A break from the blogathon? Yeah, right!

I thought I might take a break after the blogathon to catch up on paperwork, but I couldn't help myself. I had to post. And now I'm wondering, how do you handle a backlog of paperwork:

a) stack it up?
b) ignore it till later?
c) take care of all paperwork as it crosses your desk?
d) did I say, ignore it?
e) none of the above?
f) a mix of the above?
g) other?
g) if a mix or other, how do you respond this way and why?

The joy of seeing upside down

What happens when you turn your world on its opposite end? By that I mean, what happens when you are about to create big change in your life? Do you:

a)  hesitate when it's time to make the final decisions?
b)  rush in and make the necessary changes?
c)  research the idea to death?
d)  make the changes when the timing feels right?

I pick d), though, I've been known to get stuck on a) before. And I've definitely chosen c). I've probably never been the b) type. I'm not a person who rushes herself. And that's clear based on changes that I'm undertaking right now.

In the midst of a career shift, I've been challenged by many things it will involve: cost, time and effort. Yet, the time has arrived. I'm ready. It's just a matter of finding the right people to help. I've begun that search already and am starting to work with one of them.

This is both exciting and scary at the same time. It feels like I'm writing my first book all over again. You want to do it, but since it's the first one, you're afraid to screw it up. Since I've experienced this dynamic before, I think that's a good place to be. It means I'm proceeding with caution, avoiding the most costly mistakes. Note that I didn't say avoiding all mistakes. There are never any guarantees where change is concerned. But I'm prepared and preparing myself so I'll be ready to tackle whatever awaits.

Plus, I've experienced enough change in my life that I'm well aware of the uncertainties and how to move past them. That's what the B.I.K.E. is all about. That won't be anything I dismiss in this new life. But I'm working on figuring out how to tie it in. That's also exciting, watching all the parts connect and removing the parts that don't. Stay tuned to see what happens next.

Meanwhile, when you've experienced change in your life, what did that feel like for you? Were you satisfied with the result? How do you see yourself handling change in the future? Post your thoughts below.

Advice that inspires

My guess is you've all had someone in your life who's offered advice. Some worked, some didn't, and some stayed with you. That "some" for me came from Bob Early, a former editor of Arizona Highways and the guy who really tuned me in to travel writing in 1999.

In his previous life, he was the city editor at the Arizona Republic and was involved with the investigative team that worked to uncover who killed Don Bolles. (Did you know there might be a movie about this?)

Bob Early gave me several good tips in a class I took that he used to teach at Arizona State University-West Campus. And I still use or think about at least three of them to this day. Now I pass on all three to you. If you're a writer of some sort, you'll understand:

1) If you send out five pitches a week, you'll always have work.

2) Always carry a small notepad in your pocket or purse to capture the great lines you hear, the great ideas you have, or the funny stories that happen.

3) Your writing comes alive if you remove the "to be" verbs.

Hope some of this inspires you.

Your everyday inspirations

Are you aware of your everyday inspirations? They don't necessarily call you to do anything specific. They are the everyday images, the textures, the colors or the sounds in your everyday life that just speak to you in some way. Perhaps they leave you with a good feeling, put a smile on your face, or remind you of someone or something.

I live in a neighborhood surrounded by palm trees of various kinds, big thorny mesquites, scattered palo verdes, jacarandas, and other trees that attract the birds. Hummingbirds, song birds, mockingbirds, finches, and birds I'd need to pull out the Audubon guide to name--they're all out there.

At night, you can even hear the owls and see the bats whirring by overhead. If I'm out for a walk in the early evening, the owl's call kind of spooks me. You never can tell which tree they're in, as the sound seems to echo from far away. I always imagine he'll fly out of one of those trees and wonk me on the head with his large talons.

I wake up in the morning and go to sleep to at night to many, long-lasting bird calls of various sounds. When I'm really listening, I can hear very specific sounds. One type of bird I noticed I'm not hearing this year had a unique call I really liked. It sounded like they were saying back and forth to each other: "Rick-ee! RickeeRickeeRickee!" It's funny what you miss when it's gone.

Is there a bird call unique to your neighborhood? Or one that you once noticed but now do not? Noticing the everyday things that surround you, such as the sound a bird makes, provides training ground for creating awareness within. It's about becoming aware of what you like or don't like, what matters to you and what does not, or what inspires you.

AWARENESS HOMEWORK: Make a list of 5-10 things in your everyday life that pleases you. The only requirement is that all items on the list must come from the natural environment. Post one or two of them here if you like. What this will do for you is bring your attention to that which brings you joy. Once you're aware of this, you begin to seek it out. A joy-filled life is one that overcomes obstacles with grace and ease, like the Great Blue Heron in my photograph above.