Epiphany, The Bone Treaty, and Easter Bunnies?

Some days you know you're maturing, right? Like the days you get slammed with a piece of wisdom that belongs with wrinkles and white hair? (Not that I've anything against my wrinkles or white hairs...)

I was teaching a group of teen girls, ages 12 to 18, about things that really matter in this life. Now I've accomplished some pretty cool stuff--been a studio singer, written a musical, finished nine full-length books (the second of which will be published this fall), rubbed shoulders with producers and lived through the big city AND small town experience. It's been amazing to hear people rave about my performances, music, and books, but in truth, it's terribly fleeting. I'm SUPER stoked about those things one day and down in the dumps the next. Do you know what gives me a lasting high?

My kids.

When one of them accomplishes something that was difficult for them, or does something nice for someone else, I swell up with pride. My heart nearly bursts with joy, and it doesn't go away.

Long after the accolades of professional accomplishment fade, I know where my happiness will stem--from seeing the little people I've devoted so many years and so much effort to succeeding in life. Will I be happy about my own successes? Sure. But nothing measures up to seeing them excel.

Ready to guess the lie and win a book? 

Last week, we broke from tradition to celebrate my new cover reveal. Everyone was given the chance to share their favorite supernatural creature for a chance to win an eARC of SOULLESS, and the winner is...

...DRUM ROLL...

Gary

And his supernatural creature, Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet superstar.

Congrats Gary! You'll be receiving your book as soon as ARCs July 28th.

And now to today's feature, from my amazing and incredibly supportive buddy:

A power as old as King Solomon awakens when a seventeen-year-old girl marks the brooding-hot abductor ordered to seize her.

Addie Heaton’s not your average high school student. Orphaned at two, she’s spent most of her life reading the emotions of others. It’s a little trick she likes to call color-vision. But lately, a stranger has been trailing her, putting off shades of black and red—colors Addie hasn’t seen since the night her parents were killed—colors Addie never wanted to see again.  

But when Addie comes face to face with Conal Reed, owner of the terrifying shades, she learns her stranger’s a little different too. He’s brooding hot, mysterious, and all too elusive. Conal loves to materialize, and then vanish at all the wrong times. Nice.

 Not.

After years of keeping her ability a secret, Addie’s found another person with gifts, someone who may know what she really is. But Conal’s not talking. He’s having more fun showing up uninvited, teasing her senses, and disappearing at all the wrong times. Instead of finding answers, Addie finds herself reconsidering ever being alone and naked again.

This is where I confess I got to critique some of this book early on, and it was  AWESOME. So much attitude and voice. I can't wait to get my copy. Add it now.

T.C.Mckee is the author of The Bone Treaty. She loves fiction, Great Danes, laughing babies, oatmeal cookies, and coffee. Owns two small business, one that has absolutely nothing at all to do with writing, and BookFish Books, a small publishing house that has everything to do with writing. She lives with her family in Virginia.

Her favorite cheese is Muenster. She can be found munching on it at home or at this local sandwich shop that melts two slices of it over a ham sandwich with cole slaw. (She says: "OHMIGOSH! It's heaven.") 

T.C. gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win an eBook of The Bone Treaty. 

You have until Tuesday, July 29, at 1 p.m. EDT to guess--and be sure to come back for the answer on July 30.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. When T.C. was seventeen, her friend stole 50 plastic Easter bunnies from a nearby neighborhood and stuffed them in the back seat of her car. They rode around with them for a week. Sometime she can still see their faces staring at her from the rear view mirror.

2. She reads the labels of almost all products and if she can't pronounce the name or doesn't recognize the ingredients, she won't buy it. Her house really is all natural.

3. It took her one whole year and seventy-seven days to write The Bone Treaty. 

LASTLY, sign up for my blog tour. 

DO IT! (There will be cheese.)

Which is the lie? Have you had any epiphanies lately? Where do you find your greatest happiness? Doesn't The Bone Treaty sound great? 

