And Now For Something Completely Different...

I've been thinking a lot about this blog and where I want it to go, if anywhere. I've been attempting to create an industry blog, because that's what I thought I should be doing. (I have a bad habit of 'shoulding' on myself, I'm working on it....) However, the more I tried, the less I found I had to say. Hence the long, vapid gaps between posts. This left me questioning whether I was on the right track or not, and if I should be doing the blog thing at all. 

I'm going through a difficult time in my personal life right now, and it's really got me thinking. About who I am, who I want to be, and how I can get there. A biggie for me is to live an authentic life. What does that look like? It's me, knowing what my values are, and making decisions based on those values (ie: what's right for me! Now there's a concept!) It's also reminding me that I have things to say, and if I am going to honour myself, I need to honour those things in me that need saying, and say them. Whether it's to a friend, or my kid, or myself, I need to speak up and let my voice be heard. 

So, I've decided to take this blog, this voice if you will, in a new direction. I will still talk about writing - the struggle, the joys, the craft - because that's a big part of who I am. But I will also talk about other things. Things I'm learning in my life, things I'm struggling with, things I question. I believe there are a lot of people out there looking for someone they can relate to, someone that is honest about their life and their struggles. None of us want to feel alone, and sometimes that's what life does to us....it isolates us, or we isolate ourselves, and pretty soon we find ourselves feeling like we are the only ones in the universe who has ever felt this way. And it's not true! We just have to look around, look outside of ourselves. 

So, a big thank you to my (very few!) readers who have checked in up to this point, and a very big welcome to anyone who's new to my little world. I hope you find something here that will encourage you, make you smile, or just reassure you that you're not alone in whatever you're going through. 

Oh, and in case you're wondering about the new title? Something I've learned recently, and continue to remind myself of, is that everything in life is a stepping stone to something else. Every tiny victory, every time we make a choice that is right for us, and no-one else, is a stepping stone to becoming the person we were created to be. When I look at life that way, it puts everything in perspective. I'm not there yet. But I'm just another stepping stone away. 

Putting one foot in front of the other,

V