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What challenges would you like to tackle?
By Carol / December 5, 2013 /
Inspiration to take big steps often comes from others.
When I was 51 years old, I screwed up my courage and left behind the title, the pay check, and the prestige of the corporate world to become a writer. Many things contributed to my ability to make this huge move, but among them was seeing others who’d been brave enough to take a chance and pursue their dreams. My experience is true for many. We take courage from – we’re inspired by – those who’ve gone before.
Today, I’m sharing books that include the inspiring and encouraging stories of many writers. I’m honored to be among the writers included in these anthologies.
The Tending Your Inner Garden series includes four books of essays and poems contributed by many women writers.
According to editors Diane Glass and Deb Engle, “The voices of women across the country and globe speak of the joys and sorrows of everyday life, as well as those pivotal moments when life surprises us and prompts us to rethink our values and priorities.”
The writings in these books explore what women have learned from the four seasons:
- Fall – The Season of Wisdom and Gratitude
- Summer – The Season of Beauty and Resilience
- Spring – The Season of Hope and New Beginnings
- Winter – The Season of Rest and Renewal
The Tending Your Inner Garden books are available as a set or individually at the TYIG Book Store. and individually on Amazon.
Inspiration also comes from around the world through the My Gutsy Story Anthology. Editor Sonia Marsh told the story of her family’s gutsy adventure in a memoir Freeways to Flip-Flops. Since then she’s encouraged others to share their own gutsy stories. She’s collected the stories of 65 writers in the anthology she published this year. It’s available on Amazon.
According to Marsh, “What makes these stories unique is the authors’ willingness to openly share the obstacles they surmounted, and the strength they developed to overcome doubt, fear, rejection, and grief. These stories of love, courage, and adventure will inspire you to follow their lead and experience your own gutsy adventure.”
The approaching new year prompts many of us to consider where we are in our lives and what might be next. Those resolutions may go by the wayside because we think the task is too big or we can’t see how to do it.
If you or someone on your gift list could use inspiration to take that next big step, you just might find that encouragement in these books.
I purchased My Gutsy Story Anthology and have it on my shelf. I know a number of the authors, enjoy reading as many as I can online, and like the fact that I have a handy way to find inspiration from writers.
Congrats for your own gutsy decision, Carol. I love watching you grow and expand as a writer. YOU are an inspiration to me.
It is great to have the inspiration handy. One of the things I like about these books is that you can dip in anywhere and in a couple of minutes get a new dose of encouragement.
You have inspired me, too, Shirley. When my energy flags, I have only to look at the creative writing and marketing efforts of you and my other author friends. Always gets me going again!
Carol, It is so true, we definitely need one another to gain and maintain inspiration. These anthologies are perfect examples of sources of inspiration from multiple authors. I feel we are all enriched and enlightened when we share our stories. I appreciate the inspiration you have provided me both through your memoir and through your blog. Thank You!
You do an amazing job of encouraging others – including me! – to tell their stories, Kathy. It’s been a pleasure to get to know you through all these social media platforms. Thanks for joining us here.
Carol,
Thanks for sharing the “My Gutsy Story®” Anthology with your readers. As you know, it’s full of inspirational stories and as our panel of indie authors discussed during the launch event on 9/26, with Linda Joy Myers, Jason Matthews, Marla Miller, and Marybeth Bond, there are both internal and external “gutsy” stories. Your story, “Giving up everything to find out what matters, ” on page 230, is also inspiring. I love what you concluded with, “It’s more important to be satisfied than successful. Or maybe the fact is that if you are satisfied, you will be successful–on your own terms.” Love that statement.
You’re welcome, Sonia. You’ve inspired me to be gutsy in so many ways, especially marketing, which is kind of funny since that’s my area of expertise! I hope lots of folks take advantage of the inspirational boost they could get from the “My Gutsy Story” Anthology and from the Tending Your Inner Garden books.