I knew the process of creating and publishing my book would evolve in unexpected ways. One of the main takeaways that I write about in the book is to follow the path where your creativity guides you. It’s good to have a plan, but your creative spirit may alter the plan in surprising ways.
I just wrote the 6-week process book on this, so you think I’d really understand this? Right? Well…I had to relearn it this past week. It can be challenging to accept the gifts the Universe tries to give you.
Growing Your Creativity, The Live Your Life with Joy Workbook is about to burst forth into the world. I had the final details to put in the book, which I was going to do this weekend, in order to give my printer, plenty of time before my December 1 deadline. I had just promoted my book launch and party on social media on Tuesday.
On Wednesday I got a call that my church was having an Artisan’s Bazaar on Sunday and I should be a part of it. My immediate thought was, “No, my book isn’t ready.” But I ran to my printer to see if he could rush out a few copies and he said yes. That evening I made the final edits and prepped the files for printing. On Thursday morning, before I had even brought the files to my printer, I got another call from another friend. She was unavoidably out-of-town and did I want her exhibition booth at Saturday’s big event, the Louisiana Book Festival!
Wow! I knew this was a gift and still surprisingly my immediate thought was, “No, I can’t”. I didn’t have enough books and I had a weekend packed with chores that needed to be done. But yet again, I ran to my printer to see if I could get enough books and again he said yes.
I’m one of those people, who doesn’t know what they are thinking until I say it out loud, so I voiced my concerns to my co-workers, who know my book journey. I was told, “Connie, you’re ready, your next year plans have just started early, forget the weekend chores, follow your dream”.
So, I said yes.
Because I had done the prep work, I was able to make it happen.
That prep work included having real relationships from networking, real relationships with my vendors, and friends and family who want to help me make my dreams happen. I have people in my life like my sweetie, Steve, who thinks of practical things like buying a cart to haul everything.
So, I showed up.
People who didn’t know me bought my book! I was also glad I was able have my friend Dima Ghawi’s amazing memoir, Breaking Vases for sale too. I had written a rare book blog review for her book last year, so I knew her story. Since I was sitting under a sign that said Breaking Vases, A Middle Eastern Woman’s Story, I needed a connection between our books, because people read the sign and then looked at me slightly confused. I realized our seemingly different books shared a similarity. They are about creative journeys. Both stories resonated and both books sold.
The weekend was a real gift, made possible by a cosmic push. I had deep, meaningful conversations with so many people about how life and creativity are intertwined; about paying attention to the coincidences that happen to you; about how you need to tend to your creative roots so your life can blossom. I know the lessons from my book can be transformative and sometimes, you have to get out of your way and weed the negative thoughts that say you can’t follow your dream.
Say yes to your dream. Say it out loud. Do the prep work and create a plan that you can make happen. Plant your creative seeds and watch them grow. You can do it.
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Connie McLeod 