The support emails that have been coming in since yesterday’s blog have really helped.
Regarding smoking again, my brother Jerry said, “Remember, failure isn’t failure unless you don’t plan on trying again.” Isn’t that great?
My sister Sally and her intrepid husband Jim are on their way up from Salem for a New Years visit. I can hardly tell you how much that means to me right now.
As you all know, I miss my dad. But I know what he’d say to me right now, because he said it during so many other difficult times.
“Take hold, Sis.”
That’s what I’m going to do. Take hold, do whatever I can right now.
Yesterday, because I felt so blue, I made myself write 20 things that are good about this situation. (Being snowed in, with more storms on the way, and being depressed.) You know what? I DID come up with 20. In fact, I could have done even more.
There are always things to be grateful for. It just takes a little more work when you feel the way I’m feeling now.
As for the List of 20, that’s a technique Debbie Macomber and I gleaned from a long-ago Brian Tracy seminar. We’ve both used it to great effect–especially to come up with story ideas. I’ve written about it before, I’m sure, but just in case you haven’t heard about it and it would come in handy, here’s how it goes:
Whatever the problem, goal, etc., you get some paper and a pen or pencil and ask yourself, What are 20 things I could do about this…?
Then you just write. There’s only one rule, and that’s no judging. Anything goes. The first few answers will probably be ridiculous, and that’s okay. Keep going. You’ll get to the good stuff if you just keep writing.
That’s my truth for today. I still feel pretty rocky, but I’m determined to Take Hold.
About Linda
The daughter of a town marshal, Linda Lael Miller is a #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of more than 100 historical and contemporary novels, most of which reflect her love of the West.
Raised in Northport, Washington, Linda pursued her wanderlust, living in London and Arizona and traveling the world before returning to the state of her birth to settle down on a horse property outside Spokane.
