Author Tip…
Add a Moment of Delight to Your Day … Every Day this Year!
When FALL falls in, common words many use are GRATEFUL and GRATITUDE. Two wonderful words. Grateful for others, for work, for life … you name it.
Throughout the year, major holidays scoot to the stage for their annual celebrations. Fall and early winter are dominant.
As Thanksgiving and November nudges in, we are continually reminded to be grateful for others, work, life, the gifts and skills you have, food on the table, shelter … you name it. Friends and families gather and it’s common to share our gratefulness for them, and for others.
Christmas and Hanukkah are the biggies in December in my part of the world. For others and their faiths, there are many special days and events that are celebrated around the world.
And then January kicks off a global New Year. Resolutions are made … most are broken, ignored, or abandoned within a month.
I’m for taking a new approach for 2024. The approach of the DELIGHT FACTOR. I love to laugh. To learn new things. To discover surprises that add to my existing knowledge or open a new door. To experience a new skill. To call a friend to share a story, something I read, saw, or was revealed to me. Any of the above delights me. Any can make my morning, afternoon, and evening.
But, and it’s a huge BUT, we … you … are blasted in an ongoing basis of the woes of everything.
You hear it on anything media, social media, movies, books, neighborhoods, colleagues, and of course, the volcanic flow of political rhetoric.
It’s exhausting. Over the years, I’ve mastered the art of compartmentalizing and block stuff that clutters my moving forward. Still, all the noise and negativity that is available can create slowdowns and interruptions.
For 2024, I promise myself that I will find, discover, and share one thing that DELIGHTS me. Just one thing will do the trick. It can be a laugh, is endearing, or even a sigh that sends a calming tone through my body. It could come from something I see, hear, or experience. Whatever it is, it leaves me with a smile and DELIGHTS me.
As December 31 arrived, I had promised myself that all the Christmas trimmings would come down and be put away. In my home, that’s a lot of stuff–six rooms on the main floor. Over 20 bins were packed up. The outside would have to wait at least a week for the snow to melt so I could remove and pack up exterior lights that cover front, side, and back yards–all visible from the street. Two friends arrived to help me for a few hours in the afternoon. Julie took on removing all the poinsettias from the tree and cleared the mantle. Three bins were filled. Brian moved those and the ones I filled from the bath, entryway, kitchen bar, and library to the garage for storage. Julie and I started in on the dining room table. Four more bins were filled.
I worked into the evening, moving more bins to the laundry area, stacking them four high in three columns to be moved the next day to the garage when another set of hands would drop into move them to the garage. I was so grateful to have the task done and their help.
One of the gifts I got this year was a Vera Bradley large purple carry that was loaded … you guessed it … with purple-related goodies. I was grateful for the gift from Jill and smiled as I did the artsy thing, totally DELIGHTED with what I turned my dining room table into … a purple decoration feast of treasures to enjoy at the entrance and when I have dinner guests. A smile spread across my face as the table centerpiece was arranged.
I have knee replacement surgery scheduled for next month. I’ve done it twice before, so know what I’m getting into. My right leg has not been well, with lots of pain. Sleep and mobility has been a challenge. Most who know me well, know that I often slip into the hot tub to warm my joints up in the early morning before starting my coaching/writing day. For the last week, it wasn’t happening after I attempted to step up and out and fell back into the tub, achieving some nasty bruising on both my legs.
On New Years’ Day, I decided to make a go of it. I had a good night’s sleep. No pain for the first time in two weeks. In Colorado and other cold weather states, the Polar Plunge is a common thing. A fast dip into the cold waters. Craziness, but fun I guess for those who partake.
I don’t do cold waters, hot is my thing. But I did have some snow still on the deck. Thinking, Judith, you can do a Reverse Polar Plunge. Out I went, barefoot of course and wrapped in my large lime green towel. A large hot mug of tea in hand. Yup, the snow was a tad chilly as I removed the tub cover, then quickly stepped into the tub. Ahh … this is divine as I took my first sip.
I was definitely DELIGHTED with the bubbling water and my first mug of hot tea. Thirty minutes later, my tea was gone and it was time to exit. Would I be able to step up and out? Would I be able to without falling?
Success … I did it. And DELIGHTED with myself. After dressing, I headed to the kitchen to make breakfast for John. “You did it,” he said.
“Yes, YES I did,” was my response with a big grin. And the rest of my day was seed with the DELIGHT Factor.
My 2024 Challenge for YOU … Each day, write down what delights you. Remember, it can be something small or huge. It doesn’t matter. Something that gave you a sense of DELIGHT. Take it another step … why not post it on your social media? And, why not share it directly with me via my email: Judith@Briles dot com. I just may create a monthly or quarterly blog and do a shout-out for you.
Happy New Year.
Dr. Judith Briles is a book publishing expert and coach. Often, she must roll up her writing sleeves and become a Book Doctor, juicing up storylines and author words. She empowers authors and works directly with authors who want to be seriously successful and has been writing about and conducting workshops on publishing since the ’80s. Judith is the author of 45 books including Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms, Snappy Sassy Salty: Success for Authors and Writers, and How to Create a Million Dollar Speech. Her personal memoir When God Says NO-Revealing the YES When Adversity and Loss Are Present is a #1 bestseller on Amazon and her historical fiction debut The Secret Journey. Collectively, her books have earned over 50 book awards. Judith speaks throughout the year at publishing conferences.
Throughout the year, she holds Judith Briles Book Unplugged in-person and online experiences: Publishing, Speaking, Marketing, and Social Media. All are two-day intensives limited to a small group of authors who want to be seriously successful. Join Judith live for the “AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing” podcast on the Toginet Radio Network HERE.
Follow @AuthorUYOUBooks and @MyBookShepherd on Twitter and do a “Like” at AuthorYOU, and join the Facebook group Book Publishing with The Book Shepherd. If you want to create a book that has no regrets, contact her.
©2024 Judith Briles – The Book Shepherd™ All Rights Reserved.