JournalWriter Freelance
Refresh with Dawn Herring

Thanks for stopping by my website blog. I hope you enjoy browsing through the postings, and in the process, get to know me a bit better. I'm Dawn Herring with JournalWriter Freelance. I work in genres of memoir, essay, devotionals, spiritual and familial topics, plus humor, fiction, and a bit of poetry. I enjoy keeping a journal, thus the name of my business. Feel free to email me at journalwriter@sbcglobal.net with any questions or comments you may have. Thanks and enjoy your stay!

Friday, January 21, 2011

The Other Side

If my cat Sophie could be everywhere at once, I think that's the super power she would choose if she could.

One thing Sophie can do without is a closed door. No matter what door it is in the house. If it's closed, and she can't get to the other side, she meows and loudly nudges it to attempt admittance. She cannot stand being 'left out', especially when she knows there is someone ELSE on the other side, and she can't be there with them.

Sophie is what we have dibbed our 'socia-puss', a combination of social and pussycat. She has to be where you are, and if she can't be, well, then, she's not a happy cat, or as hubby likes to say, she's a pissed puss! (I think she gets crankier as she gets older!)

My hubby and I like to joke around about how she always has to get to 'the other side' of the door. Even if it's just to be in there for a second or two to show her persistence with the subject!

Often she'll want to be let out almost as soon as she gets let in. She just can't seem to make up her mind where she wants to be. She simply refuses to be content with where she is.

Contentment is something that can elude us when we think that the other side HAS to be better than where we are now.

When Sophie finally finds a spot to curl up in and take a nap, we all get a rest from opening and closing the door.

When we choose to look at the blessings of where we are with all that is right in front of us and really want what we already have, we will have peace and joy that remains.

It's truly all about perspective. If we focus on the best of our current location instead of gesticulating and pining for what is on the other side, other good things will also come our way as we show our gratitude and appreciation for what we already treasure.

The next time you get a little restless, a little anxious, a little annoyed that you can't be There instead of Here, think instead of that cozy spot on the couch where you like to read your favorite book or that favorite chair in the dining room where you have your tea and write in your journal, or that wonderful cafe where you enjoy visiting with a friend you just laughed with, or...well, you get the picture.

Eliminate the frustration and increase the peace by seeing where you are as a gift, a treasure, a part of your destiny.

Sophie is always more content curled up on her favorite mat versus knocking on the door, trying to scratch her way in.

That's a peace we can all appreciate.
Even with the doors closed.

© 2011 by Dawn Herring

4 comments:

Cat Chat With Caren And Cody said...: great post! Something like "the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence" or whatever the exact words are...or from the Wizard Of Oz..."sometimes when we leave home to search for our heart's desire...we find that it was there already, right in our own back yard" or something to that effect.
About Sophie...Cody is the same, Bobo was too...I think it is a "curiosity" thing with cats or....that they just hate to be ignored!
xoxo; January 21, 2011 6:38 PM
Dawn Herring said...: Caren,
Oh, yes, curiosity is certainly part of the cat equation! They don't want to miss anything either, no matter how minute!

And, yes, what you were searching for is often right there in front of you.

Thanks, as always, Caren, for stopping by!

Be refreshed,
Dawn; January 24, 2011 1:58 PM
carolinaheartstrings said...: Oh I love this post. I love the message it conveys. Thank you.; January 27, 2011 1:44 PM
Dawn Herring said...: Thanks so much for your comment; glad the post resonated with you!

Be refreshed,
Dawn; January 27, 2011 3:13 PM

Three Steps Toward Accountability...to Yourself (as published in SFC Newsletter, Dec 08 edition)

Accountability: to give a reckoning or explanation for one’s actions, responsible.

When most people think of accountability, they often negatively associate it with answering to others, such as a spouse, a friend, a mentor, or, in most cases, a boss. As a writer, you are your own boss, which is one of the reasons that you need to be accountable to yourself. And it can be a positive experience rather than a negative one.

The first step in being accountable to yourself as a writer is setting goals for your writing and keeping track of projects you want to finish. Incurring a deadline for yourself can help

motivate you in this area. This step can also include daily writing goals. Some authors plan how many words or pages per day they will write.

I’ve set goals for myself as a writer by making them reachable and attainable. This year I have set a goal to write at least one scene for my novel per week and at least one other piece,

whether it be memoir or essay, per week. That can mean just making notes, writing a first draft, or revising a draft.

As long as your goals keep you moving forward and you’re making progress, then you know you’re headed in the right direction.

Once you have your goals set, the next step in accountability to yourself is writing down what you accomplish each day. You can use a daily calendar just for writing or keep track of your

daily accomplishments on your computer. I designed a custom monthly writing calendar. It helps me track what I write daily, whether or not I’ve met my goal for the week, and it has

space for ideas for future writing pieces. I also have a spot to keep track of books I’m reading for that month. I use abbreviations to keep the daily writing easier and to save space. As I review each completed month, I can go back to see what I’ve accomplished and keep track of when I wrote each piece.

Whether you use something pre-made or customize something for yourself, use whatever works for you and helps you stay accountable to yourself.

A third, and perhaps most important, aspect in accountability in your writing is taking care of yourself as a writer. Than can mean giving yourself space and not being hard on yourself if

you don’t reach your goals each day or each week.

Flexibility and refreshment are paramount to your health as a writer. It also frees up your creativity and can actually help you produce more quality writing in the long run.

I enjoy writing in my journal, reading fiction or memoir, and watching a good movie with my family. Taking a walk, listening to music, talking with your family members, and just taking time to sit and enjoy life are all ways you can be good to

yourself—and ultimately accountable—as a writer.

Learn to celebrate your accomplishments and your uniqueness as a writer. That’s one of the best ways to be accountable—to yourself!

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Friday, January 21, 2011

The Other Side

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