My first video interview about BIKE

Thought you might like to watch me discuss a few brief thoughts about how I came up with the BIKE program and how I realized I could turn it into something more than just another bike ride:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPWdY64-KaY

This interview took place last year via the Author Learning Center, a subscription-based, author education community that provides tools, content and motivation to support writers. Suzette Conway, director of author education interviewed me at the American Society of Journalists and Authors conference in New York City last April.

Not bad for a first interview. Now I need to get busy and create a speaker demo--and get back to blogging, too! 

I've missed you guys!

How to get back into the dating scene

I'm working out a few kinks in my schedule and will be back with regular posts soon. But you can find me today over at grandparents.com, where I'm beginning a new blogging venture as a dating columnist. Who knew?

So far, so good. And it's been fun exploring another aspect to my writing skills. I'm working on my fourth piece this week. But today you can check out the first one, in which I offer tips on the grandparents dating scene, including advice about sex. Oh, geez. Yeah, I'm going there. LOL. The advice can work boomers of all ages, I think.

I'm at lovingthebike.com today

During the WordCount Blogathon, I made it a point to connect with other bike bloggers. You can find them easily on Twitter, and I've visited Loving the Bike many times in the past few years. But when I visited a first time in May, I responded to a question Darryl, the site owner, poses for a monthly column. He accepted my response for a future column, and that day has arrived.

I'm featured in "Look Who's Loving the Bike" for June. Stop by and visit. See if you can relate to what the cycling lifestyle can do for you.

Fueling obsessions

Sometimes, I feel like a stalker of bikes, bicyclists or anything bike-related. I'm obsessed, actually. Anytime I see a bike, anywhere, I take photo of it. If it's possible.

This morning, my friend and I went for a hike in the Phoenix Mountain Preserve, near a place called the Dreamy Draw. She lives nearby, so I met her at her place, and we walked over from there. Somehow, we got off-trail -- Somehow? We weren't paying attention, because we were talking and laughing so much -- and stopped to take some photos of us standing in front of a giant saguaro and the surrounding scenery. Just having a grand old time.

All of a sudden, I saw them coming down another trail and stopped to daydream. I love riding my mountain bike on trails...I wish my friend had a sturdy enough bike for rides like theirs. I got lost in my thoughts for a few seconds. Since my friend still had her camera out, I asked her to take a picture of the two guys coming at us on mountain bikes. She did and sent the above photo to me so I could use it here.

With the desert in the foreground, the riders on the horizon, and that blue sky, I think it's a nice shot. Not clear enough. But nice enough to fuel my obsession.

When the bikers came down the trail and passed us, shouting out a happy hello, you could hear their tires rolling over the rocky terrain. Not too rocky, but a fairly even downhill slope. Not too steep, but enough of a ride to get the adrenalin going. Made me wish I were them.

On the other hand, this picture reminds me that I don't have to just observe. I can do. Tomorrow, I'll go out there for a ride of my own. I'll have to stick to easier terrain, since I'll be on my own, but I'll be out there with my helmet and gloves on, ready to eat some dust.

What do you do to fuel your obsessions?

Roses, watermelon and other things spotted on the road

A flower for you for St. Patrick's Day?

Oh, but not just any ordinary flower.

This one's a watermelon flower, carved by a Food Network champion and chef, Ray Duey, at an event that took place in Yuma, Ariz., where I graduated high school.

I went back last weekend to attend Lettuce Days and discovered this man at a booth carving fruit.  I thought it was fascinating and worth sharing with you in my comeback post.

I've been on the road so much lately that it's been next to impossible to post anything, and when I would sit down to think of what to write about, nothing came to mind that I thought I wanted to say here. I just wanted to rest. And so I did.

But I'm back.

I'll be writing about my travel adventures in the days ahead. They've taken me north to Canada, South to Guatemala, and parts in between. For the first time in my life, I even tried snow shoeing. I'm in the process of contemplating what all this travel and all of these new sights and sounds I've seen and heard meant to me, or what I've taken away.

Which begs the question: In your own travels, what have you learned about yourself? We'll be talking about that in the months ahead. I hope you'll join us.

Day 3: Chasing laughter

I was thinking about what makes me laugh when I woke up this morning, and that's what appeared on my journal pages today. I know I'm supposed to be writing about what's bugging me and the accompanying feelings associated with what's bugging me for this 30-day exercise, but at the moment I sat down to write, I wasn't feeling bugged. I was thinking about laughter.

Chasing laughter. It's what I do. It's how I connect with other people more often than not. It's how I learned to deal with difficult moments.

The picture above is a great example of that, and of someone understanding this need of mine. The BF above and I were having breakfast. He was late. I was stressed about waiting. He hadn't warned me that he'd be later than usual, and I could have made other plans. So I was kind of upset when he called. We agreed to meet at a cafe somewhere in the middle of our separate destinations to save time. I wasn't 100 percent happy about it. It doesn't matter why. It's just what it was.

