2021 - The year that has gotten away.

 It's October 18. 

October.

18th.

Where has this year gone?

I mean sure. There have been struggles in the personal and family life that directly affect the productivity of the professional life, and I believe that family should always come first. But... OCTOBER? 18th?

Seems like this time last year I was full of hope and dreams and... ya.

We all know what 2020 and 2021 have been like. No matter who you are and where you live you have been affected. I pray you are safe.

Moving on.

I have found myself in a position where I can focus more on my pseudo-hobbies while still working at my place of employment. I am not teaching aside from homeschool my 16 yo at this point and am enjoying the ability to explore areas I have not in recent years.

My focus in my downtime is still writing. I have a project that involves lots of writing I am doing with my job and I am working on another non-fiction book. My next book has the tentative title "I Call Him Lord". The title is subject to change as the book comes to completion. It will be a full-length book and I pray I can get the bulk of it done in the next two months. I have researched off and on the last few years, so it is really a matter of pulling all the research together and putting it in the correct format.

Once I have that book finished, I have one fiction book that at this time looks to be a stand-alone book and then another that will head a series. Both of these are WIP that has been set on the shelf for now.

Hobby-wise, I have decided to see if I can get back into crochet. I used to crochet as a child and when arthritis grasped my hands as a teen I quit. Just like cross-stitch and embroidery. I would like to return to those as well. :) I also sketch and do photography. 

Professionally, I am working on my graphic design skills. I taught desktop publishing for a few years and I want to get back at the top of my game with it. (It also helps with marketing and self-publishing.)

So that's my update for now. 

Faith

P.S. Don't forget that Advent: A Journey of Preparation is available on Amazon!

Do What You Love, right?

originally posted on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/20140807163954-76982850-do-what-you-love-right

It was a dark and stormy night, oh wait.. that belongs to Charles Schulz.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, opps... that one belongs to Charles Dickens.

An old anthem that I have held on to for the majority of my adult life has been to find a job doing what you love and everything else will fall into place.

Imagine my shock when I discovered that the old anthem I have held on to is not always true.

I love to write. Writing is a creative outlet for me and can be quite therapeutic. I am able to write in several different style and enjoy writing. I have discovered however, that my career should not be focused solely on writing.

Successful people have a hobby. They have something they enjoy doing that is not a requirement of life. That is not to say that your hobby can not supplement your career.

That said, I find it interesting with a few people I know that have hobbies closely related to their career. An accounting supervisor that relaxes with Sudoku, she still adds up those numbers. A graphic designer that does landscape photography as a hobby.

This gist of doing what you love is to have an element that you can enjoy without it being a requirement. A person may love photography and enjoy taking pictures, but once that is their career it is very possible to get burned out doing it.

Everything in life is moderation. If you want to do what you love, look for a company that will provide the career you desire and has the benefits that you need while possessing a positive work environment.