I sold my first book today! This is seriously exciting. I heard not long ago that when you start facing the things that scare you, then you are going the right direction. I am not sure if that is true or not, but publishing has been enticing, yet scary at the same time. I sure have a lot to say, and it is time to reinvent myself, so here I go… facing what scares me.

I will be building my website so that I can keep straight the things that I am focused on. Focus… that is such a funny word. How do you focus when you have so many things going through your head? Focus… back on track. I will be building a business, via my blogging and via my website, as I take all the experiences that I have built within the first half century of my life, and prepare for the potential of being laid off from my latest job, where I thought I had reinvented myself. I really thought I would be there until retirement… something completely different, completely other than what I had done for the first 27 years of my career.

I have never been a sales person, per say. I can’t sell ice cubes to an Eskimo, or water to a fish, nor can I sell wicker and brass furniture to people who are struggling with their finances… but that is a story for another time. What I found to be my passion is helping people connect… with each other, with needed resources, with their own passions. My goal is to create a space that is safe to ask questions, to find a connection, to find resources, to find information.

So, here goes…

1. School Counselor for Parents: Parenting is difficult even in the good moments. What about when parents are trying to advocate for their children within a school system? That can be truly intimidating. And how do they work with their kids to help them develop what is needed in order to find their own career pathway? My goal is to use my extensive research and counseling background to help these busy parents, connecting them with the right resources, and helping them as they continue to  train their children “in the way they should go.” As a service to parents in the Southern Arizona region, I will offer my services to speak with them in person. Check out my website for further details and ideas. Let’s start a conversation that could help many with the same needs.
2. Musings from the Middle: The other day, I realized that I had been so busy, I was smack dab in the middle years of my life. When did I become middle aged? And, boy oh boy, are there challenges here in the middle! I am sure that I am not the only woman to find themselves in this situation. So, let’s have a conversation!
3. Toby and Friends: Did I mention that I sold my first book today? I (sort of) followed the advice of a webinar speaker that I watched based on a Facebook ad, and was able to take a book that I have held on to for about 16 years and publish it today. I will be creating a page for this set of books (yes- there are more to come!) so that we can have a place to share our pet stories. I certainly LOVE my fur babies, as I am sure many others do as well. If this helps people even a little, I am glad to share my stories. First book, Toby’s World Turned Upside Down, can be found on Amazon, currently on Kindle, but soon to be hardcover as well.
4. Trinity Tails: During my years as a school counselor, I remember discussions with colleagues about needing picture books to help illustrate a concept/lesson that they needed to deliver in their classes, or in group sessions. I will be collaborating with a few of my colleagues to create a set of stories, including activities and lesson plans, specifically for school counselors. We will focus on College and Career Readiness, though I imagine we will also create further stories in the Personal/Social domains as well. Stay tuned!
5. A Few of My Favorite Things: I have sold pretty much everything that you can sell out of your home during my years as a teacher and school counselor. As I said before, I am not very good at being a high pressure sales person, so these ventures rarely worked out very well. What I do have fun with, though, is connecting people fun things that I enjoy. I will have a page on my website that will be fun things that I recommend, such as books, household items, gifts, and other fun things. I am currently on a kick of decreasing the amount of harmful chemicals in my home, and looking for ways to create healthier alternatives for my family. I will share all of this with whoever would like to browse through my favorite things.

I believe in setting goals, and making a public statement will keep me accountable for moving forward with what is very intimidating to me. I can talk to anyone face to face, and I am not afraid to speak in public, to either small or large groups. I am completely intimidated by the cyber world, though. So, this is the way I will go… facing what scares me. My prayer is that God will use anything in this medium to help someone. Then, it will all be worth it!

With much love and anticipation,

Lynda