So we arrive at around the same time, get a table and order. As we're sitting there eating our breakfast meal, which, by this time, had turned into lunch, he did something that surprised me. He stuck his orange slice in his mouth and smiled. He sat there staring at me, waiting for me to notice. When I finally did, I couldn't help but laugh at his spontaneity.This is not a guy who would generally do this. He can surprise you. And this time, his out-of-character silliness broke an awkward silence and reminded me what a good guy he is, despite his sometime tardiness and inconvenient scheduling that does seem to revolve around his life more often than mine (I confess total bias here. I'm allowed. It's my story.).

In my desire to elongate the moment, I told him not to move so I could take a picture. Then I told him to do it again so I could be sure I got a good picture. Good guy that he is, he complied with my requests, and I got this photo above. I've been thinking about how to use this photo for a few weeks now, and here it is. I get to share it with you. I get to share the laughter. Like I said, it's how I like to connect with people. Laughter, as you know, is good medicine for what ails you. So I may have been bugged at the moment when this silliness occurred. But I'm not bugged now. And I'm glad to have the photo to prove it.

Can you recall a recent moment of unexpected silliness that occurred in your life? What happened? Did it break an awkward silence? Did you laugh out loud? Tell us about it here.

Birdwatching or watching a bird in Scottsdale, Arizona

Last year, a friend invited me to participate in a golf tournament with her and two other ladies in Scottsdale. I'm no golfer, but I have clubs. So I'll play when asked or when I have time. This was one of those times. The photo above was taken at the golf course, and I'm certain my ball is still in that lake. Regardless, this photo also shows you where my mind really was--and it wasn't on golf.

I'm just not that good to be that competitive. Besides, it had been so long since I'd played I couldn't even remember how to put my gloves on. When they didn't seem to fit right, I asked the pro that helped us get started, and he says to me, "Well, that's because you have them on backwards."

You know, I would have been embarrassed by that remark, but instead I just busted out laughing and showed my friends what I'd done. Who does that!? We all got a good laugh at my mistake, and then teed off to start the game.

And I couldn't help but think thank goodness my friend's dad had paid for the tournament.  

There were prizes for any player who got a hole in one and other such feats, but every time we turned around, there was another cart driving up to us, offering something to drink--no charge! Margaritas, beers, margaritas, some other kind of cocktail that my fuzzy brain no longer remembers. Needless to say, we laughed a lot at this tournament, hit balls in all different directions save for straight ahead, drove the cart recklessly on and off the path, and didn't stand a chance at winning anything.

So you can imagine three hours into this, when I spied the great blue heron, my mind was ready to be mesmerized by something I could actually see. It was challenging trying to track my ball all the way into the rough on the left and then the right and then the left again, before we'd even hit the green. I was zig-zagging my way through the course, hole after hole. My mind needed a new focus, and this bird did the trick.

Did you know herons like this one have a very slow walk? It's very precise, even lyrical I'd say. I told my golf mates, "She's looks as if she's walking down the church aisle at her wedding." I could even hear the wedding march in my head as I watched the bird move gracefully across the shallow pond. I forgot about the game for a while when I decided to get a picture of her. So I moved in closer and closer. But my camera doesn't have a particularly powerful zoom, and I didn't want to scare the bird off, so I snapped several photos, getting the closest of close-ups I could get with my cell phone's camera.

This picture above is the best I could do with my Android. A video would have been perfect so I could have captured the walk, but I can still see it fresh in my mind as if it were happening right now.

And so I challenge you: The next time you're out in nature, be on the lookout for that which mesmerizes you. There's joy to be found in nature. It doesn't have to be a bird. It can be a garden, a specific flower, a bug, a mountain view, or a sunset. No matter. Just remember to take the time to observe and enjoy the detail. Then take what you see home with you, in the form of a picture or a memory. If you've done this recently already, tell us what you saw and why it captured your attention. Post your comments here.

Recovery: Breakthroughs happen

The dictionary refers to a breakthrough as "an act or instance of breaking through an obstacle." That's what Recovery is all about--breaking through those obstacles that threaten to upset your life.

Obstacles, by their very own definition, place objects, people or thoughts in the way. When they are there, we sometimes think we cannot get past them. They are, after all, in the way, right?

But you don't have to be a Super Hero to move them. You just have to want them moved. I'm not talking about "thinking" your way around, over, under, or beside them. I'm talking about DOING something to get those obstacles out of the way.

When you're facing difficult times in life, whether that involves work, family, or your own inner demons, we can be challenged to our very core. Depending on what that challenge is, it can seem like a test we are sure to fail. But when you're working your recovery--when you're reading about something you need to learn, when you're learning a new skill to help you get that promotion, when you're going to regular counseling sessions to work on your relationships with others or yourself, when you're exercising and eating right because your health depends upon it--breakthroughs happen. They happen because you're fighting for them. And they happen because you're ready to replace the obstacles with solutions.