Torturing Characters into Giving Away Books

Do you like tortured/torturing characters? 

As I wrap up final edits on my sequel, I'm struggling with all the horrible things I've put my characters through. I mean, their lives were difficult enough before, right? My editor cried--and it's not just because she's pregnant. (Although that may have had something to do with it...) But seriously, I wonder sometimes if tearing people down so far is just cruel and uncalled for. 

At the same time, it's all about extremes. Those who suffer the hardest blows and hit rock bottom have the possibility of soaring to amazing heights. And who can appreciate the perspective more than someone whose nose has been mashed into the grime?

I think that's one of the things I struggle with most in life--watching people suffer. My kids. My hubby. Friends. I just want them to be happy. But then, I know from personal experience that happiness springs from overcoming trials, and the greater the struggle, the greater the joy.    

Speaking of joy...

It's your last chance to get in on the 

cover reveal. (Book 2 in the Maiden of Time Trilogy July 14-19.)

Sign up HERE.

Ready to guess the lie and win a book? 

Last week, the fabulous Kimber Leigh Wheaton shared SHADOW FIRE with us, along with two truths and one lie. Those who guessed the lie correctly were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win her eBook AND two different bookmarks.

Kimber Leigh's game:

1. When she was nine, Kimber Leigh made it through several call backs auditioning for the Broadway show Annie.

2. She won third place is a city-wide Super Mario Bros. video game contest when she was a teenager.

3. While in college, she spent a summer playing Ariel, the Little Mermaid, at Disneyland. 

And the lie is: 

#3. Kimber Leigh did audition and made it most of the way through the interview process before for Disneyland before she backed out. Those poor princesses don’t make enough money to justify wearing 20 lbs of makeup in 90 degree weather, while being manhandled by kids.

The upside of being Ariel: you get carried everywhere, 'cause she has a tail. The downside, the costume is rather skimpy up top.

Annoying fact: one interviewer worried she might be too pale (she's a natural redhead) and could appear sickly to some guests. They weren’t planning to cover her entire body in makeup, just her face. And she happens to like herself the way she is, sickly pale and all. (Jerkfaces!)

So ultimately she decided to do summer school at UCSB rather than the stint at Disneyland, and she thinks she made the right decision. It was one WILD summer!

Way to guess those of you who got it right! And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Krystal Jane!

Congrats Krystal! 

And now to today's feature:

Sometimes a single choice alters the course of a person's life forever.

Left behind by everyone she loves...
Rebecca Garvey had the promise of a California future dreams are made of, until the wagon train her family was traveling with left her behind. Now she’s slowly dying in the wilderness, abandoned and stripped of her self-worth. Once the shock of her desertion turns to embittered despair, she doesn’t want to be found. Then a handsome stranger challenges her convictions and changes her mind. 

Headed for Texas, chased by the demons of his past...
Seth Emerson knows exactly what he wants. Working to save for a cattle ranch of his own keeps him busy and keeps his pain buried. Rescuing a stubborn woman from the hills of New Mexico Territory isn’t part of his plan—but she’s exactly what he needs.

Making greater sacrifices than either of them could foresee...
Seth and Rebecca set off on a risky journey and a quest for truth, each healing the other’s love-starved soul along the way. Will they give in to their growing attraction?  Or will they honor their commitments when Seth returns Rebecca to civilization... and her betrothed?

Pick up your copy HERE.

Now let me introduce you to the incredible author: 

Native Texan Melissa Maygrove is a wife, mother, nurse, freelance editor, and romance writer. When she's not busy caring for her tiny nursery patients or shuttling teenagers back and forth to after-school activities, she's hunched over her laptop, complicating the lives of her imaginary friends and playing matchmaker. Melissa loves books with unpretentious characters and unforgettable romance, and she strives to create those same kinds of stories for her readers.

She loves grated cheddar on top of homemade macaroni and cheese, all golden brown and bubbly.

