Writing Out Loud: What Matters to You

What Matters to You

Margot, my fantabulous business mentor, is a woman of a certain age ... my age LOL. The other day, we were talking about my goals for my book coaching business and my goals for my own writing ... how much time I want to spend working each week, and what I want to spend that time on, in this season of life.

"I like to think of this as the third quarter," Margot said. The first quarter we grow up, the second quarter we build a career and/or take care of children, and the third quarter we get to choose ourselves and do what we want, if we are fortunate enough to be financially secure and healthy. The fourth quarter—85 +? We'll likely be reliant on others to help us manage our life.

"I figure I've got 25 years in this third quarter if I'm lucky," Margot said.

The same math for me. God willing, I have 25 good years left to write, coach writers, travel, spend time with my kids (and hopefully someday grandchildren!), hang out with friends, and continue to build a life with my soon-to-be wife (!).

What a privilege it is to have arrived in this third quarter. I don't want to squander that gift of freedom. To make the most of it, I need to be clear on what matters to me and why.

What matters to me?

• Sharing my story of how I found the courage to listen to and trust my inner voice at midlife. I remember how alone I felt when I was going through the biggest crisis of my life. I want other women who are longing to break free to know that they are not alone—that others have gone through similar struggles and arrived on the other side. I will do what it takes to get Graveyard of Safe Choices into the hands of these readers. Stay tuned for more updates on my memoir revision.
• Helping birth more stories of struggle and transformation by women and LGBTQ+ writers. I will concentrate my efforts on helping more writers dig deep to access their truth so they can write books that the world is hungry for.

I'd love to hear what matters to you–in whatever chapter of life you find yourself in.

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