As I've mentioned before, Recovery is about action. You have to do something about a negative situation in order to turn it into a positive. A breakthrough is part of the solution. It's the answer, but it isn't yet solved. You're half-way there. You just need to put it in place.

Take what happened to me today: I have a strategic plan for my business. I wrote it with the help of a business coach. But it's not moving me where I want to go. I've needed to tweak it a bit. But I wasn't sure how. This is a challenge that's been bugging me for quite some time. The economic situation has affected my earnings and my savings, and I've been concerned about the dwindling numbers. I thought having a strategic plan in place would help. But that wasn't enough. It wasn't focused on the numbers I need to earn. It was focused on things I still need to do, but not on the money I need to earn and how to get the jobs that will pay it.

So I get a call from my financial advisor yesterday, who says something I needed to hear, was expecting to hear. I even thought I would have heard it sooner. And there it was. I had to face it. We'll be meeting next week to discuss my finances and what I'm doing to replenish that which I've been taking out. He didn't have harsh words for me. Just honest ones. And I found myself moping around this morning with worry. He's right. My income level is not where it needs to be. I am taking out funds from my accounts because of that. And I haven't had a plan in place to correct the delinquency. So, instead of being able to focus today on the edits I needed to do (the work that earns the dollars and cents), I kept finding other things to do. I told you; I was worried.

Finally, I gave in to the worry and left the house. I grabbed a book, a newsletter, and a few dollars and went to Starbucks for some coffee and down time. Within an hour, while reading an association newsletter, I came up with the financial plan I need. It was a breakthrough moment for me. I now know what I need to do in order to meet my financial goals by year-end--and please my financial advisor in the process. You see, he's part of my team. I need him, and he needs me. We work together, or we can't work at all. I wasn't doing my part. But now, I can show him otherwise.

Now, when I meet him next week, I have a plan in place, I know what to do, and he'll help me carry it out. The worry, which was my obstacle in this case, is gone. And I can focus on my work again.

How about you? Have you had any good breakthroughs lately?

BOOK SALES 101--Lessons from a bittersweet moment

The day I received my advanced copy of BACKROADS & BYWAYS OF ARIZONA was the day I returned home from my granddaughter's baptism in Lake Tahoe; it was a week after my brother died. To tell you this was a bittersweet moment is an understatement.

I showed it to my boyfriend who had just picked me up from the airport and was busy talking to his sister on the phone. While he listened to her and smiled at me, I wondered, "How am I ever going to get motivated to sell this book?" It wasn't the ooh-la-la moment I envisioned it would be. I opened the manilla envelope, pulled out the book, and after showing it to my boyfriend, placed it on the kitchen table. I didn't look at it again for a few days.

I spent those days--and then a few more--in a daze, sometimes crying, not eating much, driving around my neighborhood, just grieving. I knew my brother would never see my book.

But I soon found myself picking the book up off the table and looking at it, flipping through the pages. Then I sat down with it one afternoon and started to read some of the pages I'd written months ago and thought about what I'd written...

Did you know the actress Lynda Carter, who played TV's "Wonder Woman," went to high school in Globe, an old mining town about an hour's drive east of Mesa? If you visit the mining town next door, Miami, you can climb up the same concrete steps--150 or more--the miners used to use to climb the hills to go work. The town uses them now in a stair climbing contest...

I started reminiscing about the trips I'd taken to write those pages and take those photographs. Some of them I took alone, some were taken with friends or my boyfriend, and others involved groups of other writers. I began to immerse myself in what had been good times.

I'd enjoyed the trips, every single one of them. The reason I'd written the book in the first place was because there were places in Arizona I'd never seen but wanted to. So I'd pitched a book that would force me to go, to get out on the road and see the Arizona I had only before dreamed about or read about in other people's books.

And see I did.

I drove past long, long stretches of high and low desert, out in the middle of what looked like nowhere, to arrive at the hidden gems I wrote about--Cascabel, Taylor, Young. In them, people and events the armchair tourist will have fun reading about (hippie artist communities, Mormon pioneer families, Wild West ambushes), and the soft adventurer might like to explore. The trails take you to wine country, country diners, historic sites, and places that help take your mind off your troubles. You'll find lakes to hike around, hilltops with breathtaking views, engaging people.

When I began to immerse my thoughts on the book, to let myself experience the fun of being a first-time author, I began to change my mindset. And that's when I began to realize the truth: Well, I do have to sell this book.

So back to my original question: How to get motivated to do that?

In the few short weeks I've lived with the actual book, I've learned a few lessons; you can take them with you to the bank, no matter what product you might be peddling:

_Lesson #1: Talk about the book. Tell everyone you come across that your book is out, or will be soon. People will ask you about it.