Melissa gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win a signed paperback copy of COME BACK (US only) OR a signed eBook (for an international winner). 

You have until Tuesday, June 24, at 1 p.m. EDT to guess--and be sure to come back for the answer on June 25.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. Melissa has touched a real piranha--even its sharp little teeth.

2. Somewhere out there in the world, there's an orchid named after her.

3. She absolutely, totally and completely hates broccoli.

Which is the lie? What are your feelings on people suffering? Wasn't that cool getting some insight into the whole Disneyland experience? Doesn't Melissa's book sound awesome? 

True Heroes A to Z: L is for Forgiveness?

True heroes are all around us, in our every day lives, but some people stand out. During this A-Z Challenge I hope to share several of my real life heroes, and invite you to share yours in the comments.

owe, Alva Johnson. This is a quiet, elderly woman most people might pass in a grocery store and think nothing of, but she is so much more. She married her husband at the age of 17, and became the wife of a very successful cattle rancher. Even during the depression, they had enough and were generous with others. She raised strong children and taught them each a stiff moral backbone.

Because of a childhood sickness, she battled deafness all her life. She served as an experimental patient in multiple procedures--many painful. She was proud that she'd be able to help pioneer hearing technology for those who would come after her, and despite her difficulties, I never heard her complain.

She could have.

God had taken her hearing.

She never complained.

When her husband was 65, she lost him to a heart attack because of medical malpractice.

She didn't sue.

She forgave.

She never complained.

When she was 78, she was hit by garbage truck while walking, and doctors didn't think she'd walk again. She proved them wrong.

Again, she didn't sue.

She forgave.

She never complained.

Feelings of anger can eat us up inside. They urge us to blame our lack of happiness on what we don't have, what was taken from us. Alva, "Grandma," has taught me that forgiveness is a choice. Happiness is a choice. She just keeps pressing forward, leaving behind the bad to make room for the good. She's my hero.

Time is running out. MOONLESS is on sale now for $1.99, but only for another couple weeks.

EXCERPT:

“There’s an old legend ‘bout these parts.” Their host sat his tired body down on a stool. “Dangers in the moonless night what’d make you shake in your skin.” He indicated the empty chairs across from himself and they took them willingly. “It’s said a hundred years back a wil-o’-the-wisp passed this way.”

“Like a faerie?” Alexia suggested.

“Oh sure,” he nodded, “only stronger. It liked our little town and settled down here. It aided people’s harvest, blessed our children with health, kept the cattle, stayed the plague.” He shifted. “A doctor on the hill housed the creature, fed it, took care of it and did its bidding on our behalf. Then one day he disappeared—he and his whole family.” He looked Alexia right in the eye. “A plague started upon us, things what appear on moonless nights and stealed away our children. There weren’t no more helps of a miraculous nature. Ones like this,” he pointed to the youth who’d saved them, “started popping up instead of the healthy pretty ones. No offense, lad.” The young man smiled a toothy grin. “It’s said the old man insulted the creature and earned its wrath. We been dealin’ with it ever since. Bein’ left to wander outdoors on a night such as this is as much a death sentence as hangin’.”

Have you been inspired by someone who was able to forgive? Do you have a grandparent you look up to? Have you dealt with deafness or other disabilities?

BIG Mistakes

Do you ever wish you could go back in time and change things?

I'm a vocal performer. Lots of us get stage fright. Some of us have nerves. I learned long ago all you had to do was channel that nervous energy into your performance. So yesterday I stood in front of somewhere between 150 and 200 people on steady legs, ready to do what I've done 1000000000000+ times before.

One minute into the song my mind went completely blank. After the first three seconds of utter shock--when I realized that blank wasn't going to clear--I glanced down at the "safety" sheet music in front of me (the copy I always use just in case). My accompanist trundled on, trusting that as a skilled performer I'd be able to hop right back in.

But I couldn't. My eyes glazed over the music. I couldn't comprehend what I was reading.

