miraculous in this situation. TEN! And probably dozens more prayers answered. So why am I killing myself to make this happen?<br/><br/>Over the next few days, I have a lot more work to do. And I'll get it done. But after my relaxing evening in the bath, realizing how much I've failed to take care of myself, I'm going to be more mindful of the fact that part of pursuing your dreams is taking time to enjoy the journey.Danica Favoritehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922540628183027043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19234602.post-23160233250149027002015-01-05T15:47:00.000-07:002015-04-21T13:57:10.355-06:00My Dream Home... Maybe!<a href="http://www.danicafavorite.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/2015-01-05-15.10.51.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4869" src="http://www.danicafavorite.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/2015-01-05-15.10.51-225x300.jpg" alt="my books getting ready for my dream home" width="225" height="300" /></a>When I sat down to do my 2015 goal planning and dreaming, an unexpected event interrupted my plans. I found a listing for my almost <strong>dream home</strong>. I say almost, because the house itself is a bit of a fixer upper. Um, okay, it's A LOT of a fixer upper. :) But the location (and view!) is amazing!<br/><br/>The catch is, we have to sell our house first. And that house still has to be available when our house sells. But hey, those are all minor details and we are acting on faith that it's going to happen!<br/><h1>You don't get your dream home sitting around doing nothing.</h1><br/>In order to sell our house, we need to get a lot of stuff cleared out and in storage. Namely, my books and hubby's man junk. I don't know what it is, and I don't want to know. :) What I do know is that all of this is going to take a lot of work, packing, painting, and all that. And that's just to get the house sold! Our goal is to have our house on the market by the end of the week. Crazy, but hey... I'm hoping that my current house is someone else's dream home.<br/><br/>A funny thing happened as I started packing my books. I found ONE copy of my book, <a title="Rocky Mountain Dreams Release Month!!" href="http://www.danicafavorite.com/rocky-mountain-dreams-release-month/">Rocky Mountain Dreams</a>, that has no home. So... I'm giving it away.<br/><h2>Tell me your moving tips, and I'll choose a winner from everyone who shares.</h2>Danica Favoritehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922540628183027043noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19234602.post-65480113091563623702014-12-31T05:00:00.000-07:002015-04-21T13:57:10.338-06:00December Thanksgiving Art Journal Challenge Day 31<a href="http://www.danicafavorite.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/2014-12-30-21.31.55.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4864" src="http://www.danicafavorite.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/2014-12-30-21.31.55-225x300.jpg" alt="December Thanksgiving art journal challenge day 31" width="225" height="300" /></a>We did it!! Thirty one days of getting our <strong>art journal</strong> on! I am having a celebration over here, let me tell you! I have really needed this creative jumpstart in my life, and I'm SO THANKFUL that I did this challenge. Having a creative outlet gives me a way of dealing with all the crazy in my world, and trust me, it has been CRA-ZY. Add on being thankful, and you know, it's been a pretty great month.<br/><br/>I hope this has given you a taste of what both art journaling and a little gratitude can do for you. Or maybe you haven't yet tried it, but it's given you a taste of what it's done for me. Seriously, I usually spend this time of year in a fetal position wondering why my life is so insane. I'd show you my last year's art journal proving it, but guess what? I tend to skip that activity when times get tough. Wrong answer.<br/><h1>When life is at its most crazy, that is when you most need to take time to slow down, and do something like art journal.</h1><br/>We always have the excuse of being too busy or not having time, but the truth is, without something to give us pause or rest, it's never going to get better. We wait for the perfect moment, or when things slow down, and I'm finding that it never happens. Every stage at which I think my life will get better or easier, it turns out that the old crazy just turns into a new crazy. Make the time now.<br/><br/>If you didn't start the art journal challenge on day one, that's okay. Go back and do it. Start wherever you are, wherever you want. As I said in the <a title="December Thanksgiving Art Journal Challenge" href="http://www.danicafavorite.com/december-thanksgiving-challenge/">introduction</a>, I purposely chose the notecards to make it easy and do-able. You saw how some of my entries were hasty and scribbled. Some took more time. But all of them gave me a much-needed injection of sanity in my otherwise crazy life.