Thankful Thursday

Big Smiles!

Some days, it’s just enough to be thankful for your health, other days there are blessings dropping from the sky like crisp autumn leaves – in abundance! Honor them all, big and small.

“A year from now you may wish you had started today.” -Karen Lamb

Today, I am thankful for…

NaNoWriMo season!!!! AND…drumroll,   I HAVE A SOLID working IDEA for this year’s novel! *Squeee!!*

My Daily emails from Bob Proctor, who sends me motivating quotes, many of which inspire these posts!

My amazing “second family” – my silly, sweet and supportive coworkers.

Haunted Houses and the fuel it added to my Novel idea fire. Went here on Sunday with my oldest >> The Eleventh Hour

Edy’s Pumpkin Ice Cream. Just Eat it. Seriously.

What/who are you thankful for today? Tap into the gratitude and see how it frees your mind for creativity. Share!

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I’m so thankful for my readers!! Please SUBSCRIBE and be part of my secret inner circle, which is getting Larger! ; )

Winner!

Today’s Thankful Thursday is being interrupted to announce the winner of Kathy Handley’s Birds of Paradise…

Randomly selected from those who left a comment, the winner is…

Sandi Hershenson

Congrats, Sandi!  I sent you an email with details. Thank you to Kathy for her inspirational post and to all my readers who stopped by.  Keep us posted on your progress with those writing contests.

Quick list of love:

• My followers!
• My Man
• My boys
• Pumpkin Spice Lattes
• Deep purple Nailpolish
• Led Zepplin (I’m adding to my LAKE RESORT NOVEL’s playlist and Zepplin figures prominently.)

Who do you LOVE ??

 

Thankful Thursday

Big Smiles!

Filling your heart with gratitude actually manifests more good things in your life. Don’t believe me? Try it!

 

“One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon – instead of enjoying the roses blooming outside our windows today.”

~ Dale Carnegie, 1888-1955, Author

Today, I am thankful for…

Autumn leaves a-flame in brilliant oranges, reds and purples on the trees outside my window.

A family party where I spent quality time with my favorite cousins!

Keeping up with my daily writing practice.

Gas prices are coming down…

The beautiful essay my oldest son wrote about his Great-Grandma. (proud mama!)

What/who are you thankful for today? Tap into the gratitude and see how it frees your mind for creativity. Share!

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I’m so thankful for my readers!! Please SUBSCRIBE and be part of my secret inner circle ; )

Thankful Thursday

Big Smiles!

Shout from the rooftops! Sing in your car! Dance in your kitchen! Be grateful. Fully. Every day.

“I do not think of all the misery, but of the glory that remains. Go outside into the fields, nature and the sun, go out and seek happiness in yourself and in God. Think of the beauty that again and again discharges itself within and without you and be happy.”
– Anne Frank

Today, I am thankful for…

A very unique tool with coaching: The Image Center. Check out the fab coach, Michelle Russell I worked with this week.  Ask about 30 minute “session.”

Heather Sellers. I bow down to you, oh wise one. You read my mind and sync my soul. Read her book to know what I’m talking about >> Page After Page

Though it’s raining a bit more than my liking, I LOVE FALL!!!

Trying to open my mind, my soul, my perception of self and others.

The unexpected “a book you requested has arrived!” from my library. Do you HEART your library?

What/who are you thankful for today? Tap into the gratitude and see how it frees your mind for creativity. Share!

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I’m so thankful for my readers!! Please SUBSCRIBE and be part of my secret inner circle ; )

Thankful Thursday

Big Smiles!

Some days, it’s just enough to be thankful for your health, other days there are blessings dropping from the sky like crisp autumn leaves – in abundance! Honor them all, big and small.

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Today, I am thankful for…

Not one, but TWO awesome discoveries: Chobani Greek Yogurt – MANGO flavor (yum!!) and the Soundtrack to the movie Whip It (strong female bands, punk feel – great for writing my kick a#$ scenes!)

An exercise from Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook, that may have just turned my entire book on its head – in a GOOD way!

Though I often complain about it, I’m very grateful for my job and for my husband’s job.

My husband’s birthday weekend! Check out where we’ll be on Saturday night:  >>> WhooHoo!

Have to mention it again this week: FALL WEATHER!!!!!! Which means: walks on the trail, driving with the windows down, crock pot meals, cozy family movie nights on the couch, Halloween season, my birthday!!!

What/who are you thankful for today? Tap into the gratitude and see how it frees your mind for creativity. Share!

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I’m so thankful for my readers!! Please SUBSCRIBE and be part of my secret inner circle ; )

Thankful Thursday

Big Smiles!

Are you a Giver or a Taker? I think we need to balance on both sides of the coin. But, remember, give with a grateful heart and receive with a thankful soul.