_Lesson #2: Carry it with you wherever you go. Place it face up on the lunch counters, bar tops, dinner tables, and on your dash board. Make sure it's visible. People will ask you about it.

_Lesson #3: Offer it as a raffle item. This is a good way to collect contact information for your mailing list (e-mail or otherwise) so you can let them know about upcoming signings. Because they'll want to know what they might win, people will ask you about it.

_Lesson #4: Let people ask you about it. This is where true motivation will kick in. When people start asking you about your book project, and you get to share your stories of how it came to be, your passion that got you through the original pitch, the research, the writing--and the editing--will begin to resurface.

_Lesson #5: Let that passion carry you forward. With it comes the creative ideas that will help you find the venues you need to sell your book, and your colleagues will chime in to help you come up with others.

At least that's what I've learned so far. It doesn't take much to turn a bittersweet moment back to sweet. But first, you have to reconnect with the passion of the moment. To do that, you might need to speak up...Hey, isn't that a lesson I learned from the seat of my bike?

What about you? What bittersweet moments have you been able to overcome lately?

(Photo by Rebecca Allen, used on BIKE WITH JACKIE with her permission. Copyright Notice: Content on this page that appears anywhere beside this page is being used without consent.)

When one brand equals more than one you

As I go through my branding process, educating myself on what message and image I want to share with the world, I realize my eclectic interests (writing, speaking, mountain biking) can prove to be a challenge.

What's new?

That's what we do here. We talk about life challenges and how to overcome them. Nothing, I realize, is undoable, unshakeable or unfixable. So I'm in the midst of figuring out how to combine all of my career interests (mountain biking as a career only in the way in which it helped create my BIKE philosophy) into one logo, one motto, one identity. And I know it's possible. I'm just not yet sure how to do it effectively.

I'm working and believing in the combo meal. I don't want to be supersized. But I want you to know if you get the writer, you get the speaker--and you get the mountain biker, too. I'm all of those rolled into one person, one personality, one woman.

But sometimes, it makes life confusing. Have you ever felt like this, as if you're being pulled in so many directions, that your skills far outnumber the time you have to use them, to make them worthwhile.

This past year, I must confess, I had to let the speaker part of me go. She had to go sit over there while the writer in me worked on her book over here. I let her out a few times, but now she's got some catching up to do. And the new author needs a rest.

Does that mean it's about balance? I think maybe it is. Each of the three interests I mentioned are interests I continue to enjoy. I don't want to give any of them up. I do want to know how to help them all work together cohesively. So that's what I hope the branding process will create--one person, one image, one logo.

If you're undergoing your own branding process, what challenges are you facing and what are you doing about it?

Authors: on finishing a long-term project

Well, I did it

I really did write my first book. Backroads & Byways of Arizona really is going to be published.

You've heard this before here, but now it truly and officially is complete on my end. I just sent the final proof copy (with a few minor edits) back to the publisher for printing. They responded with relief over the mistakes I caught, and I'm told I can expect to see a real copy in my hands by August. But, as they ran behind on the schedule as it is, I am thinking I'll see it in September. It's going to be on the shelves in October. You can already pre-order the book at places like Powell's bookstore online and also at Borders, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com. (Search for it under my name or the book's title. The link above is to an Arizona-based independent bookstore, Changing Hands.)

I'm feeling such a myriad of feelings. They fall somewhere between relief (Thank goodness that part's done!), elation (Wow, I wrote a real book! And it includes all my own photographs!), fear (Yikes, what if I made a huge error and didn't catch it?), hesitation (Will my readers like it, find it useful?) and worry (I hope the editor takes care of all the edits correctly.). Back and forth I go from one of those feelings to the next. It's been that way since I turned in the very first edit. We won't go into the feelings I had during the writing process, especially the end of it. Those are not fit to print here. But I've been bracing myself for each next step since, just moving forward in the process as best I could.

Curious to know how other other authors have felt at this moment, the moment when they, too, finished their long-term book project and turned it in to the publisher, I asked a few authors on Facebook and Twitter. Here are their responses:

• Brette Sember, author of Bad Apples: How to Manage Difficult Employees (Adams Media) and more than 35 other books, says about her first one, "I think I was nervous about what people would think of it, scared it wouldn't be received well." Long past those feelings now, Sember says she feels relief when she's completed another book project. She can actually feel "excitement to move on to the next."

• Andrew Hayes, a writer in the United Kingdom, says it was a bit weird after he finished his book, The Edinburgh Historic Walking Guide (Available next week, you can pre-order it now!) and turned it in to the publisher. "Perhaps surreal is the right word. I never thought I could accomplish such a task as writing a 50,000-word document in three months." After such intensity, relief set in as he realized how much time had passed. "...it wasn't until I saw the sample cover that I realized the reality of the situation. Success!" Now he says he "can't wait to get started on the next one." It's a walking guide to Amsterdam.