Have you read the Michael Vey series? I felt like Taylor Ridley had rebooted my brain. This was truly and honestly the first time I had ever completely lost it in the middle of a performance!

My accompanist looped the measures and came back to where I dropped into a mental abyss, but I still couldn't crunch the words. Finally--miraculously--(someone must have been praying for me) on his third loop my brain reset and the words just came out of my mouth.

After thirty second of bewildered silence.

But what happened next is what really surprised me. I recovered. Blunder over, I hopped back in and finished the number with gusto, drawing tears and heartfelt gratitude from the audience.

As I've thought back over this experience, I decided this was a teaching one. We may make mistakes, but they're not what counts. What really matters is that we press forward and finish with all we've got.

So if I could go back in time, would I change this experience?

No.

But if you could go back in time, where and when would you go? My buddy Pk Hrezo just unveiled the cover of her NA debut novel, and I've been dying to share it.

We are a full service agency designed to meet all your exclusive time travel needs. Family-owned and operated, we offer clients one hundred years of time travel experience. A place where you can rest assured, safety and reliability always come first.

Anxious to attend a special event from the past? Or for a glimpse of what the future holds?

You’ve come to the right place. We’re a fully accredited operation, offering an array of services; including, but not limited to: customized travel plans, professionally piloted operations, and personal trip guides. *Terms and conditions do apply

Conference us directly from our Website. Our frontline reservation specialist, Bianca Butterman, will handle all your inquiries in a professional and efficient manner, offering a tentative itinerary and free fare quote, so you can make the most of your time trip.

We look forward to serving you at Butterman Travel, Inc., where time is always in your hands.

Buttterman Time Travel, Inc. releases November 12, 2013--one day before MOONLESS.

So ladies and gentlemen, have you made a mistake you wish you could change? If you could go back in time, when and where would you go? 

Born to Be...

One upon a time I thought I'd grow up to be a singer.

Or an actor.

Or a teacher.

Or an artist.

Or an ad specialist.

Or an author.

But the truth is...

Enough said.

Are you feeling awesome today?

Choices, Choices

Have you ever been stuck in a phase of life where it was difficult to find happiness?

I remember living in NYC, how cramped, loud, smelly and exhausting every day was. Strangely, it was also one of the best times of my life. Having just given birth to #3, I learned how to homeschool my 6 yr old--while on double diaper duty with a 1 yr old. Every day was a struggle, start to finish. I could have been VERY miserable there, but a couple things happened.

1. I started seriously into my writing career. I met a wonderful agent who was kind enough to look over my most recent book and encouraged my growth and development. That gave me hope.

2. I really had the chance to focus on my family, and just my family. Spending that much time with my littles, I finally fell in love with being a mommy. (Yeah, it took 6 years--some of us learn faster than others.)

It didn't have to be the crucible of NYC that taught me these things, but the adverse circumstances helped.

I remember a time a couple years ago as I stood, hands submerged in soapy water while I cleaned dishes--without a dishwasher--and grumbled about the never ending chore. Suddenly it struck me. There will always be dishes. I can't change that. What I could change was my attitude, and from that moment on I tried to think of the family I was serving every time a job got especially arduous. I'd think about the clean/safe environment I was creating for them, and how it would add to the overall peace and happiness of our household.

My mom who is away on a service mission said it best: "Love what you are doing - and if you aren't doing that, it is time to refocus."

Happy Monday, friends. How's your focus today?

Life is what we make of it, so make it a good one.

Do you ever feel powerless?

After spending 2 weeks away from home, I've returned--with dread in my gut. Worries plagued me all through the last night of our vacation--whether I'll admit it or not. I suddenly started to think about this ridiculous schedule I'd been keeping before leaving: early morning walking, a couple hours of cleaning, an hour or two of blogging, a couple hours teaching, a couple hours writing, then cooking, more cleaning, some calling work, a little critiquing, and finally the bed routine. Should it be any wonder I've been dreading it?