<br/><br/>If you've been with me this whole time, congratulations!! You made a great start on an art journal. Now you have 19 more pages to fill with stuff. A cover to decorate. The possibilities are endless, so make the most of them! Fill up that book!<br/><br/>I don't have a clever transition, and as I've said before, it happens, and that's okay. If you've learned anything from reading these blogs, you'll know that my space is a very grace-filled space, and I'm sharing it with you.<br/><h2>Today's art journal challenge is: Your favorite moment of the past year</h2><br/>Here is my journal entry:<br/>"I am so thankful for this year! 2014 was such a magical year for me. So many wonderful things happened, and a lot of my dreams came true. But I will pick a moment- holding my first book. I've worked so hard and waiting so long, it was a thrill. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"<br/><h2>Can you pick a favorite moment this past year to be thankful for?</h2><br/> <br/><br/>I'd love for you to share your art journal masterpieces. You can either post them on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram with the hashtag #DecemberThanksgiving, or feel free to email me if you want to keep it private.<br/><br/>And, if you'd like to receive a PDF with all the art journal challenges for this month, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter!<br/><br/>You can sign up here:<br/><!-- Begin MailChimp Signup Form --><br/><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" class="validate" action="//danicafavorite.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=7fc77f8fb94fc13d340b9f549&id=ec2cdf9abe" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><br/><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll"><br/><h2>Subscribe to my mailing list to join in the December Thanksgiving Challenge!</h2><br/><div class="indicates-required"><span class="asterisk">*</span> indicates required</div><br/><div class="mc-field-group"><label for="mce-EMAIL">Email Address <span class="asterisk">*</span><br/></label><br/><input id="mce-EMAIL" class="required email" name="EMAIL" type="email" value="" /></div><br/><div class="mc-field-group"><label for="mce-FNAME">First Name </label><br/><input id="mce-FNAME" class="" name="FNAME" type="text" value="" /></div><br/><div class="mc-field-group"><label for="mce-LNAME">Last Name </label><br/><input id="mce-LNAME" class="" name="LNAME" type="text" value="" /></div><br/><div class="mc-field-group input-group"><strong>Email Format </strong></div><br/></div><br/></form></div><br/><ul><br/> <li><input id="mce-EMAILTYPE-0" name="EMAILTYPE" type="radio" value="html" /><label for="mce-EMAILTYPE-0">html</label></li><br/> <li><input id="mce-EMAILTYPE-1" name="EMAILTYPE" type="radio" value="text" /><label for="mce-EMAILTYPE-1">text</label></li><br/></ul><br/><div id="mce-responses" class="clear"></div><br/><!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><br/><div style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"><input tabindex="-1" name="b_7fc77f8fb94fc13d340b9f549_ec2cdf9abe" type="text" value="" /></div><br/><div class="clear"><input id="mc-embedded-subscribe" class="button" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe" /></div><br/><script src="//s3.amazonaws.com/downloads.mailchimp.com/js/mc-validate.js" type="text/javascript"></script><script type="text/javascript">// <![CDATA[<br/>(function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';fnames[1]='FNAME';ftypes[1]='text';fnames[2]='LNAME';ftypes[2]='text';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true);<br/>// ]]></script><br/><!--End mc_embed_signup--><br/><br/> <br/><br/> <br/><br/> <br/><br/> Danica Favoritehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922540628183027043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19234602.post-18327543316240029072014-12-30T22:38:00.000-07:002015-04-21T13:57:10.320-06:00December Thanksgiving Art Journal Challenge Day 30<a href="http://www.danicafavorite.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/2014-12-30-21.31.46.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4860" src="http://www.danicafavorite.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/2014-12-30-21.31.46-225x300.jpg" alt="Dece,ber Thanksgiving art journal challenge day 30" width="225" height="300" /></a>Here we are at today's <strong>art journal</strong> challenge, and this is where I realized that my originality was flagging. I started drawing a dollar bill to symbolize the money in my wallet, and then I remembered I'd already drawn a dollar bill. But you know, it's not about being the most creative or original, and my picture still ended up being different. So if you think this looks similar to something I've already done, you can check out <a title="December Thanksgiving Art Journal Challenge Day 11" href="http://www.danicafavorite.com/december-thanksgiving-art-journal-challenge-day-11/">Day 11.