Back in the Saddle Again . . . and Cookbook Update!

What do you do when you fall off a horse? You get up and get back in the saddle again!

But sometimes, you need to take a minute and brush yourself off before you set foot in the stirrup.

At the end of last year, I decided to take a few months off to reassess where I wanted to go with my writing and books. I was pulled in too many directions (too many irons in the fire) and overwhelmed and exhausted.

I needed to stop, go within, and figure out what I wanted to do.

I slept. A lot. Stress had flared up my chronic fatigue and put me back in bed for a bit. It gave me the time I needed to just think. And shut out all the outside noise and go within to listen to my intuition.

I read books. I wrote. I journaled. I slept. I thought.

I came across the book Wintering by Katherine May. She wrote about being forced to take time off from life because of illness and named it wintering. I thought, yes, that is what I’m doing too! What a perfect name for it.

After all, winter is a time for drawing within, stillness, and resting, before Spring bursts forth with new energy.

I followed my intuition for everything from what to eat to what to read to what movies to watch. My body craved fruit, especially the little clementine oranges, and the dark red and black grapes. I ate through bags and bags of both. And I started feeling better.

The wintering book taught me to embrace my least favorite season, everything from the cold to the beauty of snow to the quiet stillness of creaking tree branches and quiet bird chirps.

I read voraciously. Sherlock Holmes, poetry, and essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson.  I watched all 6 seasons of Northern Exposure, just to see how Alaskans handled winter.

Slowly, like sap rising in the tree, my energy improved and my thoughts turned towards my books. I bought Nina Amir’s Creative Visualization for Writers and worked through it every day, honing in on where I wanted to go as an author. This workbook helped me more than any other book on writing. I was able to find clear focus again.

After completing the workbook, I finished writing the cookbook I started before I “fell off the horse” so to speak. I just published it on Amazon and it will be live in a day or two! Here’s a sneak peek at the cover!

I just wanted to share my insights into my recent experiences. If you are lost, overwhelmed, or feeling stagnant, turn inwards to your intuition. It will guide you on your path better than any guru!