Then as I read an article about Islanders in the South Pacific, it hit me. Their priorities are very different from your average American. They LIVE A SLOWER PACE.

So why can't I?

My brain automatically sputtered back, "Well, because it's expected that I run until I burn myself out, and then pick myself up and keep going." LOL. Expected by whom? Silly me.

I had a mantra throughout high school: You make your own reality. Really, it's true. You are the one who defines what your life will be, what you'll tolerate, how far you'll let it go before working to change it. Now that doesn't mean things will change over night, but if it's a priority, you have the power to alter your current existence. Rather than complaining, our energy can be better spent, eh?

That said, will I be any less insane? No, but it will be a slightly altered insanity that fits more with my family and circumstances of life. It might even be a SLOWER PACE OF LIFE. *gasp* I think the older I get, the slower I move, and thus, it's wise to willingly adapt my pace accordingly. (That or I'm just getting bogged down with the needs of a middle-stage family.)

Regardless, what is it you find yourself complaining about lately? Do you know of someone who has dramatically altered their own world? (I think this might be why I write fiction--to create that alteration regularly.) Priority check, what is it you wish you were doing less/more?

P.S. I'll post one or two of our adventure stories in the next couple weeks. *rubbing hands* Boy, have I got some good ones!

Drowning?

How do you feel about the person in the grocery line behind you? How about the lawn guy across the street?  The kid staring at you from the bus stop?

How do you view these people?

A couple year ago our family was invited to attend a party. Last minute we discovered there would be swimming. (I mean, it's Florida. Duh!) My husband and I weren't interested in flaunting our flub, so we let the kids bring their suits and supervised from the sidelines. We had a great time talking with other parents, until our friend dove, fully dressed, into the pool. My daughter had slipped over the brink of shallow to deep, and was bobbing in water over her head. None of the kids around her who could touch the bottom bothered to reach out an arm and pull her back, but our friend saw the need and leaped in without a second thought. Afterward she climbed out of the pool, dripping, and examined the destroyed smart phone in her pocket.

I often think about that moment, what would have happened if our friend hadn't been willing to dive without concern for herself or property. See, the thing is, she would have done that for anyone. No, I'm not talking about saving a life per say, but seeing a need and jumping in. I watched her over a course of years willingly dive, even when she was in over her own head, to come to someone else's aid.

The other day at the grocery store, I got caught in a torrential downpour. I hoped the storm would pass before I finished. Alas. While shopping, I'd been watching a young woman with two little kids. She had a kind smile and more patience than I sometimes can muster as she worked to keep them in line. I empathized with the wrestling match, but when I stood at the store exit watching the rain and she returned with a wide umbrella, offering to walk me to my car, my jaw almost hit the curb. Surely she was worn out from her store visit, yet there she stood.

What was so unique about these two women? They saw beyond themselves. Most days I wish I could be like that. Some days I even realize I can--but it means I have to look.

What do you see when you look at others?

And quickly, speaking of others, I'm participating in a Followers Blog Hop today, hosted by Mel Chelsey. Check it out and join in, eh?

Ah, Young Seedling, Have You Any Apples?

Image courtesy Curiosities by Dickens

Have you heard this quote before? I heard it first when I was an impressionable teen, probably 14, trying to figure out who I was. In a family of 10, that can be an overwhelming question.

As a kid, I loved to draw. I still do (when I have time), but back then I was the head of the class for art. That might be because I was one of the oldest kids in my grade, and thus had an advantage. Regardless, other students would come and stand over my desk, peering down at what I sketched. After a couple seconds the question always came, "What are you drawing?" I hated that question. I had a vision and wanted to get it down without having to explain myself, but occasionally the picture would change half way through--because what appeared on the page inspired a change of direction. I'd tell them to come back when it was finished. It got to the point where I'd wear my hair down and lean over my paper, making my hair a veil. Sure, I looked like an introvert, but it kept people from viewing the rough lines and plaguing me with their questions. 