</a> There, I even gave you the cheat. :)<br/><br/>Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the perfectionism of coming up with good ideas, or new ideas, that we get stuck and don't move forward. And that's not okay. Let whatever needs to come out, come out. And if it's a dumb idea, or ugly, or a repeat, or even (as I think this one is) a less good version of something you've already done, so what?<br/><h1>Your art journal is a place to let it all out.</h1><br/>Don't let that stuff stay stuck inside you. If what you want to express is something you've already expressed before, express it. The new ideas, the pretty ideas, the things you wish you could say or do, they aren't going to come until you get all the other junk out of the way. The best thing about your art journal is that it is a place where you can freely express yourself without worrying about the censor.<br/><br/>Even with the topic, I was tempted to find something more interesting or more spiritual to post about, but you know what? I really am grateful for the money in my wallet. I mentioned <a title="December Thanksgiving Art Journal Challenge Day 27" href="http://www.danicafavorite.com/december-thanksgiving-art-journal-challenge-day-27/" target="_blank">a couple days ago</a> that sometimes you have to censor yourself publicly in the interest of not offending people. But sometimes, you also have to be willing to just be you.<br/><h2>Today's art journal challenge is something in your wallet.</h2><br/>Here is my entry:<br/><br/>"I am so thankful for all the cash I have in my wallet. I usually don't carry cash, but lately I have been, and it makes me feel really happy to have cash. I don't know why, but I like it! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"<br/><h2>To quote a commercial, "What's in your wallet?"</h2><br/> <br/><br/>I'd love for you to share your art journal masterpieces. You can either post them on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram with the hashtag #DecemberThanksgiving, or feel free to email me if you want to keep it private.<br/><br/>And, if you'd like to receive a PDF with all the art journal challenges for this month, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter!<br/><br/>You can sign up here:<br/><!-- Begin MailChimp Signup Form --><br/><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" class="validate" action="//danicafavorite.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=7fc77f8fb94fc13d340b9f549&id=ec2cdf9abe" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><br/><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll"><br/><h2>Subscribe to my mailing list to join in the December Thanksgiving Challenge!</h2><br/><div class="indicates-required"><span class="asterisk">*</span> indicates required</div><br/><div class="mc-field-group"><label for="mce-EMAIL">Email Address <span class="asterisk">*</span><br/></label><br/><input id="mce-EMAIL" class="required email" name="EMAIL" type="email" value="" /></div><br/><div class="mc-field-group"><label for="mce-FNAME">First Name </label><br/><input id="mce-FNAME" class="" name="FNAME" type="text" value="" /></div><br/><div class="mc-field-group"><label for="mce-LNAME">Last Name </label><br/><input id="mce-LNAME" class="" name="LNAME" type="text" value="" /></div><br/><div class="mc-field-group input-group"><strong>Email Format </strong></div><br/></div><br/></form></div><br/><ul><br/> <li><input id="mce-EMAILTYPE-0" name="EMAILTYPE" type="radio" value="html" /><label for="mce-EMAILTYPE-0">html</label></li><br/> <li><input id="mce-EMAILTYPE-1" name="EMAILTYPE" type="radio" value="text" /><label for="mce-EMAILTYPE-1">text</label></li><br/></ul><br/><div id="mce-responses" class="clear"></div><br/><!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><br/><div style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"><input tabindex="-1" name="b_7fc77f8fb94fc13d340b9f549_ec2cdf9abe" type="text" value="" /></div><br/><div class="clear"><input id="mc-embedded-subscribe" class="button" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe" /></div><br/><script src="//s3.amazonaws.com/downloads.mailchimp.com/js/mc-validate.js" type="text/javascript"></script><script type="text/javascript">// <![CDATA[<br/>(function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';fnames[1]='FNAME';ftypes[1]='text';fnames[2]='LNAME';ftypes[2]='text';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true);<br/>// ]]></script><br/><!--End mc_embed_signup--><br/><br/> <br/><br/> <br/><br/> <br/><br/> <br/><br/> Danica Favoritehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922540628183027043noreply@blogger.com0