Sky Photo © by Jim Ruppel

It’s 2013! ~~ Taken from Nina Simone’s Feeling Good”, it truly is a new dawn, a new day, a new life for me and a new year.

I don’t know how you felt when this New Year chimed in but I felt that baggage I carried around my whole life drop off my shoulders New Year’s Eve.

I finally had taken a new road instead of the same old beaten path. With my arms wide open, I welcomed 2013. 

I had worked, it seems like forever, on formatting my e-book correctly for online self-publication and met with some challenges – plus throw a little fear in there. It was the same old stuff: chip away at a project, take a few steps forward and fall more steps back.

This time was different. I finally got my e-book uploaded for submission and after a moment of hesitation I hit “Publish”. The swirling icon came up that it was processing and, “uh-oh, not accepted”. My heart sank but when I looked at the problem it was because I hadn’t finished completing the online submission form.  I did that and hit the ever-loving “Publish” button again. Swirling, swirling and again it came back “not accepted” – another minor adjustment.

By this time, I’m thinking, “What have I started” (those old baggage fears raising their heads again) – “I’ve gone too far now to undo what I’ve done” – “I’m not a techy person. I’m way over my head“. Somehow, I persevered through numerous uploads and downloads, edits and more changes with views on Kindle and EPub, fixing chapter breaks and links, on an on. But I finally did it. I really put something out there for public view that’s not just a PDF link on my site but on a publication list looking like other e-books.

As I looked at the clock, the New Year started tolling and I looked back at my computer screen at my e-book listed online – I felt a release. It was not just a release from the current challenge of that project but a release from all the other challenges I had reverberating back through my life that maybe didn’t turn out so well. I physically felt a load lift from me and I could breathe in deep with a freshness of excitement and anticipation of new adventures.

Knowing, like you, fears and challenges, I would give out a shout to encourage you to take the leap this new year – right now. Do what you’ve wanted to do for years but put off. Maybe you’re afraid – I know. I’ve heard the clichés too. But NOW is the time – now 2013 is the year! Yes, if I can do it – so can you!

Pat – from the ol’ kitchen table

(Note: you can upload my free e-book “Sweet Days of Summer – All is Okay and Other Wisdom Stories” published 12/31/12 on Smashwords.)