• If you were Dara Chadwick, author of an important new book out this year, You'd Be So Pretty If, which explores the mother-daughter relationship and how it affects body image, you'd feel quite the mixture: pride, fear, relief (there's that word again), "and something I can only describe as bittersweet." She explains why she felt all of this: "Pride because, hey, I just finished a book--and not only that, but it was MY book: my idea, my passion, my project from start to finish. Fear because it's a deeply personal book and a subject I care about. How would others respond? Would they understand what I'd written? I felt relief because signing a book contract was the biggest professional commitment I'd ever made and I'd met my commitment." The bittersweet feelings resulted from the fact that her book really was about her relationship with her now deceased mother. "She really would have been so proud," says Chadwick, who was also sad to say goodbye to the process of writing the book itself, adding, "Letting go of my 'baby' was difficult."

• Relief seems to be the common theme amongst authors, as Illinois-based Annie Logue, who wrote the Socially Responsible Investing for Dummies book for Wiley (published this year) felt that, too. "And now? She says she feels "like I need to start working on all the things that I put off while working on the book."

Have you written a book or worked on a long-term project which left you feeling at some point during the process that maybe it would never end? You know it took persistence to pull you through. You had to believe in yourself and what you were doing. If you've got a long-term project going on now, even if it isn't a book, maybe you can relate to what all of us here have experienced. Eventually, you can expect to see that sense of relief set in. And it's a great accomplishment, as Sam Greengard, author of Finding the Work You Love, says. But most of all, it's pretty damn cool to join the ranks of the published authors worldwide. I think I'll rest on that feeling, at least for today.

Tomorrow, I have work to do.

So much for relief, right? What do you think?

Why follow me, anyway?

As an expert in overcoming obstacles and teaching people how to move forward despite them, I'm regularly quoted in national magazines. It's fun to be interviewed. At the same time, it's fun to let others in on a few good stories, too! Just thought you might like to know...

In the June issue of Family Circle, I'm quoted by Lori Erickson, who interviewed me for an article she wrote, "Retreat Yourself":

"I get away by sitting in the lobby of a local hotel. I don't check in but instead just quietly people-watch or order a glass of wine at the bar. Friends will tell me they want to join me, but I prefer going solo. I always take a book or a stack of magazines to read, just in case I feel like it. I consider it my 'pretend vacation' that I can do on the spur of the moment."

In the June issue of The Writer, I'm quoted by Kelly James-Enger, who interviewed me for an article she wrote, "How to overcome BURNOUT":

"I always try to learn a new skill each year, or expand on a skill I already know...and network. That seems to help me maintain enthusiasm for running a business that doesn't always provide immediate payoff. That kind of strategic planning helps me to stay focused on what's ahead and what I need to do to get there, rather than think about what's not happening now. In this economy, as unpredictable as it is, I'd rather focus on what I can do to get ahead and what bold action I might need to take. It's about staying positive, building confidence, and remaining competitive in the long term."

Believe in yourself if you want others to do the same

Have you ever felt judged by someone because of what you do or who you are? How did you work through that? Here today to tell you her story is Katie Hinderer. As part of this year's Blogathon, we're hosting Guest Blogger Day. All participants (See the full list on the right-hand side of this page.) decided to switch things up a bit by partnering with another writer to post on their blogs. It's my first time ever to utilize the guest blogger concept, and I partnered with Katie Hinderer--a freelance journalist who covers business, hip hop, entertainment and lifestyle topics for a variety of publications. She's currently working on penning a young adult novel and usually blogs at Write Beyond the Cubicle (I'm there today!) with tips and tidbits for other writers. I'm sure you'll be able to relate to what she has to say about judgment...

Three years of making the same commute, sitting behind the same desk, in front of the same computer, listening to the same lame jokes and trying to ignore the same scary people in the office - and I was ready to scream. (Actually I held three different journalism jobs in those three years, but they were a lot of the same.)

In 2007, when an opportunity arose to move closer to family I jumped at it without a job lined up. I hopped on my BIKE and started pedaling toward self-discovery.

After job searching for months with nothing to show for it, I took a part-time job at a women’s clothing store. As much as I didn’t like folding the same t-shirt 12 times a day, I loved the job. The manager gave me a lot of freedom, let me take charge of the window displays, the wall designs, the organization of the stock room...It was great. I ended up working there 14 months.

Because of that, I realized I needed a chance to let my creative side out more and to be my own boss. I couldn’t sit behind a desk in a stuffy office again. I needed flexibility, creativity and a chance to keep up my involvement with words.

I started applying to dozens of freelance positions. Most of them were scams, make-money-quick schemes, and some were downright sketchy. But there were a few, that needle in the haystack, that were legit. I pitched those publications, followed up and for some of them got the job.

It took months to build up enough clients to quit the retail job and several more months to be able to begin paying off those lovely student loans hanging over my head. Now I’m totally viable, with more gigs coming in weekly and three steady jobs.

