Days of Inspiration for the New Year!

Years ago I had a far-away, in-the-clouds, somewhere-over-the-rainbow dream of becoming an author. But I never believed I'd really achieve it because I never really believed in myself. Then one day, after lots of life exploration I wrote a little book called Men, Money & Chocolate and it changed my life. So, what was once a seemingly impossible dream has become an easy reality, yet nothing changed but me. These next 33 days of inspiration are a compilation of some of the significant life lessons that I learnt along the way...

"It is never too late to be what you might have been." -- George Eliot

It's tempting to lament the years that have passed with your dreams (seeming to) drift by unfulfilled. But it's a temptation best resisted, whenever you can. Firstly, because it won't effect anything except to make you feel too depressed to take positive action. Secondly, because it's a great waste of your creative spirit! Instead apply that time and energy towards doing brilliant things right now: taking little steps that will take you closer to your dream. Write a few sentences of your novel, for example. Or send out an email, or make a phone call... It doesn't matter at all if it's brilliantly executed or not. The only thing that matters is that you do it!

Fun tip: As my years ticked by, still unpublished, I inspired myself with a list of writers who achieved greatness late in life: Richard Adams: 52, Annie Proulx: 57, Harriet Doerr: 73, Laura Ingalls Wilder: 63, Frank McCourt: 64, Raymond Chandler: 51, Mary Wesley: 72, Whenever I felt sorry for myself I'd look to that list and feel much better.