By Kimmie Easley
It's hard to believe
2013 is almost over. This year has flown by for me, albeit a whirlwind of
awesomeness. My husband and I bought acreage. I went to my first writing
conference. My sweet girl turned the big thirteen. I made a plethora of amazing
connections, many of whom I know will remain lifelong friends. Oh, and let’s
not forget, I published my first book, Souls Set Free. *First of many*
With 2014 just days
away, it has me asking. What’s next?
I’m sure the year will
hold its fair share of milestones. The one I’m most excited about is the
release of Gutter Princess, my new contemporary romance novel. Seeing it come
to life has been a long road. It follows the story of Baby Jade, a New Orleans
native trying to navigate her way through the underworld of exotic dancing and
caring for an unstable mother when a very hot, mysterious, and unexpected love
interest named Lucky drops into her lap. Actually, I guess it kind of happened
the other way around. (Ba-dump-bump)
Gutter Princess, much
like Souls Set Free, is about self-redemption. We all find ourselves, at some
point in our lives, not liking who we are. Maybe we don’t like the rut we’re
in, or the job. Maybe we’ve made mistakes, a wrong turn in a relationship, a
financial blunder, or indulged in one too many cupcakes (if there is such a
thing).
No matter what pitfall
you find yourself in, the important thing to remember, other than the fact that
it’s only temporary, is you’re the only one who can change it. I came across
this quote by Barbara de Angelis, “No one is in control of your
happiness but you; therefore, you have the power to change anything about
yourself or your life that you want to change.” I know the
sentiment is a little cheesy, but that doesn’t devalue its merit.
Self-loathing is a
miserable way to live. Life is too short to be unhappy, something Baby Jade has
yet to understand.
So, as I anticipate
2014, I can’t help but think of the old cliché: New Year’s resolutions. Some
don’t believe in resolutions, so far sake of argument; we’re going to call them
goals. Here are a few tips I thought might help me achieve my goals for the
year, personal, as well as professional, and I wanted to share!
1. Be
specific in your goals. Regardless of what you’re looking to achieve, be
specific with your strategy.
2. Make
your goal public. Share your goal with friends and family, allowing yourself
some much needed support and encouragement.
3. Track
your progress. This is especially helpful with financial and health related
goals.
4. Be
prepared to change some habits. Yes, I said be prepared for CHANGE. *shudder*
5. Write
down your goals, it helps to visualize the outcome.
6. MOST
IMPORTANTLY: Forgive yourself. Forgive yourself for past behavior. Forgive
yourself for not getting it (whatever ‘it’ may be) exactly right. Forgive
yourself if you fall of the wagon and hop back on. Stumbling is part of the
journey.
This is where I see a
lot of myself in my characters. Emma from Souls Set Free traveled a horrific
road before forgiving herself and being able to find joy in her destiny. And
Baby Jade’s story is definitely one for the books (hint, hint). It’s a daily struggle
for some of us to remember we hold the power to our own happiness.
So for the next 365 days
I will make every effort to choose happiness. To choose success. To choose to
not only conquer the year, but also revel in my accomplishments. I will publish
books, I will make lifelong friends, I will be a stronger mother and wife, and
I will push myself to be better in all that I do.
Happy New Year’s to you
and yours! CHEERS!