Trying to figure out if I was doing the right thing, if I could motivate myself enough, if I’d actually be able to make money this way was truly petrifying at times.

Still, the hardest part was being able to hold my head up high and tell people that I am a full-time freelancer. Most people think that is my clever way of saying I’m still unemployed. Some people ask what else I do. At first I beat around the bush when answering. But one day, as I was describing what I do to a close friend, I realized this job style fits me perfectly. I, therefore, don’t need to apologize for it.

The other day, for example, I ran into an acquaintance when I was out for a run. She asked how my retail job was going. Instantly, I got the familiar sinking feeling - I’m about to tell her I freelance, and she’ll judge that fact as bad. Instead, I told her, "I left that job. I'm focusing totally on my writing now."

As usually happens, her face contorted in horror as she said, “How sad! Do you think it will ever pay? Will you move back home to live with your parents?”

For a moment I felt stupid and upset. (Like when my brother-in-law told me I should blog for him, since I sit around all day doing nothing. He, of course, doesn’t have the time, because he’s too busy at work.) No, I don’t have a traditional job. But writing is what I do, and more importantly it's what I love doing. So I smiled back at her and said, "I enjoy the flexibility it gives me. And, no, I won’t be moving in with my parents. As a matter of fact, I make more money now than I did at my last two ‘real’ jobs."

She seemed surprised to hear that.

True, I don’t work well behind a desk. I don’t work well with a boss looking over my shoulder. I don’t like the constraints of a 9-5. I love working at nights and on the weekends. I love writing in coffee shops, parks, the library and my car. I want to be able to train for the Chicago Marathon at 2 in the afternoon if that’s best for me. I enjoy the fact that on a given day I may write a business article, interview a hip hop star and blog about teen movies. While this is all a little out of the ordinary, this doesn’t mean I’m financially irresponsible. I work hard. I put in a lot of hours.

While it was nearly a two-year journey to get to this place, I’m finally off the professional-discovery bike and hopping on the perfecting-my-craft bicycle.

What do you think about Katie's journey? Have you ever experienced judgment about what you do or who you are? How did you learn to believe in yourself, to accept that your decision was the right one for you? Was there a BIKE involved in any way? Post your comments below. We'd both love to hear from you.

Welcome new people into your fold

When we're in recovery, in transition, or any kind of healing mode, we often retreat from other people. Either we don't feel like being around people, or we don't want to contaminate them with a foul mood.

But this time is the best time to welcome new people into your fold, or to connect with those who want to help you succeed. It's part of growing as a human being. It means you're able to connect with others on a personal level, to know when to ask for help, and to accept what's offered to you in the spirit in which it's given.

We'll do that here this week when Katie Hinderer (pictured above),whom I've only "met" because of the Blogathon, serves as my very first guest blogger. She'll pop in on Thursday, May 21 to share with us her thoughts about what it takes to overcome the judgement that often follows the freelancer who leaves the full time job to become self-employed. People don't often take you seriously. And if you've ever felt as though you weren't taken seriously about anything in life, you'll relate to Hinderer's thoughts.

If you'd like to know more about my guest blogger, who also happens to be in the midst of writing her first book--or so I hear--please visit her at Write Beyond the Cubicle. Be sure to visit us both on May 21, when the two of us switch blogs for a day. Hinderer will be here, and I'll be at hers, with a post about how you can use my special brand of BIKE to overcome rejection. Don't we all need a lesson in that?

A mid-blogathon recap

If you missed the first posts to explain what's going on this month at BIKE WITH JACKIE, let me explain. I'm involved in a blogathon with several other bloggers--all writers, most of them I know from a site called Freelance Success. You can link to the entire group of participants just by clicking on any of the blog names on the right, under the heading "May 2009 Blogathon."

This one is my fourth blogathon since I started blogging in 2007. For this event, we've upped the participation a notch, are talking a lot about it on Twitter (You can search #MayBlog2 to find out who's posting what and where.), and we're incorporating a Guest Blogger Day. That takes place May 21. Be sure to come back and support my guest blogger on that day and post comments to get some dialogue going. We love visitors at BIKE WITH JACKIE!

In the mean time, I thought I'd use today's post to recap what's going on here, specifically. First off, I decided to use a theme for the Month: Fresh Start. For that, I've chosen the month of May to share with you what I do to steer my thoughts--and actions--in the direction of what I do to get unstuck and keep the momentum of forward movement going. Even when a ride is not possible on the road. For me, the ride is always possible inside my head. I know it can be the same for you. Here's how (If you've missed these posts, or want a refresher, click on the links to read more.):

1. When you are in healing mode, look for the beautiful things in life to guide you, to set your mind at ease.


2. Let the unconditional love of family fuel you in your endeavors.


3. Use artistic expression to feed your soul, motivate your creative genius, and help you you reach your goals.


4. Stretch yourself by doing what's outside your norm; take the road less traveled.


5. Surround yourself in nature's beauty.


6. Look to the lighter side of life for that sense of relief from what ails you.


7. Food fuels you, of course, but too much of it can weigh you down. Eat light and healthy.


8. Delays in your schedule can appear to be a set back, but not if you take charge of those delays by making the necessary calls and rearranging your mindset.


