Living Up To My Own Expectations

Affirmation: “I am a Proficient Writer”

Despite the fact that I currently do not have the internet in my home, I have continued to keep up with this blog as well as with my weekly quota of 7 bubbles on Bubblews. I also ahead on my word count in my fourth book in The Locket Saga: Sailing Under The Black Flag.
Drum roll please! My current word count to date is 59,014. I am currently 5 days ahead of schedule for writing 30 thousand words above the original 50 thousand words of my original first draft.

Continuing lessons in the book: 50 Lessons From The World’s Greatest Achiever by Vic Johnson

Once we know what we want out of life, it is important to have a plan of what we are going to do. Simply put, my plan is this. I want to continue writing my books as a self-publisher and I want to travel around the country promoting my books with others using various means such as book signings at various places including bookstores,, radio interviews, and speaking engagements.
Recently, I have been starting the speaking engagements by getting to know different churches in my area. I had talked to one minister about speaking at church this Sunday. If not this Sunday, then I will make arrangements to do it at a later date.

Once we have a plan, we have to keep from letting others steal our dream.

There are those people in our lives who try to convince us that we really do not want to do what we say we are going to do. I used to think that if people I loved thought that I couldn’t do something, then perhaps they were right. However, what I have since learned is that they have given me the wrong advice. Life isn’t about playing it safe. If it were, we would have stayed in our mother’s womb. Instead, we thrive as we do and learn new things. Our greatest challenges come during our years of greatest growth. Over time, those who love us temper our enthusiasm. Eventually we enter public school which seems to steal the excitement that we had when we were younger. Our lives suddenly take on a desire for better days in the future. Things will be better when I leave home and get a job. Things will be better when I get married. Things will be better when I have kids. Things will be better when the kids leave home. Things will be better when I retire. Before we know it, we are old and decrepit wondering where our life went.
Since my father’s, brother’s, and sister’s deaths within six months of one another and breakup of my marriage, I have determined to ignore the people who say I shouldn’t or can’t do those things I really want to do in my life. I have realized that those people who tell me I shouldn’t or that I can’t are trying to protect me. They are afraid that I will be hurt for trying. In truth, I don’t want to be protected. I want to grow. Failure should not be considered an ending point, but a re-evaluation of the current situation.

Learning To Live As An Independent Thinker

Have you ever noticed that people tend to do things because other people are doing them. We buy things because a lot of others bought the same thing. This is called the herd mentality, It is also a considered a fallacy. Just because everyone does or says something does not make it true or right.

I have spent the past several months learning about what I really want and have been taking actions toward becoming who I really want to be. How about you? My hope is that you are inspired to take action. Create a plan and start doing. Don’t let the herd convince you to give up on your dreams and goals.

Donna Brown is an ordained minister. As Author Cygnet Brown, she  has recently published her first nonfiction book: Simply Vegetable Gardening: Simple Organic Gardening Tips for the Beginning Gardener

She is also the author of historical fiction series The Locket Saga. which includes When God Turned His Head and Soldiers Don’t Cry, the Locket Saga Continues. Her upcoming book A Coward’s Solace will be available soon. Click here for more information about Cygnet Brown and her books.