January 2014 - from Lisa Marie

Month: January 2014

27
Jan
2014

Let’s Call It Writer’s Lull

categories: Learning

You’ve all heard of writer’s block. I don’t really have a block because that means a lack of ideas, but oh my, I have no lack of ideas! I think writer’s lull is more accurate – a temporary quietness.

Why the lull? I think it might be because I have this misconception that in order to write, I must feel inspired at that moment. If I’m not feelin’ it, I just don’t write – even though I have a long list of things I’d like to write about it. The issue with that is that the writing itself is sometimes the very thing that motivates me to keep going.

I need to remember my One Word for this year ~ Do. It doesn’t mean: Hey, you know, if the stars line up just right and you get every possible chore completed and you’ve had enough coffee for the day ~ Do sit down and write. It means: Do. Write. Write whether it’s good or bad, happy or sad, but write.

Have you been struggling with writing? Maybe you don’t think you’re a writer. Do you blog? Then you’re a writer. Do you journal? Then you’re a writer. Do you read a lot and sometimes think of writing? Then you’re a writer. Aren’t we all writers, really? We write the story of our lives each day through our thoughts, words and actions.

Perhaps ~ A writer is inspired by words hidden in the soul. A writer is fulfilled by words released into the world.

Do. Write. I challenge myself – to write. I challenge you – to write. You can even use my word: Do. {newsflash – I don’t even own that word so you won’t get in trouble for making it your word, too} 🙂

With Love,
from Lisa Marie

15
Jan
2014

One Word 2014 {Do}

categories: Living

Last year was the first time that the whole One Word thing really clicked for me. My word was Diligence. So I thought I’d try a word again this year.

There was nothing earth-shattering about the way this word came to me – it just did and it wouldn’t leave me so I knew it was the one. It’s short and simple: Do. And though the word can be found thousands of times in the Bible, this is one verse I like that uses my One Word:

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31 {emphasis added by me}

You may be thinking…why Do? Aren’t we doing things every day? Yes, of course! But I am a daydreamer and a procrastinator. I’m a gal who likes to really think ideas through before acting on them. I’m a planner and a list-maker. But if I spend too much time thinking and planning, then I never get around to actually DOing. I am able to overthink and talk myself right out of something.

This blog is my first example of Do this year. I could have taken much more time thinking about what I wanted, my vision and purpose, how it should look, who I should ask for advice, etc. But then this blog wouldn’t be here right now. In fact, it may never have existed at all. But I decided…Do. And I did. And I’m glad. 🙂

Now I’m not saying Do as in jump right in and do something crazy with no thought whatsoever! It’s just a reminder to myself when I catch myself spending more time thinking than acting.

I’ll update you a few times through the year on how my One Word is going. How about you? Do you have a One Word focus this year?

With Love,
from Lisa Marie

11
Jan
2014

Because We Want To Feel Smart

categories: Learning

I’m not feeling very smart these days – with this new blog on WordPress. I don’t know my way around and I have to do a little research just to figure out how to set things up that I could have done in my sleep in Blogger. It’s one of the reasons I avoided WordPress for so long.

And I realized – isn’t that one of the reasons why we avoid trying so many new things? Yes, there’s a fear of the unknown and failure. But I think there’s also a desire to feel smart. Not because we want to be better than anybody else, but because we so often feel like we don’t have it all together in this world. When you feel like that, you just want to stay in your comfort zone – where at least some of the time you feel smart and capable. Sometimes that helps you make it to the next day.

Here’s the thing though. You won’t feel smart and capable in something – until.you.actually.do.it. I can do all the reading/talking about WordPress that I want, but until I actually jump in and feel my way around, I will not feel smart here. I can stay in my comfort zone and be smart in some things, but still need to take those little jumps here and there into the unknown.

I’ve been doing that. And I don’t feel smart. But that’s OK. I’m blessed just to have the opportunity to learn something new! How about you? What have you been avoiding/missing out on because you’re afraid of not feeling smart?

Speaking of feeling smart – I did figure out how you can subscribe to my feed: http://fromlisamarie.com/feed/ or subscribe to this blog by e-mail on my sidebar {I’m not smart enough to get you a working link for that instead of going to my sidebar – LOL}. It’s the little things. 🙂

Psssst…you should be feeling smart today because you REALLY ARE smart and capable in more areas of Life than you even realize.

Also, this post is a grammatical nightmare and I sincerely apologize to the Grammar Police.

With Love,
from Lisa Marie

08
Jan
2014

Who Is Lisa Marie?

categories: Sharing

I want to explain why I’m even starting this blog and what my hopes are for it. But first, what about Stop and Smell the Chocolates and all the yummy recipes? They’re not going anywhere! That blog will stay put and I will occasionally post new recipes and anything else that seems a better fit there. All the recipe links will still be there {hey – I use those all the time for cooking} and there will be new content, but it will not be on a regular basis. I plan to write more over on this blog. But why?

My other blog is not a food blog, but will be forever connected with food and chocolate no matter what I do. After 5 years of posting – I have plenty of recipes there but I always feel an obligation to continue putting up recipes. Though I like sharing the food, recipe posts are just not “fun” for me {that’s why I’m not an actual food blogger}. I like writing and I want a space where I feel like I can just be me and write about whatever I feel like. My blogging goals have changed over the years and I no longer have a desire to be a big, well-known blogger or to have a certain number of followers or to work with brands. I have more of a desire to write and connect.

My hope is that I will write about life and connect with you. Maybe you’ll find that we have something in common and you can keep stopping by, like friends meeting for coffee. Maybe you’ll read something that makes you stop and think about your own life and come up with a new idea or solution to a problem. {I used to meet a friend for coffee regularly and we joked that we were solving all the world’s problems during that time.} Maybe you’ll read something that encourages you and makes you hold your head a little higher. Maybe you’ll just stop by to catch your breath and find your smile. I hope that all of those things happen as we journey together here.

I say hopes rather than plans because God has a way of messing up all our plans! I hope that God will help me here in this little writing space. I hope He will give me the right words to say. I hope that He will bring the people here that need the words I write on any particular day. Whether that’s 1 person or 100 people is up to Him. I hope that we will all be blessed by meeting here together.

Who is Lisa Marie? It’s just me. Just a wife, mom, cook, maid, writer, taxi-driver, procrastinator, etc. – you know, like you. You don’t even have to call me Lisa Marie – Lisa is fine. 🙂 {Lisa Marie is just a bit more specific and matches my custom Google+ name.} And why the “from?” My hope is that what I write is something that I share with or give to you. What I write here is from my heart to yours.

Thank you for stopping by!

With love,
from Lisa Marie

07
Jan
2014

Time For Something New…And Fun…Maybe

categories: Learning

Sometimes I get crazy ideas. Like starting a new blog. A new blog that is hosted – which I’ve never had. A new blog on WordPress – which I’ve barely used. I figured it would be a fun way to learn new things while leaving the recipes behind on my other blog. I think “fun” was the wrong word to go with. Reality has set in – setting up a new blog is WORK. And I am kind of a lazy daydreamer.

So here I am! All that to say – expect *many* changes as I go. The whole choosing-a-theme thing is overwhelming. I’m having trouble finding one with the feel that I’m looking for. I really just want to focus on writing at the moment. All the extras will show up a little at a time – links, social media, about page. It isn’t the right way to go about it {don’t do as I do}, but If I wait until it’s just right – then I will have missed out on all that writing time!

So I’ll learn as I go, just as I did so many years ago when I started my first blog {Stop and Smell the Chocolates}. It’s good to learn new things, I hear. And really “fun.”

With Love,
from Lisa Marie