9. Be mindful and willing to embrace new opportunities, especially if they are your "pipe dreams" that arrive serendipitously.


10. When you get stuck, it helps to help others who are in greater need.


11. Sometimes your mind needs its own "interior" design work. Recharge it with color, texture, sound and scent.


12. Get help when you need it. Find a partner to work with you, share with you, laugh with you, and cry with you, if that's what it takes to keep moving forward.


13. If life gets too tough, loosen up and go find a place to play.


14. When stress blocks your progress, take a time-out.

For the rest of the month, I'll be posting more tips like these. But if you'd like to add to this list, please do. I welcome your comments.

Take the road less traveled

You've heard the phrase, "Think outside the box. Well, try living outside the box, too, and take the road less traveled.

Be brave enough to do the unexpected, the unplanned, the unknown. The first time teaches you trust. The second time, maybe you'll learn or develop a little more patience than you had before. And the times after that lead to pure joy. Why? Because doing the unknown and trusting in your ability to lead yourself somewhere new and exciting builds confidence.

If you can get through a project without a plan, no matter what it is or whether it's been thrust upon you without real choice, that says something about your tenacity and inner strength. Of course, I'm not saying you shouldn't plan. Of course, you should have an overall plan or goal and know what steps you need to take to get there. Or figure them out soon enough! But leave room for spontaneity. Leave room to explore other paths you may not have thought about, because as you move forward on the roads less traveled, opportunities will appear before you. Be willing to embrace them, at least those that attract you in some way.

When you take the road less traveled, you stretch your boundaries and comfort zone. You give yourself extra room to grow. You experience "beyond the norm." That's exactly why I wrote my Arizona backroads book this year (You'll see it soon eough; it'll be in bookstores this fall.). I wanted to give myself permission to see what I hadn't taken the time to see before, what I was slightly afraid of doing in my earlier life. Many of the roads I literally traveled (Photo above leads to Aravaipa Canyon, southeast of Phoenix.) took me to wilderness areas, completely unfamiliar to me at the time, and inhabited only by wild living things that knew how to navigate the land I was invading. I learned to appreciate my smallness on this big earth...and my vulnerabilities.

When you reach the end and turn back, you'll emerge a different person, someone you'll admire even more.

If you've come to that point in your life where you're willing to stretch yourself, tell us how you got there? Did you experience an a-ha! moment, or some kind of awakening? If so, share your thoughts here by posting a comment.

Until then, Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Do you need validation?

After discovering where my name appeared on the Web this morning via two Google Alerts, I asked myself this question this morning: Do I need validation from outside of myself?

Here's what happened: I wrote a story about a fun tour in a small town for a big-time pub (to them). The local small town paper gets wind of the article and writes it up, as both an editorial and as an article. Two different writers quote my article like crazy, use my name, cite the publication, sing all the praises, but not once do I get a call for an interview. Not that I need one. I just thought it was funny.

This particular paper wrote two stories about my one little article. Two stories in the same paper! I'm famous there. It's the third article about my work in this paper. My BF says I could probably be in the town parade. They'd probably name me Homecoming Queen, he says. "There she is! There she is!" he says they'd say. Funny stuff. It made me smile. And, truthfully, it made me feel good--even without the one-on-one interview.

I think we all need to find validation like this outside of ourselves sometimes. We need to know we're appreciated. At the minimum, it's nice to know people notice. We may not do things in order to receive validation. We may just be doing them because the work pays the bills. But it sure is nice to get the recognition afterward.

So, my answer is yes, but it's also no. Feedback is good. It allows us to see where improvements can be made and to continue doing what works. But I don't think we want to rely on it. Because during those times when there is no feedback, when no one does notice you or your work, you could falter. You could succumb to the lack of recognition in some way, maybe even seep into some kind of "Nobody loves me" depression.

If you do that, it's not likely you'll be able to think about improvement, and you won't want to bother doing what you've been doing. You might think, "No one cared, anyway."

This is not a good place to wind up. There's no forward movement there.

So what's your opinion? Do you need validation?

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Making tough decisions

This week has been a trying one for me, filled with a few unexpected--and a few unwanted--challenges.

Only one of them was I able to resolve so far. I had to make a decision to stop blogging for b5media.com, which hosts my travel blog The Phoenix Traveler . I love blogging about Phoenix travel and beyond. It's so much fun. And I'll continue doing that, but I'll have to begin from scratch a few months down the road--after I finish my travel book project. But on my current travel blog, well, I'll be posting my last post on or about January 23.