I think often we're the impatient children, looking at the rough lines or half-completed sketch and asking, "What's it supposed to be?" The masterpiece of our lives, of who we are becoming is never complete until the final breath, or final line is drawn. Our development is constantly open to alter or change. BUT, there is a master artist who is working to define us according to our best self. He is maneuvering the pencil that defines our shape, but will not force the lead onto the page without our consent. If we trust His vision for our lives, we will find our potential far outweighs our vision. 

So, how many apples are in your seed?

P.S. This is my tribute to International Be Positive Day, hosted over at Sharon Mayhew and Robyn Campbell's blogs. 

How to Find Happiness A-Z: Z

Zeee END! 

After this month of awesome I'm going to Zzzz land. What will you be doing?

Essentially, I'll be catching up on sleep, eating at a table instead of computer, and adding to my WIP (work in progress). Between beta reading, editing, and pre-publishing excitement, I'll be here once to twice a week--and I hope to find you here.

So what does that have to do with happiness?

All good things must come to an end. The rest, or Zzzz's, that result from a job well done are a part of the process. We have to take the time to sit back, rest, and appreciate what we've accomplished. This last month I've made so many new blogging friends, rubbed shoulders with old ones, and experienced so many laughs, smiles and memories. Thank you everyone who participated, and all my wonderful new friends and followers. YOU ARE AWESOMESAUCE!!!

If you missed any of the awesome, here's your shortlist to get up to speed.

How to Find Happiness through:

A: Attitude

B: Belief

C: Communication

D: Determination

E: Education

F: Friends

G: Gratitude

H: Humor

I: Integrity

J: Jumping

K: Kindness

L: Listening

M: Music

N: Novels

O: Organization

P: Perspective

Q: Quality Time

R: Respect

S: Smile

T: Trust

U: Unique

V: Values

W: Work

X: X Marks the Spot

Y: You

Z: Zzz and Enjoy

I'll see you back here May 6th to close out the Gratitude challenge. What? You missed that one? Check it out with letter G. 

Here's a huge wedge of cheese to all you A-Zers who made it to the end. You are awesomesauce! Will you continue posting every day? Why/why not?

How to Find Happiness A-Z: Y

By C. Clark via wikimedia commons

One of my favorite quotes comes from Marianne Williamson:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. ... We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? ... Your playing small does not serve the world ... as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

YOU.

You are awesome. We've chatted about this is past posts, but my point here is that you are powerful. You make your own reality--or that was my mantra throughout high school. Sure, things may happen that stand in your way, but you have the power to overcome all odds. More importantly, only you can change what isn't working in your life--whether that be by merely amending your attitude, or stepping up and making a plan to become your ideal self.

Image courtesy of Davebold370

When I was 14, I realized there were a number of things I didn't like about me. More importantly, I had a vision of who I wanted to become one day. With that serious goal in mind, I made a list of attributes I needed to develop, and one by one, worked to integrate them. I spent months focusing on just one aspect or habit until it was solid, and then I moved on down the list. Journaling was one of those. Speaking kindly to my siblings was another. Learning how to raise and teach children also made the list. When I look back on my teen years, I am immensely grateful for adult friends and leaders who set an amazing example and encouraged me to become my best self.

We, each of us, have figurative "elephants" to eat. Life may be so overwhelming we don't know where to start or even feel powerless and drowning in the implications of our reality. My advise to you is to pick one thing--just one--whether it be exercising, learning to smile more, reading for fun, organizing, etc, and focus. Use that divinely given power, afford yourself time and sufficient forgiveness for failure, and go forward. Set a goal. Write it on a calendar. Check in with yourself daily and see how you're doing. You'll be amazed at how truly powerful you are.  

What are your goals for this year?

How to Find Happiness A-Z: X

Image courtesy of Nemo

Yes, X marks the spot.

