Category Archives: be a doer

Are You Experiencing Inspiration Frustration Like Me?

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Finding inspiration is a fickle thing. This fickle pickle must be figured out.

I feel like I used to be inspired to write MUCH more than I am these days. I’d have a fleeting thought and it would hit me — I should write about that! I think it’s partly because I’m not traveling as much. For some reason I do some of my best writing when I’m flying!

So, as I write this, I’m sitting at the bar of a local brew-pub just before 5pm. On my laptop. I had a business meeting here for lunch and brought my laptop, as I thought the change of scenery might do me some good.

That darned Marie Kondo has me all sorts of distracted in my home office these days!! #sparkjoy

Other than the woman next to me who needs to be introduced to her inside voice, I’m strangely motivated. I simply popped in my earbuds once she got going, and I’m focusing better than I was at home.

Why is this!?! There’s got to be some sort of neuro reason for it, right?

A simple change of scenery might be all it takes to take your thoughts to a whole other place. I have a HUGE list of things I need to get done for my own business and my clients. At home I also didn’t feel quite the sense of urgency I’m feeling now.

I told this prospect at lunch today that I’m a writer at my core. Writing is my superpower… in addition to parallel parking, of course. And I really need to get going again!

To get inspiration to write I’m hereby pledging to do the following things on the regular:

  • Get out of my home office more often.
  • Write quick notes when things hit me (no novel needs to be written on a fleeting thought).
  • Take at least 10-15-minutes per day for some quiet time–getting off my computer and into only my HEAD should spark some stuff.
  • READ MORE–good writers are good readers, and I tend to turn the TV on much too frequently. #damnnetflix

What about you? What inspires you? Of course, it doesn’t have to be about writing… have you also gotten into an un-inspired funk you need to snap out of? I’d love your tips!

Here’s to being 1/12th into the year and getting at it.

Deep Thoughts on Travel

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Inspired. Incredibly Inspired Again by Travel.

Lisbon is one of the absolute BEST cities I’ve ever traveled to alone! I love London (here now for the 5th time in my life as I write this post), but people never chat me up here like in Lisbon!! It’s extraordinary, really. So… I’m trying to put my finger on why exactly…

Lisbon is smaller, and so many of the people out and about are tourists looking to meet other people (vs. a bigger city where locals are out enjoying the bars)? Maybe. London locals I know have even admitted to me that Londoners tend to be a bit “colder” than people in other cities.

Portuguese people (aka, the bartenders/servers) are just friendlier in general? That is part of it. I will also say it was a ratio of about 90% men to 10% women. That probably worked to my advantage ?. It was likely a combination of all of that. Oh, and apparently because of the time of year I was like a unicorn (American woman! Named Megan! Was a big deal for one German guy).

I can say without question I had some of the most interesting, fun, and infuriating (< yes, you read that right, and it didn’t even involve politics!) conversations of ANY city/trip I’ve been on in all my travels!

Being honest, I didn’t see as much of the city or take day trips outside the city like I wanted to because my nights were LATE! But it was worth it. I’m so enriched by the city, and its people, and the other tourists I got to know that I would do it all exactly the same way again. Oh, and I’ll go back for SURE.

Solo Traveler

Many people have a hard time wrapping their heads around how or why I like to travel alone. I love my friends, and I have wonderful experiences with them, but I never meet people like I do when I’m alone! It’s just different (and easier)… I relish my solo travel because I rarely feel “alone.”

I know I’m so fortunate to live this life. And even more motivated to write the damn book already!!

Now, time for work while in London, which was the original reason for the trip! Thankfully my work is also incredibly fun.

 

Do. Do what you love. I’ve said it before… Be a doer. No matter what it is!! ✌?

P.S. It may or may not be worth noting that I wrote this while at a London sports bar waiting to watch Monday Night Football (they were kind enough to put it on for me)… after it was clear no one wanted to socialize with me! ?

Be a Doer

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I think there’s an epidemic afoot. This epidemic is called being stuck. What makes people stuck? Part of it is fear. Fear of failure, fear of success (no, really), fear of the unknown… or all of the above.
What I hear from people A LOT is “you’re so lucky” when referring to my travels or the sporting events I attend. Lucky? I struggle with how to take that because I know I’m fortunate, but luck has nothing to do with it. I work hard for one, but I’m also a “doer.”
So many people sit on the sidelines and watch other people do. I’m not saying people don’t have financial struggles or reasons for not being able to “do” things, but I strongly believe it’s possible for everyone to DO.
Game 5 NLCS Giants clincher last week!
If you’ve always wanted to get to Europe? Create a plan to get there. Figure out when you can get off of work and for how long, get estimates on how much it’s going to cost… And start to save. If attending a baseball playoff game seems like an impossibility? It isn’t. I simply got online and found tickets I could afford. Period. There’s no secret sauce! 
The thing is you can apply this to all parts of your life. I’m reading a book right now by Jen Sincero called “You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life.” There are so many quotes I could share, but one that stands out is this: “Living a life on purpose is available to everyone.” It’s the notion that things reveal themselves through doing and not thinking. Everything you do along the journey contributes to where you want to “get”… I learned early in my career that it’s about the journey and not the destination. Trust your gut and make your move!
I know I don’t have certain things that might prevent me from “doing,” but I also create opportunities for myself because I’m a doer. The next time you find yourself thinking “Man, I wish I could do that,” STOP and ask yourself WHY not? You might just discover that you can, and perhaps you can get unstuck and be a doer too.