My Last Gift for Writers in 2010

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This is it!

It’s December 31st, 2010. We’re just hours away from the end of the new year. Before 2011, I wanted a chance to give you one more gift. And since it’s the last one, it has to be BIG.

So here we go!

TIP #8: Live BIG!

I don’t know if you noticed, but I haven’t been writing here very often.

I actually haven’t been writing anywhere.

I stopped writing. Stashed away my laptop. And even put away my pen and notebook.

Why?

The Importance of Shutting Down

I got sick. In Eastern medicine, the cause of my illness was stress-related. An imbalanced life was to blame.

But the rat race of life put me on a treadmill so intense that I didn’t notice what I was doing to my body or my career.

It’s easy to get swept away into the lure of fame and success. Hop onto Twitter and you’ll be captivated by the thousands of have done more than you in less time.

But there was a gift in my illness and I hope to pass on that gift to you.

You will get to your goals one day. It may take time. It may take late nights. It may take sacrifice and hard work greater than you imagined.

But just wait.

Be patient.

Don’t kill yourself to get to the finish line.

Don’t Fall for False Claims

Don’t fall for false claims like, “Read this and be rich. Buy this and never work another 8 hour day. Or do this and make 7 figures in three months.”

It’s easy to want to be successful fast. But true and lasting success comes with time.

When I went to Hawaii to visit family over the holidays, I found a dusty box filled with old treasures. One of them was a report I did in high school on the job I one day wanted to pursue. It was a 20 page project on copywriting. I had forgotten all about the report. But dream? I’m living it.

Be Kind to Yourself in 2011

The biggest gift I can offer you is to remember to shut down, unplug and be compassionate to yourself on this journey to fulfill your writing dreams.

I’m still on the path. And when times are tough, I only need to look back to see how far I’ve come.

My illness was a gift. It taught me the importance of rest and doing nothing in order to be a better person and a writer.

I hope you will do the same.

Thank you for reading my blogs and being an integral part in shaping my freelance writing career!

Here’s wishing you a Happy 2011!