Happiness doesn't just happen. Well, okay, sometimes it does. The hormones align, there's sunshine, and we break through the mental clouds to find a moment of bliss. (Like taste-testing new cheeses. Mmm.) We'll call this "pleasure".

Real happiness is a lasting sense of well being, a constant and underlying sense that all is good--or that which we can control is good. It's a satisfaction with not only ourselves, but the direction we're taking in life and our accomplishments.

Some people make the mistake of blindly fumbling through life. They take what they're given and grumble about how things stink. They blame the government, their parents, their kids, the world for everything that's wrong, never stopping to consider how they can change things--if they open their eyes and aim for something better.

I grew up in a goal driven home. My father was a doctor, taxidermist, eagle scout, spelunker, pianist, photographer, scuba diver, distance runner, scout master, teacher, hypnotist, actor, basketball player and high adventure specialist. He spoke a couple languages, was a do-it-yourself-er, and raised 8 kids, one of whom was special needs. I learned a healthy sense of ambition just from watching him. He loved challenges. His entire life was about setting goals and then steadily progressing toward them. He was always on the go, always working toward a new accomplishment, and 90% of the time, smiling. (The other ten he was biting his tongue while examining the newest kid-induced hole in the wall, or shouting "you turkey!" at the slowpokes impeding his lead-footed-ness on the road.)

Happiness is a process. It's a journey, but there is no journey without a destination or "X". So what destination are you aimed toward? 

How to find Happiness A-Z: W

Image courtesy of www.localvox.com

W is for all the work.

Looking back over the years, I often wonder when was I the happiest. Do you ever pause and ponder that? In my "E" post I talked about education, and how the times I've been learning are the times I'm happiest. That's because I'm working toward a goal.

I've never appreciated my music talents as much as I should. They come easily. But writing? Writing has always been a challenge. I have an abstract brain. What I mean is, I get modern art. Poetry is a cinch. Artsy-fartsy mumbo-jumbo clicks.

Image courtesy of thisisbossi

Suffice it to say, I've had to work hard at writing to make sure all that abstractness fades away. I've dedicated years to this pursuit, feeling I lacked the natural talent many of my peers were blessed with. The other day I read this in How to Write  Damn Good Novel by James N Fray:

"Most of these folks with so much raw talent will not make it as a novelist. Why? Because they lack what's truly necessary: self-discipline, dogged determination, and stick-to-tiveness."

This is my golden prize. This is the next big mountain I've been climbing, and some day I'm going to look back and see the effort has paid off. Regardless, my joy doesn't come from the view at the end, it's a part of every step, every new concept mastered, every page completed, and every head-pounding frustration along the way.

What are you working toward? And do you find joy in your labor?

How to Find Happiness A-Z: V

Because you are especially unique, you have a set of values you hold to. While everyone's inner compass might be different, I'd like to share a few values I grew up believing in, ones that I feel contribute greatly to my happiness.

Faith: "Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye have hope for things which are not seen, which are true (Alma 32:21)." --This one goes hand in hand with belief. Faith is acting on a hope or belief, without knowing the outcome.

Divine Nature: I believe I'm a child of God. That gives me a deeper sense of my purpose and importance. It also places the weight on my shoulders to act as his daughter.

Individual Worth: Remember that post about being unique? Because I know my divine nature, I understand my worth.

Knowledge: Education, learning, growth should always be sought after actively.

Choice and Accountability: I'm responsible for the decisions I make, and accordingly, I have the power to alter my circumstances. I am infidelity powerful to change my own world.

Good Works: Enough said. Right?

Integrity: Check out my "I" post. This is a sense of honesty with oneself and the world about them, not just in thought or word, but in deeds.

Image courtesy of public.resource.org

Virtue: "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies (Proverbs 31:10)." In this day and age I think most people have forgotten the importance of virtue--a high moral understanding/use of ones' physical self and thoughts. Virtuous living leads more powerfully to happiness than anything I know. Someone who lives a virtuous life is not bogged down by guilt, regret, and pain that comes from making poor decisions.