Some people are always grumbling
because roses have thorns;
I am thankful
that thorns have roses.
~ Alphonse Karr

Today, I am thankful for…

The smell of autumn crisp in the breeze, leaves that begin to crunch.

An excited feeling in my belly that something amazing is on the horizon.

Time to write for two hours last Friday afternoon – and the scene I wrote rich with sensory details and symbolism.

Audio books!! Just finished The History of Love, Nicole Kraus. Now, I’m “reading” Go Put Your Strengths to Work, Marcus Buckingham.

Warm fuzzies still floating around my head and heart from this year’s Summer Writing Studio! (I’m working on a series of posts from the  prompts & exercises we  used in Studio)

What/who are you thankful for today? Tap into the gratitude and see how it frees your mind for creativity. Share!

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I’m so thankful for my readers!! Please SUBSCRIBE and be part of my secret inner circle ; )

Thankful Thursday…And ebook winner!

Big Smiles!

First, ebook winner announcement:

 

Though over 120 visitors passed through and read Amira’s  interview,

Allison Gardner 

was the only one who was savvy enough to leave a comment – Congrats, Allison! You won a copy of Amira Aly’s ebook: Egypt: The Uprising. Please send me your email address and Amira will forward the ebook to you. (mjcwriter”at”comcast”dot”net)

“ Ninety percent of the population wish positive but think negative.                 

                      ~ Mark Sanbourn, Speaker

Today, I am thankful for…

A Week off from my day  job to teach some amazing, creative and energetic kids in my Young Writers’ Summer Studio (prompts & tips I used will be posted next week!)

AWESome list of helpful tips on setting goals for writers

The peace in my home since we banned all electronics until after dinnertime.

The beginnings of “clutter clear out” in my home – specifically my writing area.

Gorgeous cool weather and bright sunshine which added to a fun day lingering in Downtown Downers Grove with my two sons.

What/who are you thankful for today? Tap into the gratitude and see how it frees your mind for creativity. Share!

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I’m so thankful for my readers!! Please SUBSCRIBE and be part of my secret inner circle ; )

Thankful Thursday

Big Smiles!

As writers, we need to step outside ourselves and connect with the positive energy around us. And give back.

 

“We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.”

Cynthia Ozick
Writer

Today, I am thankful for…

Gearing up for week of writing glee with my students during Young Writers’ Summer Writing Studio!

I can get thru Turbo Jam without losing consciousness

Won a  book giveaway (Sara Zarr, How to Save a Life) courtesy of :  http://livinglittlewomen.blogspot.com/

Read a really great post about being mindful – living in the present :  http://zenhabits.net/ritual/

Lucky enough to spend a Saturday with my favorite cousins and uncles! Muah! 

What/who are you thankful for today? Tap into the gratitude and see how it frees your mind for creativity. Share!

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I’m so thankful for my readers!! Please SUBSCRIBE and be part of my secret inner circle ; )

Thankful Thursday

Big Smiles!

As writers, we need to step outside ourselves and connect with the positive energy around us. And give back.

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Today, I am thankful for…

Getting to meet Maggie Stiefvater in person and having her sign not only all 3 books in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series, but my canvas writing bag, as well!

Listening to the soundtrack from Into the Wild and dreaming of my future.

That my family respects and honors my time and space to workout daily.

Turbo Jam! Woot! Woot!

A flurry of young writers anxious to sign up for the Summer Writing Studio! (Hurry! Only a few spaces left!)

What/who are you thankful for today? Tap into the gratitude and see how it frees your mind for creativity. Share!

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I’m so thankful for my readers!! Please SUBSCRIBE and be part of my secret inner circle ; )

Thankful Thursday

Big Smiles!

As writers, we need to step outside ourselves and connect with the positive energy around us. And give back.

  “When you are grateful fear disappears and abundance appears.” ~ Anthony Robbins

Today, I am thankful for…

Delicious cool breezes to break up the soupy hot weather we’ve been having.

Audio Books! Just finished an inspiring one by Lisa Nichols – NO MATTER WHAT. Now onto David Allen’s GETTING THINGS DONE.

Reading time with my 7-year-old, complete with cuddles, of course!

Hike in the woods with my husband over the weekend, and the much-needed conversation about our future goals and how to achieve them together. (hint: I have a NEW focus, more later!)

Inspiring my boys to be more active, as they watch me sweat to Jillian Michael’s DVD’s and my trainer’s list of resistance workoutss (ouch!)

What/who are you thankful for today? Tap into the gratitude and see how it frees your mind for creativity. Share!

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I’m so thankful for my readers!! Please SUBSCRIBE and be part of my secret inner circle ; )