The thing is, timing is everything, and when a new contract with the company came my way a few days ago, wanting a decision on a new venture it wanted for itself, I had to decline. I wasn't sure I wanted it for myself. My old contract was cancelled in order for b5media to partner with a new company I didn't know anything about. And without enough time for me to investigate the company--I'm in the last days of finishing my book project, and that's where my concentration mostly needs to be--I felt the need to say no the new offer, and the new contract.

I'm a little bummed, because I didn't really want to stop blogging about travel at The Phoenix Traveler. Still, it seems that, in the face of that so-called loss, a new opportunity has come my way. In addition to beginning soon a new blog related to my very first book that comes out at the end of this year, I may be starting something of a joint venture with someone myself. Another writer has asked me to join her in a new project, blogging about budget travel in the Phoenix area. Both new enterprises should be fun. And even though I'm sorry to say goodbye to The Phoenix Traveler--I worked very hard to get it started and run it for the seven or eight months that I did--I'm excited about the possibilities of new ventures and new projects in 2009.

It was a tough decision. It took me some time to think about it and decide how I might proceed. When I realized I didn't have enough time to consider the matter more seriously, I went with my gut. My decision fell in line perfectly with my BIKE philosophy, particularly the K. Killer instinct. I went with my gut. What was my body telling me? As hard as it was, I listened. I paid attention. And because of that, I was able to make the decision that was right for me and move on.

There's been another discussion about using that gut instinct lately. Another writer I know, in fact, also at b5media, posted about this just this week, after we'd been discussing lack of payment issues at FreelanceSuccess.com. It's interesting to see just how important gut instinct is, but the gut doesn't work unless you make use of it. That's why, here, I use the bolder phrase. We all have instincts. We all have the ability to sense things. But, we don't always pay attention. We don't always trust that gut. When you're in tune with your body and know what it feels like in both normal and abnormal circumstances, then you can make appropriate and safe use of what I call your Killer instincts. They're "killer" because they're tuned in on the target. They're watching out for you. They're not only important for survival, but they're also important if you intend to thrive in a world that is always going to drop a challenge or two at your doorstep.

Do you have any decisions you need to make that you've been stalling on because you're unsure what to do? I urge you to trust what your body's trying to tell you. The answer is there if you just tune in.

All my best,
Jackie

Ten miles a day

Ten miles a day on my bike. That's my regular routine exercise these days. I go through phases, though, where I might pick riding. Or I might walk. Or I'll hike up a mountain. But I must do something physical.

I've learned to pay attention to what my body wants and needs. It wants and needs exercise. Without it, I lack the energy I need to get through the day.

That once made no sense to me whatsoever. I wondered, how can you gain energy by using it? Why wouldn't you just be more tired? But it's like this: The more you do something, the more you get used to it. And if it's good for you, all the better. I just didn't want to see it that way back then. I was stubborn.

But I exercise now because I know I must. It's no longer me who's stubborn, it's my body. My body requires it, demands it even. If I let my body down and try to skip a day or two or more, my body lets me know about it. THAT'S when I'm tired. THAT'S when I lack focus. THAT'S when I do less than what I can. "Hah!" My body says to me, "You can go without exercise, but if you do, I'll make you pay!"

And so it is. I follow orders.

I nearly proved my body wrong once, though. When I first started riding my bike in 2002, I was beat after a ride--and those were short rides. No more than two miles. They killed! But then they didn't. It didn't take long, maybe a month or two, before my body wore my mental toughness down, allowing me to actually enjoy and look forward to the rides. My body made me change my focus to a more positive one. It tricked me, really.

It tricked me to the point where I can now say that two miles would never do anything for me. That would be like me saying I'm going to enjoy a bag of jelly beans, but I only eat two jelly beans--Just two, out of one of bag, the same color, even. Hel-lo! Where's the enjoyment in that?! Two would not be enough. Not. At. All. And the same color?! Bah!

But ten jelly beans, now you're talking! I could actually enjoy 10. It wouldn't be too much. I could eat 10 different colors. I could make a pattern and eat two of five colors. I could even eat all 10, all at once. With 10, I'd have enough to get creative.

It's like that for me with 10 miles on the bike. With only two, I can only do so much. But with 10 miles, I can change things up. I can create something with that. And it gives me time to think, to relax, to create a pattern, to veg out, to get a good enough work out that I'm sweating. Ten miles isn't too difficult.

But it's still going to be a good enough ride. I've learned what works for me. Ten miles on the road gives me the oomph I need to muscle through a difficult assignment back in the office. It helps me get away from a bothersome contract or digest a challenging issue that I might need to address but would rather not. It gives me the time away, the freedom to let my mind wander and think through what I need to do. In two miles, I would not have time for that. I would be rushed.

These are good reasons to take up riding. These are good reasons to give yourself 10 miles a day. It's good for your mind, body and soul. It's a BIKE path worth taking.

What do you think?