Do you have other values you live by or have found lead to happiness? What are they?

How to Find Happiness A-Z: U

In the car today, a strange thought hit me: no one can 100% identify with another person's childhood experiences. No matter how similar our lives may be, you have not walked in my shoes, and I have not walked in yours. That makes you...

...completely UNIQUE!

Understanding how unique you are should instill a sense of how incredibly special you are--and I'm not talking in a derogatory way here. What makes you you is completely impossible to duplicate. Do you know how amazing that makes you?

No, seriously. I want  you to think about it. You have a unique finger print. No one in the entirety of existence has the same skin pattern. It's not something you have to strive for. You just are. --But you're so much more complicated than a fingerprint. Think of all the life experiences you've had, the successes, the failures, the losses, the growth...

Picture courtesy of Juliancolton2

It's the parable of the snowflake. No two are alike. As they tumble through the air aimed for the ground, unique winds, temperatures and humidity help to shape them, but they might also latch onto a fellow floater for a time. They might break away from a larger grouping. They might reach out to feel the fullness of the world around them, or huddle in close and pummel faster. Some crack or lose pieces on way down, but they are no less fascinating. Each break tells a story, and each snowflake is beautiful.

You don't have any reason to bow down to others. What's shaped you is different than what's shaped them--different, not better or worse. Someone else being subjected to your life experiences might completely crumble. Just like the character in a story, you are a product not just of your circumstances, but of the decisions you've made along the way, and no one else would have made exactly the same choices.

How awesome are you?

How to Find Happiness A-Z: T

We've all played it, right?

You know that feeling of free fall, as your gut clenches, your insides quiver, and your nerves scream, "What are you doing, you idiot!?"

Trust.

Who would you trust to catch you? Your best friend? Your neighbor? A parent? A spouse?

These are the people in your inner circle. But would you trust a stranger to catch you?

Some of us have a relationship with deity. Some of us trust in a higher power, because as much as our friends, neighbors and even family love us, they are imperfect and will inevitably fail or be unable to catch us at some point. There's only one source of constancy, and true happiness comes knowing there's someone out there who loves and watches over us--someone who's ready to help--often even before we're humble enough to ask for it. I suppose the point is, in order to be rescued, we must have a relationship of trust with that source of power and love. We have to believe we will be caught, and accordingly, be willing to fall.

Picture courtesy of Ali

My husband and I have done some pretty crazy things in this life: parted ways for 2 years while madly in love (for a service mission), started a family young (yes, intentionally *gasp*), decided to home school (*pointing* I see those bobbing heads!), wrote a musical... But by far, the craziest thing we've ever done was move to New York City.

In part, it was because of the musical. In part, it was what we felt we needed to do. So, seven months pregnant with #3, we packed up a car and my hubby drove cross country while I searched online job listings. Insane? Yup.

After staying with his grandparents in New Jersey for two weeks (the exact amount of time allowed by their housing community), my husband miraculously found a job in NYC. It was in an industry he'd been inspired to study for the last 3 years, despite the unfavorable circumstances around his studies. Not only that, the expected job searching window was a minimum of 3 months in the city, and the number of openings for that specialty? They were very limited. --And really, after having lived there, I'm in awe at how the timetable played out. By all logic, it shouldn't have. He had only one day to go house searching before starting his new job, and again, a search that typically takes weeks, came together in a single day. His brother decided at the same time he was going to return to school at Columbia University, and we were suddenly able to share a moving truck. We ended up having the exact amount of money needed to move, while our funds should not have been sufficient.

Coincidence? Perhaps. But I've only told you half the story. There's no doubt in my mind a greater force was out there, paving our path and making the impossible possible. I trust that power, because of the experiences I've had, because it's the ultimate source of peace, because I'd be lost without it.

Who do you trust?