Waiting is hard
It's been 2 weeks since I sent my book to the publisher, and I haven't heard anything yet.
I'm going nuts.
I try to convince myself that 2 weeks isn't a long time. They get lots of submissions every day, and I'm only one of hundreds of wanna-be authors.
Besides, maybe the person I sent it to is on vacation? We're in the midst of the summer slump, after all.
While I'm waiting and doing my best to ignore the insecure part of me who tries hard to make me believe that the book sucks, I'm practicing to stay positive.
Here are the 5 things I do every day that help me stay sane(ish) and optimistic:
1. Stay busy.
There's nothing worse than having too much time on your hands to brood. Nothing good can come of it, so I have been keeping myself as busy as possible! Luckily, it's my busiest season at work, which helps a lot, and I have also been blogging and jotting down some ideas for my next project. I have several ideas for a next book - I'm telling you, writing is addictive!
2. Surround yourself with positivity.
I'm a sucker for motivational sayings, inspiring success stories and words of wisdom. My go-to person for positivity is Kino MacGregor, who is a huge role model for me. We are also fortunate to have met some great people here who have a wonderful and positive outlook on life, and who teach me to look at all the good that every day brings.
And then I came across this gem on Instagram:
"The temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed."
(Chinese proverb)
My mantra exactly: Don't give up, don't give up don't give up.
3. Visualize your goal.
As a fan of the Law of Attraction, I practice visualization a LOT. I'm convinced that's how I ended up in Canada, and how we found our new life in the Wild West.
So, I'm imagining every day the email I will receive, telling me that they want to work with me; how the book cover will look like; how I will go into a book store one day and see my book on the shelves. It may be kooky,
but I believe it will happen!
4. Act like it already happened.
Do you know the adage "Dress for the job you want, not the job you have."? I always thought that's such great advice. I have taken it one step further, by acting like I'm already an author. Instead of hiding the fact that I have written a book, I have started to openly tell my friends about it. It's fricking scary, man! In true introvert fashion, I find it much easier to share it on the internet than IRL.
But if I want it to become a reality, I have to start acting like it already is.
Besides, there are some inspiring women in my life who pursue their dreams full on, and they give me the courage to pursue mine!
(Check out Krista, Janice, and Jenna for some serious boss-lady inspiration!)
5. Be thankful.
Having a passion in life is a very sacred gift. I know, because for a long while, I didn't know what my passion was.
Passion gives your life purpose. If you don't have a goal to pursue, you may wonder what the point of life is - and what if you don't know the answer?
I made it a habit to take a moment every day to say a quick Thank you. Sometimes it's specific: Like when my corgi comes racing up our long, winding driveway, running as fast as her short legs will allow, to greet me exuberantly when I come home. I'm thankful for that little dog every day.
Other times, it's an all-encompassing thank-you for everything good I have in my life: My health, job, husband, pets, where we live, the people in our lives.
And always, I'm grateful for having discovered my passion: To tell stories about life and people. There's nothing I like doing more, and I'm so happy I finally figured it out.
xoxo Miriam
Addendum: OMG OMG OMG YOU GUYS!!! As I was writing this, I just received the email: They want to work with me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! More details coming as soon as I know them. AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH, THIS IS CRAZY!!
Vol. 31