Passion Wears Me Out

I have written about passion before but I feel it needs to be revisited. You may be living your passion, but for some of us, we are not so sure. Passion runs deep and often begins in childhood. Take a mental trip into your childhood. What did you dream or fantasize about? Identify what is more important to you. This means values. Make a list of things you deeply want

Dig down real deep to get to the core of your being. Do you see yourself making world changing contributions to society through your work? I often dream about becoming a philanderer, I mean philanthropist. Yes I would give away my money, if I had a lot, but after raising five kids, I’m plum tapped out.

When you were in grade school what did you fantasize about? When I played basketball out in the back yard, I would pretend that I was the star of the team and the crowd would go wild and yell, “Go Carma Go!!!” My mother once told me that when I was a toddler, I would shove other kids out of the way so I could be first.

Do you know how to find all the possibilities that await you? Research, ask questions and read a lot. I am not sure about the possibilities part but research is a great way to broaden your intelligence. Today while I was researching a subject for an article, I discovered little known facts, (at least to me), that soy ink is used in 90% of all American newspapers.

To learn if a particular career is right for you there are ways you can try it out. Get a temporary job in your dream career or shadow someone for a day or two. I like the word “shadow”. It makes me feel a little covert.

This passion stuff wears me out.

What do you enjoy so much that you would do it for free? Whatever that is, then that… IS your passion. Start doing what you love and the money will follow.

Isn’t that what we, as writers are doing? We are following our passion first, money is second. If you need money while you are following your passion, you may have to take a (gulp) job.

I made light of the seriousness of finding your passion, but we cannot take ourselves too seriously, however, we should take our career seriously. There is a difference. Did you get it?

Write it down,

Carma

Words Are All I Have

Thanks Dawud Miracle for tagging me about songs that make my heart sing. I have many but just yesterday or so ago, I ran across this amazing YouTube video after doing some serious vertical surfing over at Liz Strauss' place. I can't remember which blogger had a link to these talented boys of Boy Zone but they are awesome

The Words are simple and sobering to me. Maybe it is more the tune than the words but as Neil Diamond says "You are the song I am the tune, Play me"

Click Here

Write it down,
Carma

BLow YOur DRess UP COntest

Lisa Gates from Design Your Writing Life made a great discovery about a new writing contest. Shelly Kneupper of This Eclectic Life is running it. The name of the contest blows me away. It is This Blog Blows My Dress Up. Hurry to enter because the deadline is June 15.

If you like wit and humor and good story telling then you need to go here.

Write it down,
Carma

Seven (Not So) Random Facts

Harmony, from Writer In The Making, tagged me to share 7 random things about me so you, the reader, can get to know me a little better. This is my first meme to participate in as well. Here it goes:

1. I am a licensed Plumbing Contractor.
2. I hate coffee.
3. I was a singer in my previous life.
4. I was a member of the teamster union for two years.
5. I won a 5K race when I was 56 years old.
6. I was on the baton twirling team in high school.
7. Give me a box of chocolate with nuts and I am happy.

Here are the rules to play this meme.

Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to then report this on their own blog with their 7 things as well as these rules. They then need to tag 5-7 others and list their names on their blog.

I don't know if I know enough bloggers to tag because I know some people do not like to do memes, so if I tag you and you don't want to play, that is OK. I would like the following bloggers to tell us a little about them selves.

Lisa Gates from Design Your Writing Life.
Anne Wayman from The Golden Pencil
Carolyn Manning from Thoughts and Philosophies
Suzanne Lieurance from The Working Writers Coach
Lori Widmer from Words on A Page

Thanks,
Carma

Inspiration is Everywhere

"You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club." (Jack London)

This is a quote I ran across while looking for inspiration to write this evening. Inspiration is all around us. A word, a song, or a picture can propel us forward to greatness.

When is your best time or where is your best place to be receptive to inspiration?

For me music is my main source of inspiration and next to that is reading. I can't count the number of times I have been driving with the stereo belting out my favorites and a thought or idea will pop right into my head.

Where are you when brilliant ideas pop in your head? I carry a small personal recorder with me in my purse. Now if you are in the shower that may be a little difficult but if you have pen and paper on your vanity, you could dry off your writing hand and write down your idea or run dripping wet to the computer and type it in.

Are you feeling stuck? Going to the park is a great way to meditate and prepare your mind to receive great thoughts. On weekends, I like to take bike rides very early in the mornings so that I can "hear" the quite and "see" the Forrest with out the trees.

Write it down,

Carma

Follow The Money

I was reading Anne Wayman’s newsletter today about Freelance writers regarding the fear of money and success. She points out some thought provoking solutions between the relationship of self esteem and fear of making money:

"I don't know how it happens, but for many of us, money - our ability to earn it, our right to have it, our very thinking about the whole subject - gets hooked with our self-esteem or self-worth. For the freelance writer, this lack of true self esteem often results in:

not recognizing and accepting our talents as writers
not charging enough for our work
not following through with invoicing and other money management necessities
not following through with potential clients

Any of these symptoms, and many more, result in under earning, also known in some circles as self-debting."

I don’t know about you but this topic has my name on it. My husband and I run a plumbing repair business and when money gets tight as it often will, my blood pressure rises, I have anxiety attacks, and I am not easy to live with. In addition, my creativity gets sucked into a black hole.

Another reason for not earning enough money is that we do not charge enough for our services. Do you wage price wars with your competitors and associates?

Do you call them pretending to be a prospective client and ask their rates?

I have known many people who do this. My husband and I provide excellent service and we do not need to apologize for our rates just because we are $10 more than Joe Blow. Don’t judge your talents and services by others.

When you begin to compare yourself to other people in your profession, you are doing a huge disservice to your career and business as a freelance writer.

I have two questions for you and me:

1. Do you fear making money or do you fear being successful?
Yes I fear making money because it would mean I am successful and I am not sure I can handle the scrutiny.

2. Can you manage money once you have it?
This is another major cause of fear. Maybe I don’t manage money well because I don’t want to be successful.

What do YOU say?

Write it down,
Carma

Put A Smile On Your Face

There are a variety of senseless and mindless psychological tests floating around out there but this one from Barbara Demarco-Barrett of Pen On Fire is quite different.

It is titled "Spot the Fake Smile". There are 20 questions and it takes about 10 minutes. My score was a dismal 8 out of 20. I guess I am just too trusting.

Click here to take it.

Report back and let me know what your score is.

Write it down,
Carma